Update 2002 (This document is not a regulation but a collection of consultings)
Booklet established by Professor Guy QUEINNEC.
• Where to address to you? Your young Sighthound should initially be educated to follow the lure until the end and to tolerate the other competitors.
For that you have a network of Work Clubs (race clubs on oval track racing (ENC and IT) or clubs of coursing (P V L)) approved by the S.C.C and which lay out each one of a perimeter of attribution for the delivery of the Patents of Aptitude for Racing (B.A.C.) or for Coursing (B.P.V.). The address can be provided to you by your Regional Canine Society or your specialized Association of breed. If you adhere to a club, you will receive all the useful information.
• Which trials exist?
There are three kinds of trials:
National Trials on the oval track racing. (ENC) Baptized races or " racing ” in our jargon they proceed on a "cynodrome” (oval track racing), calibrated then approved by the National Commission of Sighthound's Use known as: " Commission Sighthounds ". At the first time, dogs disputes a race against time known as: " qualification”. The result is depending on a reference speed (10 to 15 meters per seconds) known as the basic time. Then it is classified : International, A, B, C, D.
After that, it disputes races ( now, the result is depending on the place of the dog) in which, it will face the competitors of its category.
International trials. (IT)
They are holding on the "cynodromes”. Sighthounds dispute all together the first place, after a selections either at time, or at their place in a traditional race. They defer from the preceding ones by the distribution of the categories without minimum speed limit, but often join together competitors of great value.
Lure coursing trials (EPVL).
They are races with two competitors, the remind the aptitude for hunting. Dogs are pursuing a lure on a long course in slalom including obstacles which are placed in the nature. Each one is judged on its behaviour , on its speed, its resistance, its eagerness, its wiliness, its courage, and its art of capture the lure on the arrival. In the other countries, the E.P.V.L. are called "Coursing” and the judgment is different.
• When and how to start?
The young Sighthound is brought to the ‘cynodrome' at an age generally lain between 6 months and 1 year according to the breed. It must be young enough so that one benefits from his natural tendency to play and run after a lure, but be formed enough because if the young dog is not sufficiently formed, its skeleton is likely to suffer damage following an error of race. It will be able to start to run officially after 12 or 15 month according to the race.
Raising We start by accustoming the young dog to the noises, the barking, the presence of other dogs, and that can be done very early. Then we show him the lure and teach to him how to run behind. Others prefer to place the lure behind so that it passes at high speed in front of the dog which has then the reflex to run in its continuation. It is preferable to start the race towards the end of the course, the owner being held on arrival and a third party bringing the dog at the beginning of the traverses. Like that, he will be motived at the same time by the lure and by returning to his owner who must congratulate him loudly. Little by little, the distance will be lengthened until the complete course.
But there can be multiple alternatives according to the clubs'. Certain Sighthounds make the full rotation since the beginning, others need to be training a lot. When he runs well with the lure, he is ready for the ‘P.V.L'. For the ‘E.N.C', often called ‘racing', he must face other tasks: He has to learn how to support the muzzle, obligatory to avoid the battles on arrival when the dogs capture the lure. It is enough to put the muzzle to him before a departure or a walk, so that he'll associate joy and muzzle. It is rather easy. learn to him how to leave in limps: To enter the box, to await the opening, to leap. It is in general very easy; sometimes it is necessary to learn to him from how to start with the limp open. The doghas to learn how to tolerate the other competitors. It is a point which can be delicate. If he's not motivated enough with the lure, if you were too in a hurry to put him in group without awaiting a good raising in solo, you go to the front of nuisances. He will play to push the others (we will said that the dog ‘moves', that means that he attacks) as the puppies which play together. Or if the lure wasn't placed behind the limps like what wants the regulation, the 6 hounds will precipitate towards the point where was the lure, from where scuffle. Others do not support to be caught up, or hustled in a turn: they rebel. In all these cases the sighthound cannot be accepted in race. The result will depend on your assiduity to the training and the value of the monitors of the club. There are various methods to rectify a ‘moving dog' (who is, in general, player or apprehensive, but not really aggressive). When your dog can run in group, he's ready to obtain the right to run.
• The passage of the BAC
For that it must obtain a Patent of Aptitude for the Races (B.A.C.) and a certificate of validity (coloured carton, license).
Where: Obligatorily in the club approved whose your place of residence depends (except Paris where each club covers Paris and its sub-urban). But on reasoned request you can obtain a derogation to go elsewhere, either by the president of your regional club, or in case of refusal, by the Sighthounds Commission. Is always needed a written reason.
How: 1) You write at the Canine Central Society which sells a notebook of work to you. There is a single model for France and the other countries. But that's not enough for beginning. Then you write to the president of the Club to ask for a passage of the "BAC” to him, at least 15 days in advance. As soon as the date is fixed, you come with your notebook of work, the photocopy of the pedigree and the card of tattooing. Only the confirmed Sighthounds, therefore equipped with a final pedigree, are authorized to pass the "BAC”. In some cases, one can accept the Sighthound although the pedigree did not arrive, but the documents will not be delivered before reception of the pedigree. The "BAC” cannot have spent the same day than a race, except exceptions provided for with the regulation.
2) Expert-qualifier (EQ) control papers, tattooing. For Whippets, he weighs the dog, then takes 9 measuring between the shoulders and the ground and he will retain the median. It can also make pass Whippet under an official template. Size & weights determine the category of format (small or W, large or GW, very large or TGW). The later races will gather of the same competitors category in each sex. After the 2 years age, the second control will be obligatory. Indeed the measuring of the size is delicate according to the position of the dog. There is frequently a gap from approximately 1 cm between the extreme median and measurements. Before each race, the judge can control the format and change the category, except for the championship where he submits a report. The Italian Greyhounds must also obligatorily pass to the 9 measuring and the 2 years control. No Sighthound is authorized to contribute in official proof if he exceeds the standards of size or weight imposed by the regulations. There are Audit Boards to which you can submit your Whippet or yourItalian Greyhounds, or to see you convened because there is a general relation between format and speed. One does not make contribute of the featherweights against heavy trucks. Since the installation of the system sizes/weight there are very few exceptions at the national level. The absence of international controls raises on the other hand many polemic. All these results are related on the notebook.
3) The proofs of the BAC consist initially of a solo to check the aptitude to follow the lure with heat. That is enough for certain races with weak payroll. Whippets must make, for example, 2 races in group. It is desirable that the young dog don't run this race with some champions. With each turn there is a "observer”, fitted with a accreditive card of competence, which, in the event of incident informs the expert. If all is well passed, your Sighthound obtains his BAC. If there is a doubt, he is deferred, if there is fault he is refused and will have to await 1 month to try again. Then, you will have to improve his raising. The club gives you then a BAC of which you will preserve the original preciously. It is registered on the new notebooks. The club also gives you a coloured carton which is the proof of the technical capability of the hound. Thereafter, your Sighthound can give up in proof, or float in race. It is said that it misses schooling, he is not accustomed enough to the race in group. One registers SUSP on his notebook. So on the other hand, if he has an awkward behaviour with the other competitors, he will be disqualified and prohibited to run during at least 4 weeks. That is related on the notebook and coloured carton. Therefore, to run one needs 3 documents: NOTEBOOK + BAC + CARTON COLORS
• The passage of the BPV
The notebook of work is different (green) and the procedures from qualification are corresponding, but in solo and couple. You are, from now, ready for the competition.
• What do you have to know?
All the possibilities are described in detail in the regulation of the proofs, which understands the administrative rules, then a regulation for E.N.C., international races, E.P.V.L. Does everything approximately 50 pages and so cannot be disseminated to each one.
You must initially engage: To the president or to the Secretary of the organizing club, you send 15 days in advance your engagement on a standard model, or, failing this on plain paper by recopying the BAC.
The fees are fixed by S.D.C. You must forward yourselves at the hour fixed (in general 9h) for the veterinary control, fitted with a certificate of anti-rabic vaccination valid. Failing this, you will not be able to take the departure.
The veterinary checks the papers, he controls the heats of the females. He is prohibited to bring a female in heat on an oval track racing , because that will irritate the competitors and can lead to disqualifications. The veterinary controls the health and in particular that of the fingers of the Sighthounds to detect wounds. In their interest, he can prohibit the departure.
You are given the program of the day, but there will be often amendments. Listen to the instructions given by the sound system and follow what there is in the display board. Before each race where your Sighthound is registered, you bring it to the starting control fitted with its casaque (the number is with the program) and with its muzzle. There, you draw lots the box in which your Sighthound will be placed at the beginning. To the appeal of the choke (Sighthounds at the beginning of the race n°x) you go in the order of the boxes, each one is put behind his, and with the command of the choke (limps about it) will introduce it to you by closing the gate well behind him without slowing down the setting limps about it. The race left, you should not shout after the Sighthound with the risk to make it return towards you. You should not excite it by an unspecified means. You approach the area of arrival of the lure to recover it as of the arrival. After having recovered it, you remove the muzzle and bring back it for you at rest, preferably by making it a little go to slacken it. The result will be displayed. In Lure Coursing you should not let the Sighthound see the course, because it could cross and penalized. If there were incidents, keep your calms. The race is a sport full with risks and the Sighthounds have sometimes a very disappointing behaviour. Do not attack the owner of a Sighthound which obstructed yours. He does not have nothing to do and is already rather unhappy to be disqualified. Do not take any to you with the observers nor with the judge if your Sighthound is sanctioned without you see something, or because you accuse a competitor. You deal with the voluntary with experience, whose decisions are, in addition, controlled by the Sighthounds Commission. What they saw with 150 meters of you, to 50 km/h, can have lasted only 1 or 2 tenths of a second (2m). Remind you the meeting that your Sighthound feels your calm or your irritation, that its results and its behaviour feel some. The best way of losing is initially to behave as a bad loser. If you don't manage to control you, give up the sighthound sport. If you have an observation to make, address you to the chief of runway, only person authorized to forward information. To the exit of the meeting, one will give you your notebook duly filled, your prices. Control the notebook well because it can y have had transcription errors which it will be difficult to correct then. Be patient: The secretariat will have devoted the pause of the lunch pre-to fill the notebooks, but leave the judge the time to register the classification and to sign. You have perhaps a long-haul to traverse to come back home, but one cannot return the notebook to you even if your dog were prematurely eliminated. You can always ask a friend to recover the notebook in your place if you make a point of leaving early.
• Conversation
The problems of the drive, the alimentation, of the care raise many controversies, each one having its receipt, sometimes his theory.
• Drive
Any drive includes a basic winter work, moderate phases of work (functioning, trot), phases speed (lure, ball, sprint, etc…). The dosage varies according to the breed (the greyhound, more rapid, are less resistant than the others), the time, the individual. Some need much drive, others little, but there are hardly good results without efforts of the owner. It's need time, at least three weeks, often several months to format a sighthound. The risks of wounds are high in the event of no health or of super condition. Many (but not all) females improve their speed before heats, and drop by form during four to eight weeks after the medium of heats. Maximum speed is reached towards 12 - 15 month, but with the trade, the best results are 2 to 5 years. Spent six years, the sighthound drops.
• Alimentation
It can be traditional, without too many vegetables or starchy foods, or containing commercial food. It is better two or three meals per day that only one. Attention with excesses of calcium, phosphorus, vitamins D. Don't give a complete meal the day of the races. Make drink moderately, water not frozen, after the races.
• Care
Heats: It is prohibited to bring a female in heats to the oval track racing, that will disturb male and female.
Vaccines: Anti-rabic vaccination is obligatory. Current vaccinations are with being advised.
Massages and heating: They are with being advised, like the relaxation after the race.
Tetany: Nervous crisis either after the race (spectacular and short) or during lactation, especially if you gave calcium supplements during gestation.
Urinating with blood (rhabdomyolyse): Brown urines translating either a piroplasmosis, or of the micro muscular breakdowns in races, or another disease.
Heat stroke: Serious accident after the race, if the weather is hot, if there were certain doping agents, if the subject is into bad state. The temperature goes up to more than 40. To cool the body and the head and to carry in a veterinary.
Muscular breakdowns, fractures: Enough rare. Especially on runways badly maintained with hard and soft areas alternated, or on badly nourished and badly droved dogs.
Large fingers: Articular lesions, sometimes distorsions, sometimes tendinitises, on dogs fast, often heavy, at the time of scuffles, of bad braking on arrival, sometimes of badly maintained runways. They often occur in high season on the tired subjects, badly detoxicated. They can be benign or serious. According to the veterinaries, one discusses by surgery, anti-inflammatory drugs, bandage, homeopathy. Each method has successes or failures, according to cases'. One often announced falls of form after corticoids.
Doping: It prohibited but is used too much. The majority do not have any share. The doping agents are either delayers of tire which have theoretical interest only for the races of more than 1500 meters, either tire-removed which are useful only in the event of repetition with insufficient intervals, either is to say give potential at very short duration of share. The doping agents are always dangerous for the sighthound, and they are useless on 20 seconds.
Rhythm of the races: In theory, the sighthound can often run, it is built for that. But in the event of unperceived lesion there could be wound, which leads some to repeat the races only seldom. well Nourished and well droved, it can run very frequently. The risk of unperceived lesion is finally the main case because it will involve an accident, allotted to the runway, time, an accident of race, etc… After the meeting examine and clean the feet, palpate well the shoulders, the thighs, the hinges. In case of doubt, put at a relative rest (not of race). Never let pass a bad stopwatch without cause (of fall), are careful to accept the following race. It is often a precursory sign of troubles. A well droved dog can frequently repeat its races. A badly droved dog cannot. But it also depends of individual, with sharp controversies.
• Some interesting information
Approved clubs: Association approved by the Sighthounds Commission in agreement with local Canine Society. There can be of them one by circle of 75Km if the runway is reserved for the sporting tests, of 50Km if it is shared with a Society with Mutual Bet. It is perfectly authorized in France to dispute the tests of the Federation of Society of Races (races with mutual bet) which has its own regulation (code of the races) and its own documents (booklets).
Oval Track Racing: Runways approved, whose dimensions were measured by an approved expert, with a minimum department of 40m. They can have a runway out of grass, sand, grass on sand. Each ground has its defenders and its detractors.
Lure: The lure consists of ribbons plastic for the racing, rabbit skin for the coursing. It is moved either by a cable rolled up on a reel (lure ties up) with pulleys, or by a self-propelled system guided by a rail.
Distances: The French distances are of approximately 480m or 250m in order to have departures in straight line which limit wounds and scuffles. The international distances for the whippets are for the moment of 350m what imposes a short straight line (40-50m) with many risks on the turning. But that could change in the years to come.
Basic time: It is calculated annually for each runway, breed, category, in order to standardize the results. Each category speed corresponds to 1, 2, 3, 4 seconds compared to basic time. All sighthounds A must be able to appear honourably at the international level without claiming with the podium.
Chief of runway: He is the technical person responsible for the day and the only person entitled to receive your complaints. He transmits them to the judge who has only a decision-making power.
Judge: The judge is an expert who passed an examination before the Sighthound Commission, then another in a Veterinary School after a 3 days training course, then exerted near a qualified judge (assessor ship), then he is proposed by the Commission Sighthound at the Commission of the Judges of the SCC. He will be able to then judge the proofs ordinary before being qualified. A long, complex, painful course which deserves your respect.
Expert Qualifier: 4 to the maximum by Club, in addition of the qualified judges, proposed by the Club. He undergoes a theoretical and practical examination before the Sighthound Commission which appoints it. The president of the Club or the Sighthound Commission can note him on his function, which is delicate and hard.
Sighthounds Commission: It understands ten people appointed for three years by the Committee of the SCC among its own members and qualified personalities. The SighthoundsCommission elects various people.
Over the period 2000 - 2003, we have as follows: president: - Mr. Hermel, Committee SCC, Judge. Secretary: - Miss Moniot, Judge of Work, Committee CFW, Committee CFPLI. Members: - Mr. Ainardi, Judge of Work, Judge - Mr. Brassat-Lapeyrière, Committee SCC, Judge. - Mr. Buche, Chairman of the SCC - Mr. Faure, Chairman of the Club of Barzoï, Judges - Mrs. Klein Vice-president of the Club of the CAGF - Dr. Touffut, Judge of Work. - Mrs. Tuma, President of the CFPLI.
Race I.T. : International race.
License: Old name of the international license. Corresponds to the new notebook 1990.
BAC: Document attesting the capacity to run in racing and PVL. Formerly CAT.
BPV: Document attesting the capacity to run in PVL. Formerly CATP.
CACT: Certificate of Aptitude for the Championship of Work. Decreed with the winner of category A.
RCACT: Reserve Certificate of Aptitude for the Championship of Work. Decreed with the second of category A. It is transformed into CACT if the winner is an approved champion.
CACP: Certificate of Aptitude for the Championship of Continuation. Decreed with the winner of a EPVL, having a minimum of 25 points.
RCACP: Reserve Certificate of Aptitude for the Championship of Continuation. Decreed with the second, having a minimum of 25 points.
Excel: Sighthound classified A with the stop watch or having from 33 to 23 points for the PVL.
Very Good: Sighthound classified out of B or having from 22 to 18 points for the PVL.
Good: Sighthound classified out of C or having from 17 to 10 points for the PVL.
Enough Good: Sighthound classified in D.
International: Sighthound having carried out a course faster than the time basic and measured by an electric method.
Champion of Work ENC: On the pedigree, it will have written there: CHT. Sighthound having realized on 3 different runways: - the CACT of the proof of Championship, - a CACT into Special, - Another CACT, - Excellent - Very Good in exhibition in France.
Champion of Work PVL: On the pedigree, it will have written there: TPO. Sighthound having realized with 3 different judges: - the CACP of the proof of Championship, - Excellent into Special, - Another CACP, - Very Good in exhibition in France. The request for homologation will have to be carried out obligatorily in the 6 months which follows obtaining these requirements as well for the PVL for the ENC.
Champion Speed: On the pedigree, it wrote CHVi there. They are the winners of the Championships of the type UICL organized in France during ten year.
Standard prize winner Performances Sighthounds: On the pedigree, it's wrote there: CH LSP The Sighthound will be able to claim with only one bond of LSP which will be obtained either by the racing, or by the PVL, or mixed.
Race: They are sighthounds having obtained at the same time great results in Exhibition (at least 1 CACS and 1 RCACS) and in race (at least 2 excellent and an electric stopwatch) according to compensation scale. Ex: 2 excellent and participation to the Great Price SCC are enough in race with a holder to 2 CACIB.
Continuation: The sighthounds must have obtained the same results in Beauty than before, they must in addition have two Excellent in PVL at least as well as a timing attestation attesting that they carried out a time of A on at least 75 meters.
Mixed: The bond could be obtained with results in ENC and PVL.
Great Price of the SCC: Race reserved for the dogs who are titular of exhibitions results with at least RCACS + excellent, as well as excellent or two very good in ENC. The victory is printed in the pedigree (GPX).
World Championship and Europe Championship of race: Annual meeting which confront the best sighthounds selected by each MemberState, classified by breed and sex.
Championship of France of PVL: Trial rewarding the best sighthound in EPVL, each year.
Brassok: Dive of the dog on the lure on arrival, referring tothe technique employed to kill an alive animal.
Attack: Movement of the sighthound towards a competitor, during which the faulty one leaves the lure of the eyes. The attack is often a play.
Scuffle: Movement of the sighthound which without leaving the lure of the eyes is off-set or made his place with blows of shoulder or hip. The scuffle is not a faulty act, even if it causes the fall of hustled.
Opener: It's a dog, who is not engaged, which opens the meeting for checking the hardware.
Observers of turn: He was named ‘commissaire' before. He's someone approved by the C.L among experienced owners and who is placed at each turns to deliver his opinion on the behaviour of the dog. The judge is free to follow or not his opinion (as the linesman in football or Rugby). When he saw a fault, he raises his arm or a flag.
Paddock: Area delimited by ropes where the sighthounds are forwarded to the technical inspections and await the command to go in the limps of departure.
Starter: Someone who gives the departure while opening them limps.
Lurist: Person responsible for the behaviour of the lure in Racing.
Technical conductor: Person responsible for the behaviour of the lure in E.P.V.L. His role is considerable and the increasingly severe conditions of appointment.
Friendly: Not-official proof organized by an approved club according to its own regulation and able to be equipped with price in cash. The only stress is to inform the C.L and the local Canine Society. We cannot organize a friendly manifestation the same day than a protected proof or if there is a risk of competition with an official proof Trophy, Derby… Names suitable for a friendly manifestation of the Club or the owners for better holding the attention.
Suspension: Light fault by lack of ardour.
Disqualification: Serious fault harming others and prohibited by the regulation.
Chauvinism: Your dog will not be the fastest every time, but for you, he will be most intelligent, most beautiful, nicest. Do not admit that he would be depreciated, not more than his breeder or his club. Do not do it for the other.
• With which to address to you?
For any technical or administrative information, see with your approved work club Click to display them --> Clubs of Work You will be able also to get the addresses of these clubs at your Regional or Local Canine Society, or with the SCC, or the secretariat of the C.L If you have some free time, propose you to help to maintain the runway, to assumereception and secretariat, to contribute to the drives and official proofs. The sighthound sport exists for you but needs you. Do not forget that the purpose of the proofs S.C.C. is the improvement of the breeds in a friendly spirit and not the only pleasure of the competition even if it is real.
To obtain a work notebook With the S.C.C. Specify if the notebook is a race or a ‘P.V.L' notebook, accompanied by the price.
For any complaint or litigation and suggestion on the regulation: With the Chairman or secretary of the C.L., directly or via the S.C.C. For any homologation of title in the file: With the Secretary of the C.L directly or via the S.C.C. after having checked the conditions with your club. Only the files certified by the people responsible for the Clubs will be accepted.
For any question relating to the confirmation: With the Chairman of the Club of breed concerned.
