Links
Links to Afghan Hound Track & Field Activities, Articles, Authors, Books, and such :
In a sequel to his 2001 title, “Falconry in the Land of the Sun“, celebrated Afghan falconer Sirdar Mohamed Osman gives the world a unique view both of falconry and of his native land. Osman comes from a long line of falconers, and has flown many raptors himself. He discusses the birds of prey of Afghanistan, as well as giving us a view of his country, its proverbs, history and agriculture. Osman has also written on birds of prey for the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society and for the Eryr Press; he is the leading authority on birds of prey of Agfhanistan and Northern India. In addition to discussion of raptors, a complete list of all Afghan gamebirds is also included, with discussion of the general ornithology. Well illustrated with drawings by Capt. Robert A. Widmeier, who was stationed in India in 1943, as well as works by Mark Upton and the publisher, Kenyon Gibson
Institute of Canine Biology
A Preliminary Population Genetic Analysis of the Afghan HoundCarol Beuchat PhD
This link is to a preliminary analysis of an Afghan Hound pedigree database that covers the period from 1915 to 2013.
“From the original founder population of about 30 dogs, the genetic diversity has been lost over the generations such that for the current population the effective founder number is only 8; i.e., about 75% of the original genetic diversity of the breed has been lost.”
American Sighthound Field Association
Lure coursing is a performance event developed in the early 70’s by Lyle Gillette and other California sighthound fanciers who hunted jackrabbits in the open field, which risked the harm caused by barbed wire fencing. They invented lure coursing as a safer, more controlled sport for sighthounds that would recreate the physical requirements of open field coursing, allowing them to continue testing the functional abilities of their sighthounds. The hounds chase plastic bags on a course laid out to simulate escaping game.
ZASSC stands for: Zoiboyz Annual Solo Speed Challen
Open to all eligible sighthound breeds recognized by AKC, FCI, UKC or various racing and coursing organizations.
Non-sighthound breeds and mixes may run to collect time data but are not eligible for end of year awards.
What
This is a timed precisely measured 200 yard (600 feet or 182.88 meters) solo sprint at the Zoiboyz Ranch permanent straight racing facility in Colorado. The electric eye positions are pinned for accuracy in re-setting.
Zoiboyz Annual Solo Speed Challenge
Open to all eligible sighthound breeds recognized by AKC, FCI, UKC or various racing and coursing organizations.
This is a timed precisely measured 200 yard solo sprint at the Zoiboyz Ranch permanent straight racing facility in Colorado. The electric eye positions are pinned for accuracy in re-setting. Colorado Springs, Colorado. (race results and track results for Afghans, Basenjis, Borzoi, Greyhounds, Salukis,Whippets)
The Desert Bred Saluki Critique Program, which recorded information about Salukis imported from the Middle East and their direct Middle Eastern descendents, was organized during the early 1970s. This became the Society for the Perpetuation of Desert Bred Salukis in 1987. The records of the Society formed a domestic registry, recognized by AKC in 2002, providing SPDBS registered Salukis with a complete three generation pedigree entrance into the AKC studbook.
Sighthounds: Their Form, Their Function and Their Future is not another manual covering nutrition, training, breeding, care, and maintenance; rather, it is a celebration of the cursorial hunting dogs, those using speed and sight to hunt for man’s cooking pot for over three millennia. Meticulously researched, it covers both British and foreign breeds, including some that are hardly known, covering their sporting past and arguing strongly for a sporting future for them. David Hancock challenges those who claim these dogs hunt solely by sight, describing their subtle use of scent and stressing their quite remarkable hearing as a hunting tool.
Western Afghan Hounds coursing a Jackrabbit.
Hunting by Speed article by David Hancock
“In a recent report on an Afghan Hound race meeting near Liverpool, these words were used in the introduction: “Those of you who have never taken your dogs racing – you really do not know what you are missing – find your nearest meeting and go along and see what happens. They – and you! – deserve the fun.” This meeting was attended by 22 Afghan Hounds…”
” It is so pleasing to know that Afghan Hound (and Saluki) racing is conducted in Britain; what a release for the hounds! Less pleasing is the knowledge that the best Afghan Hound racer, Fox Ellis, which won the national individual championship a record five successive times, was never used at stud. A litter sister became a champion but for Fox Ellis not to be used at stud tells you more about breeders seeking show-winner blood ahead of proven construction than I ever could. The sighthound breeds only survived to enter the show arenas because of their ability to race. “
Gazehounds & Coursing
The History, Art, and Sport of Hunting with Sighthounds. ” … join the author on hunts for jackrabbits, coyotes, fox, and cottontails with a variety of purebred and mixed-breed hounds. Meet some of the great old houndmen of the past and the legacy and lore they left behind. Learn the technique of the trailhound/sighthound combination hunt. Gazehounds & Coursing is provocative — the author blasts the anti-hunters, insists on a strong conservation ethic, and says that some AKC breeds need an infusion of new blood to restore their working talents.”
“The Complete Guide to Sighthound Breeds and Amateur Performance Events (with a Comprehensive Chapter on Adopted Ex-Racing Greyhounds). Sighthounds Afield includes many new photos, original cartoons, and illustrations. This manual explores diet and conditioning, training for field and track, overviews of all amateur performance events and how to attend them to your best advantage, and basic running procedures – including point requirements and titles – for field, track, and open field hunts.”
WHAT IS OPEN FIELD COURSING?
Open field coursing in the United States is the formal, organized, coursing of live game. The game consists of wild jackrabbits native to the areas being hunted. Open field coursing is held only in the Western states where live game coursing with dogs is legal.
WHEN DID OPEN FIELD COURSING START?
In the early part of the twentieth century ranchers in the western plains found coursing necessary to keep the number of predators, i.e. coyotes and wolves under control. Rabbits were also hunted as the large numbers were destroying crops. The first organized open field coursing in the United States was in California in 1959. This was the Pacheco Hunt and was sponsored by the Borzoi Club of California.
WHO SPONSORS HUNTS?
There are two groups that sponsor the coursing meets with local and/or breed clubs that operate under their auspices. The National Open Field Coursing Association (NOFCA) was formed in 1973 and has governed events ever since. These hunts are held mainly in alfalfa fields near Merced, California. Native to this area is the black-tailed jackrabbit. In 1987 the North America Coursing Association (NACA) was established. These hunts are centered around Medicine Bow, Wyoming, where the white-tailed jackrabbit is the quarry. Hunting here is done on cattle range. (more info from The Borzoi Club of America)
NOTRA is an all volunteer organization which sponsors amateur oval race meets for a total of 14 breeds of sighthounds. Sighthounds get to enjoy their natural instincts to run, while chasing an artificial lure consisting of synthetic fur and white plastic trash bags. Amateur racing in the US was originally an activity for whippets and whippets still make up a large percentage of the entries at many NOTRA meets. The site is dedicated to promoting the sport of oval racing with the other breeds that NOTRA recognizes, hence the “other breed” designation.
Eligible NOTRA breeds include Afghan Hounds, Basenjis, Borzoi, Cirneco dell Etna, Greyhounds, Ibizan Hounds, Irish Wolfhounds, Italian Greyhounds, Magyar Agars, Pharaoh Hounds, Portuguese Podengos, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Salukis, Scottish Deerhounds, Sloughis, Silken Windhounds.
Afghan Hounds ! Elite Forces of Fuzzy Destruction by Heather Christenson
Heidi and I trekked up to Washington for the ‘International Lure Coursing Invitational’ today for a chance to meet some ‘Racing’ Afghan Hounds…
Jackrabbits in AmericaTerrierman article
Anti-Coursing Law Falls to common sense.
Terrierman article
Laura and Dan Belkin with Salukis and an Afghan Hound in 1976
From: ” The Functional Saluki – Lessons from the Coursing Field“.
“Things you cannot see are more important than things you can.”
Link to the Terrierman’s comments on Dr. Belkin article.
Kepi hunting in Texas
Jackrabbits “They have escape and evasion skills that have been honed by generations of near misses by coyotes, mountain lions, bobcats, foxes, hawks, eagles and owls. … are more than a match for most sighthounds …”
Real Jobs for Hounds
ZASSC
Zoiboyz n Friends Facebook Group
If you are going coursing on western BLM lands your dogs may come across traps. It is soooo much better if you know what to do beforehand. For you and your dogs sake, take a look.
How to Release a dog from a bodygrip trap (also known as a Conibear Trap) from ADF&G on Vimeo.