UK: British breeding continues to fall

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From www.gobata.co.uk

British breeding continues to fall

"More breeders' prizes would be an incentive," says keeper of English stud
book

LITTER registrations with the Greyhound Stud Book, the English version that
is, continue to fall and are down precisely 100, from 412 litters in 2010 to
312 this year.

For registration purposes annual figures are recorded to the end of May and
the latest statistics are further evidence of a downward spiral in UK
breeding.

"The figures are bad news for British breeding," said Liz Mort, keeper of
the stud book, "I'd dearly like to see an increase in breeding here but the
numbers have been going down for some years now.

"Track closures in recent years have not helped matters and it is noticeable
that there is a decline in breeding in those areas which are badly served
for tracks," she continued, adding also that the number of completed naming
forms received is 'marginally down'.

So lose the tracks and you lose not only racegoers but breeders too, no
wonder then that Mrs Mort would like to see more encouragement and rewards
for British breeders.

"There are breeders' prizes for the Derby and the Produce Stakes but why
aren't the same incentives there for other competitions, I really think it
would encourage more breeding," she added.

A couple of litters recently registered at the NCC's Newmarket offices are
an April 2012 clutch by Irish hotpot Milldean Panther out of Special Liberty
(three of each sex) and a whopping litter of 11 (five dogs, six bitches) by
Bandicoot Tipoki out of Shes A Star.

You can keep abreast of NCC business by checking out Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/studbook and/or the website,
www.nationalcoursingclub. "I try to get as much breeding news out there as
possible, for instance Nick Savva's breeding programme is still going strong
while there lots of pups bearing the Aero prefix out there just now,"
concluded Mrs Mort.