Whoosh!...and They're Off!
Racing is the ultimate test of speed for whippets. Six whippets barrel out of the starting boxes in pursuit of a bouncing, fur-covered lure, pulled by a motor down the straight or oval track. Top racing whippets can achieve speeds of up to almost 40 MPH over the 200 yard distance, with the weekend warriors and couch potato hounds not that far behind them. Whippet racing is always done for fun, never for money or for gambling. Top speedsters compete for points towards their racing championships, while the rest of the hounds run for grade awards and the coveted "Turtle Award", which is given for the last place racer in the meet. A, B, C, or D dogs, all enjoy doing what whippets were originally bred for.
Several national organizations sponsor straight-track and oval-track racing, and the NCWFA is proud to offer several CWA racing events every year. If you are interested in racing your whippet, contact Jean Balint to find out about upcoming events, practices, or racing rules.
There are three organizations that sanction whippet racing in California:
WRA: The Whippet Racing Association sponsors straight-track racing for whippets. WRA events are often held in conjunction with LGRA (Large Gazehound Race Association) events for non-whippet sighthounds. Whippets can earn the WRA titles WRCh (Whippet Race Champion), WRChX (Whippet Race Champion Excellent), CR (Companion Racer) & CRX (Companion Racer Excellent). For more information on WRA racing, visit the WRA home page.
NOTRA: The National Oval Track Racing Association sponsors oval-track racing for all sighthounds. Hounds can earn the ORC (Oval Race Champion),SORC (Supreme Oval Race Champion) & OTR titles through NOTRA. Visit the NOTRA home page for more information about NOTRA Racing.
CWA: The Continental Whippet Alliance emphasizes both speed and structure through combined straight-track race meets and conformation matches. TRP, DPC, ARX, & NARX.For more information on CWA racing and to download eligibility documents, visit the CWA home page. CWA is the organization under which the NCWFA holds its racing events.
2022 Racing Events sponsored by the NCWFA:
June 4-5, 2022
September 24 - 25, 2022
*** Events held at Solano Community College. Race flyers and complete info to appear 6 weeks before the meet dates. ***
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What To Bring To Your First Race Practice
Your first time at race practice can be daunting. It is an entire arcane world of people and whippets, fast moving, and it is hard to figure out what you should bring to make it the best experience for yourself & your hound. Here are the 'must brings' for a novice whippet & their handler:
** To prevent injuries, it is VERY IMPORTANT that your hound never gets loose during a race in progress & also that they don't stand around all day on the field watching, as those dogs quickly lose interest in the lure **
- Two leashes - one for releasing the dog & one for catching. No Flexi-Leads!
- A well-fitted martingale collar, that your hound cannot back out of [no buckle collars allowed]. If you have a question about if yours is tight enough, ask a race committee member & we will re-fit if needed.
- A wire or hard sided crate, no soft crates or topless x-pens allowed.
- A safe place, either in your car or next to your car to set up the crate, so your hound can rest when not actively racing.
- A chair, food and water for you and your hound & shade [parking under the solar panels will provide sufficient shade for you & your dog].
** To prevent injuries, it is VERY IMPORTANT that your hound never gets loose during a race in progress & also that they don't stand around all day on the field watching, as those dogs quickly lose interest in the lure **
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