☀️ GBGB LATEST NEWS ☀️ {+ The Rules Of Racing}

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TAKEN FROM THE RACING POST
TUESDAY 3rd NOVEMBER 2020:::

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....GBGB Announces Licensing Updates for 2021....

 
GBGB is this week announcing a series of changes to its licensing process for 2021, as part of its drive to continue raising welfare and integrity standards under the Greyhound Commitment.

The changes follow a full licensing review conducted by the GBGB Board to explore whether the process was still fit for purpose. This was the first review of its kind since the Board was established more than a decade ago.

The changes announced have been delayed since early spring, when the review was originally completed, due to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. They will now come into effect on 1 January 2021 and all licence-holders who are impacted will be contacted directly with further details.

Whilst other smaller improvements to the process are being introduced, the key change is the consolidation of all trainer licences into one single Professional Greyhound Trainer licence from 2021. This means the discontinuation of the Owner Trainer and Greyhound Trainer licences.

The fee structure will also be updated for trainers and calculated according to kennel capacity. These new payments will be staggered; trainers are only required at this stage to pay a £50 non-refundable renewal deposit, with the full amount paid after their NSF certification inspections during 2021.

Other changes include:

🔴 Trainer licence applications and renewals to be allowed at any point throughout the year and will run for 12 months from the award date;

🔴 Kennel staff licence renewals should be made now alongside trainers’ renewals; the costs of these are not increasing and they will be automatically extended, free of charge, to match the end date of trainers’ new licences once formally approved during 2021;

🔴 Dual-attachment licences for kennel staff will be considered on a case-by-case basis;

🔴 Veterinary surgeons to apply to GBGB directly to be licensed across all stadia; these multi-track licences will be increasing to £50.


Mark Bird, Managing Director of GBGB, said:

“The licensing changes we are announcing this week are very much common sense and represent how far our sport has come over the past few years. From introducing multi-track veterinary surgeon licences to streamlining the application process, we have sought to respond to feedback from the sport on how we can do things better going forward.

“The consolidation of the trainer licences is clearly the most significant of all, however, and signals our unwavering commitment to welfare and integrity and the ongoing professionalisation of our sport.

“It is only fair and right that every licensed greyhound trainer is held to the same high standards and is able to be inspected effectively under the PAS 251:2017 and in line with the GBGB Rules of Racing. The new single Professional Greyhound Trainer licence will allow us to do this, thereby ensuring each of our racing greyhounds receives the best possible care in their residential kennels.

“We recognise that this does represent a significant change for our current Owner Trainers and we are keen to support individuals to qualify under the new structure should they wish to. Our Stipendiary Stewards and Registry Team will be working closely with them, and with all our trainers, through the transition.

“Likewise, GBGB has not increased its trainer licence fees since it was established in 2009, so a review into this was well overdue. The new fee structure aims to be a fairer and more straightforward system based on kennel capacity and will contribute towards the additional costs of the new NSF International certification inspections. We have, however, decided to stagger the introduction of these payments in light of these past few months.”


To explain the changes, and what they mean for different licence-holders, GBGB has published a Questions and Answers document available here. Anyone with further questions is invited to contact GBGB’s Registry Team on 020 7822 0900 (Option 3).

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TAKEN FROM THE RACING POST
THURSDAY 5th NOVEMBER 2020:::

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GBGB LATEST NEWS:

FRIDAY 6th NOVEMBER 2020:


The Latest Edition Of The GBGB Calendar


s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/gbgb-prod-assets/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/06141046/Calendar-6-November-2020-Vol-12-No-16.pdf

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ADVICE FOR OWNERS & TRAINERS ON GREYHOUND

EXPOSURE TO FIREWORKS

Purpose


The Greyhound Board of Great Britain recognises that some greyhounds are fearful of loud noises and
that fireworks can have a negative impact on these dogs.

Affected greyhounds suffer psychological trauma and often cause themselves injuries in an attempt to
run and hide from the noise.

The following advice is intended to help owners and trainers to minimise the impact of fireworks on
their greyhounds.


Risk Periods


The following times/events are deemed to be HIGH RISK meaning that it is highly likely that
greyhounds will be exposed to firework noise at these times.

• The Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings either side of 5th November.

• In certain locations, other cultural events, such as Diwali, Chinese New Year, etc. may present
a high risk for firework exposure depending on the population in the vicinity of the kennels.

• Of course, there is a constant lesser risk of spontaneous events at other times of the year.

• Check local and social media for advance notice of any large organised displays planned for
your area. This will allow time to prepare for the event and take necessary action to minimise
the risk of greyhounds being exposed to fireworks at these times.


Tips to Help your Dogs on Firework Night


• Wherever possible keep all dogs indoors after dark to minimise exposure to fireworks.
• Feed early to allow dogs to settle well before dusk.

• Provide fearful dogs with a safe place to “hide”. This is part of their coping strategy; this may be
simply providing extra blankets or a duvet to burrow under.

• Dogs take their lead from humans, if we are calm and oblivious to the fireworks dogs may take
some comfort from that. Excessive petting and cuddling may reinforce the feeling that there is
something to be scared of but if human contact helps a dog relax then that too is fine.

• If possible black out windows and play music or the television to mask the sound of the
fireworks. Draping a blanket over the kennel door may help to block out sudden flashes.

• Make sure that kennels are secure and that no dog can escape if there’s a sudden noise.

• If any dogs display extreme fear, then consider consulting your vet well in advance of high-risk
periods to request a mild sedative to reduce anxiety. Be aware of the GBGB Rules of Racing
regarding medication and seek specialist advice before resuming racing after administering any
medication.

• Generally, firework phobia will get worse with time. There are longer term measures that may
help to minimise the impact of sudden loud noises such as desensitising soundtracks that can
be played at low volumes during times which a dog associates with something good/positive
such as being fed or at “playtime”. Ask your vet for advice on this.

• If dogs are required to race at high risk times, then consult with the Racing Manager and ask
that anxious dogs are rested during these times to avoid transporting nervy dogs to the track
where they may be exposed to further stress.

• If dogs must be transported during high risk times then don’t leave them unattended at any time
and implement measures to minimise the impact of the fireworks on the dogs (close the doors,
turn on the engine, radio, etc).

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GBGB SEEK EXTRA CASH.....

TAKEN FROM THE GREYHOUND STAR — NOVEMBER 10, 2020

The Greyhound Board are to meet with the betting industry on Friday with the aim of asking for additional fees during the current COVID lockdown and the resultant closure of betting shops.

UK horse racing has already secured a deal
click on the link below.....

www.sbcnews.co.uk/retail/2020/11/09/bookmakers-support-racing-with-additional-streaming-and-data-fees/?mc_cid=3bf22ddf10&mc_eid=97b6e53fe7

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Greyhound racing is to receive £1m in emergency Covid relief
from the Government in an announcement made earlier today.

The cash was raised following representations by GBGB. While the offer will be welcome, the amount may raise some eyebrows, particularly compared to the £40m being awarded to horse racing, while other sports such as basketball, ice hockey and netball each received £4m. Badminton receives £2m!

Commenting on the announcement by Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston today of the government’s ‘Winter Survival Package’ to help major spectator sports, Mark Bird, Managing Director of the Greyhound Board of Great Britain, said:

“We are pleased that the government has partially recognised the economic hardship that Covid-19 has caused our sport. Whilst it only represents a small proportion of the overall losses caused by the impact of the lockdowns, this funding will assist the sport in the very short term as we attempt to recover from the impact of the lockdowns.

“Greyhound racing provides substantial local employment and affordable entertainment and hospitality in many key communities in our country which are suffering greatly during the pandemic. But, in addition, our industry supports the welfare needs of our greyhounds and faces significant costs to ensure that their care and welfare remains world class.

“Our industry has shown outstanding resolve throughout this difficult year, but we know that each of our stadia, trainers and owners continue to have significant concerns about their immediate futures and for their employees. Our ability to continue racing behind closed doors during this lockdown has been vital, but the loss of spectators at tracks continues to take a substantial toll on all areas of our sport, as does the temporary closure of betting shops.

“We know that there are considerable pressures on government to fund not only sports but also all aspects of the hospitality, tourism and entertainment sectors. We are therefore grateful that the DCMS has listened and understands the needs of our sport. We will continue to raise our concerns with ministers at DCMS and will be having further conversations in the coming days and weeks about how this provisional amount of £1million will be granted and how else government can support the sport and the communities we serve.”