Next generation of greyhound participants to shine at Ipswich

By Jordan Gerrans

The next generation of the Sunshine State’s greyhound industry will be on show on Saturday evening at Ipswich, with a new initiative implemented aimed at bringing young people into the sport.

The Ipswich Greyhound Racing Club will host a junior handler’s race on Saturday, with the event for Grade 5 greyhounds over 431 metres.

Handlers for the newly designed race will be aged between 14 and 18 years old and must be currently licensed.

Ipswich Greyhound Racing Club President Rob Essex is enthusiastic that the new race will draw more young people into greyhound racing. 

“We get a lot of people coming into the club asking about syndicates and how they can get into the industry and those kind of things,” Essex said.

“We thought this was a great opportunity for young people – or even parents with kids at the races – to see what is happening and get involved.

“Hopefully it brings more young people into the industry.

“In the other two racing codes, you often see young family members coming through the ranks and helping out around the stables.

“We do not see as much in greyhound racing so hopefully things like this can help younger people be involved.”

With the green light given to the new Greater Brisbane Greyhound Centre earlier this year, there is not a better time for new people to immerse themselves in the code.

Situated just south of Ipswich at Purga, GBGC will feature three tracks - a straight track, a much-needed one-turn track and a two-turn track – and will be beamed to more than 60 nations across the world through Sky Racing.

Essex and the club canvassed the opinions of owners and trainers, as well as parents of potential juniors who would handle in the race, before deciding to put on the event.

“We have had great support, a lot of parents think it will be a great idea and the kids will love it,” he said.

“With the new track coming in the near future, it is a great time for young people to be involved.”

The Ipswich club will offer prizes for all handlers in the new race.

The club will allocate a junior handler to each greyhound on the night.

The event will carry standard prize money and order of entry conditions.

The majority of teenagers who are set to feature in the first junior handlers race are already associated with kennels.

Jason Bloomfield’s son Hayden, Casey Dargusch’s son Bailey as well as Cooper Topping are all likely to be involved on Saturday.

Essex is hopeful the first junior handlers race can progress into a more regular occurrence.

“I would like to see this turned into something we could do more regularly, be that weekly or fortnightly, or monthly,” he said.

“It could be turned into a bit of a series like they have with junior harness racing.

“I am hoping it will blossom with what we have put forward.”

The junior handlers race will be the fifth event on the 11-event program from Ipswich on Saturday night.