Thank you, that was very enlightening and educational. I appreciate that. Much of it sounds familiar as I experienced a lot of it trying to learn how to run the lure from Master Gordon.
That probably explains too why I have continued to try to improve the design of his original hand crank unit into what I have today, and hope to improve it even more. It provides an inexpensive way for me to exercise my hounds and I can use it at events when I don't have an electric unit available. If you run across any more such articles, I'd be interested in reading them as well.. Thanks again, Corin still learning after all these years...hehehe ----- Original Message ----- From: "fastusminimus" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, March 15, 2005 7:14 AM Subject: [SCA_Coursing] A Lure is Born... > > Hi > Hopefully of interest to many- > Here is some history of the birth of Lure Coursing. Note the faults > to be avoided...still too true today... > Ta > Carol > > At 12:43 PM +0000 3/15/05, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > >"It is important to note that the Borzoi Club of America's support was > >most helpful and sympathetic in the efforts to establish modern day > >organized coursing [note: reference is to open field coursing] as an > >activity around the breed." > > > >"THE LURE IS BORN - After realizing the veritable impossibility of > >extending live game coursing trials to all corners of the country, my > >husband, Lyle Gillette, began experimentation with the powered line as > >used in Whippet racing. Pulleys were placed in a pattern that caused the > >lure to turn and dart here and there, as planned. Two Borzoi were > >released, and they took up the chase - it looked good! We could see > >that with a little inventiveness and imagination the general actions of a > >wild creature trying to evade capture by a pursuing hound could be > >duplicated." > > > >[note: this is all referring to drag lure, not continuous loop] > > > >"In this program, good durable equipment is a necessity and skill in > >operating the power unit is required, so that the relationship in > >distance and speed between the hound, the lure and the next pulley is > >such that the hound can be inspired to give its best. Without > >knowledgeable and skilled operation, the course can be ruined, revealing > >nothing of worth regarding the hounds' coursing abilities. > > @@@@@@@@@@@@ > > >Some of the > >faults to be avoided in setting up and running a trial are: courses that > >are too short, pulling the line too fast as so to unsight the hounds, and > >making the turns more than 45 degrees at any one pulley." > > @@@@@@@@@@@@@ > > >"In lure coursing, the game or "lure" is used in a predetermined > >environment in such manner as to permit scrutiny of the field; a power > >unit that could make the artificial game reflect some reasonable > >facsimile to the live creature, including capture. As the first > >hand-powered take up wheel and a piece of fur simulated the imagination > >of the viewers and participants, so out of every neighborhood came > >workable and unworkable contraptions, but none surpassed the battery and > >a D.C. motor with takeup reel, to provide the power and speed the sport > >demanded." > > > >"For two years Lyle travelled with the old original hand-operated takeup > >reel and pulleys to all four corners of our vast country, implanting the > >idea that "lure coursing" could provide real fun with the hounds and at > >the same time a beginning to test the speed and coursing abilities of our > >dogs." > > > >"Finally enough interest was aroused to sustain an organization to really > >promote the sport. Then the American Sighthound Field Association was > >born. It was established in 1972 in Concord, California, with a meagre > >half dozen San Francisco Bay Area sighthound organizations and the > >support of the Borzoi Club of America. This new body met and elected > >it's first officers." > > > >"It is true that lure coursing today [note 1977 publication date] is not > >an exacting test for the stamina and other factors that prove the > >worthiness of a coursing hound. However, this sport with all its present > >failings has brought coursing into the lives of many Borzoi and their > >owners where it had never before existed. It has provided a means by > >which thousands of good running hounds could be released after a moving > >object for an invigorating run. It has proved to be a practiceable > >enterprise where people can gather to watch the various breeds perform. > > It has given us a gauge by which to witness the mellow disposition of > >most of the breeds, showing what compatibility can really mean to working > >hounds. Lure coursing really exposes the true temperament of the hound, > >aiding us in selective breeding. It also assists the alert breeder by > >revealing how various structural defects affect the total performance of > >the hound." > > > >"With the limitation of open field coursing as to terrain and the > >existence of live game and favorable weather and game laws, lure coursing > >has become "a gift of the gods" for the hounds, as such trials can be set > >up in almost any area of the country .... " > > > >"But the sport itself seems also to have limitations. It suffers from > >poor equipment, which still plagues the efforts of trial giving clubs. > >They also have to contend with arbitrary rules and cumbersome procedures, > >and in some respects a leadership which wholly lacks imagination and > >initiative to develop these trials into genuine tests of the whole > >coursing ability of the hounds as it was organized to be by it's > >founders. Some of the leadership also fails to draw into participation > >a greater percentage of owners to place their young mature dogs in > >competition." > -- > Creative Clutter is Better Than Idle Neatness! > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > -- > Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. > Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.7.1 - Release Date: 3/9/05 > > -- Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.7.1 - Release Date: 3/9/05 ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Has someone you know been affected by illness or disease? Network for Good is THE place to support health awareness efforts! http://us.click.yahoo.com/rkgkPB/UOnJAA/Zx0JAA/PJ_qlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! 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