Caption: Flooding has been a recurring nightmare for greyhound clubs across Australia

By Greyhound Clubs Australia Executive Officer TROY HARLEY

IF there is one industry that has proven its resilience over the past decade, surely that is greyhound racing.

We have been hit by everything, including the kitchen sink. Some issues have been national – including live baiting and Covid – while other challenges have affected single states or clubs.

In almost every instance this industry has come through stronger and more unified.

The October floods that have left parts of NSW and Victoria devastated have been another example. Weather-wise there are few parts of Australia that have been left unscathed by the weather gods so far in 2022.

I am based near Bendigo, Victoria, and have seen first-hand the carnage caused by the floods. I have also (again) seen this industry rise to the challenge with clubs and trainers helping out those in the sport who have been inundated.

It is an indication of what this lifestyle is all about. We do take care of our own.

I have to smile sometimes when I hear negative comments about how a significant percentage of greyhound racing people are in the ‘older’ demographic.

We all agree that more younger faces are needed … and that is happening. But I also acknowledge just how much this industry owes that ‘older’ demographic.

I am not just talking about physical things that have been built, work done over decades, etc.

I am also talking about the ethos that is in the background of this sport. Much of how we approach adversity is ‘old school’ thinking:

Just get up and have another crack.       

Don’t give in.

Be there for your mate.

Be loyal.

Just get it done.

All of these traits have come through from our ‘older’ demographic. Our much-praised resilience is because of our ‘older’ demographic.

Yes, everyone in the industry has lived, and, mostly survived the hardships, but resilience is in our DNA because of our old school brigade.

During October senior Racing Queensland official Simon Stout was appointed as CEO of Greyhounds Australasia (GA). I congratulate Simon on his appointment and am looking forward to meeting him.

The people I know and trust within greyhound racing who know Simon speak highly of him. The importance of a very good relationship between Greyhound Clubs Australia and Greyhounds Australasia cannot be under-played.

That was certainly the feeling at the recent Nationals in Sydney where the platform was laid for more frequent discussions between the two organisations. And that should start to happen around the Hobart 1000 in mid-December.

The official closure of the Lismore track in northern NSW was more tough news for industry participants in that region, who also have been flood-ravaged this year.

Any track closure is a blow to our industry. But, flowing on from the sentiments at the top of this column, there are certainly occasions when we can gain a positive from a negative situation.

There were plenty of ‘for’ and ‘against’ as far as the Lismore closure goes, but there is no doubt that we now have a compelling argument for a new greyhound super centre in that region that will be high and dry.

Place the Tweed Heads club (who are cashed up and eager to build a facility) in the mix and the fact that a state-of-the-art complex in that border region is perfectly placed to service a large number of trainers in both northern NSW and SE Qld and you have the planets aligning for a very positive outcome.

The mail is that GRNSW is about to place an even greater focus on infrastructure after boosting prizemoney. So hopefully that is another planet falling into place!