Monday 29th March:
The forecast is for it to get 17 degrees today but as we do the journal at 9am it looks like rain. We have already hunted the first batch of pups and we are probably going to gallop and then hunt a few more pups by we gat the kennels done cooked and fed that will be as much as we can do today as we need supplies and all our waste away.
Tuesday 30th March:
Another nice day and the forecast is good. The plans today is gallop, hunt hounds, go to vets in Cashel for supplies also go to supermarket for food for pups and give the garages tidy up. I read the Greyhounds Star website everyday and I see we have one hound on British Performance of the week Swift Lacerate at Yarmouth the only hound to brake 28sec last week.
ON THE OPEN RACE SCENE IN THE UK WE HAD TWO RUNNERS AT TOWCESTER SWIFT ADDITION AND SWIFT GUARD.
Wednesday 31th March:
Another nice day it’s going to be dry and sunny. We have just packed our Red Mills order away, we have John Nolan’s coming to earmark pups and mark kennel dogs up which will probably take all day. As normal we need bits and pieces and with a bit of luck we will hunt pups.
ON THE OPEN RACE SCENE IN THE UK WE HAVE ONE RUNNER TONIGHT AT NEWCASTLE POTENT TOUCH.
Thursday 1st April:
Another nice day and no chance of rain. The main job today is hunting pups, preparing dogs for schooling and galloping. We need supplies as normal and if we get all this done today the work has gone well.
ON THE OPEN RACE SCENE IN THE UK WE HAVE ONE RUNNER TONIGHT AT PERRYBAR SWIFT COPE.
Friday 2nd April:
Were doing Fridays journal on Saturday morning. It was another dry and sunny day. We collected supplies, wormed pups, cut their nails, galloped a few dogs. The day went well.
ON THE OPEN RACE SCENE IN THE UK WE HAVE ONE RUNNER TONIGHT RAILS MCCOY AT ROMFORD.
Saturday 3rd April:
Its a cold dry morning with no chance of rain today. Its my birthday today and I’m 64. Its 27 years this weekend since I moved into Lughill Kennels and started breeding greyhounds. In the last 27 years there has been massive changes in the industry. The good news now is its very easy to get homes for retired greyhounds as we have never put a healthy dog to sleep and never will. We have had massive success and I still enjoy the job today as much as when I started. I was asked during the week if I’m planning on retiring and I had to laugh and said no chance. I was asked during the week was I was also cutting it right back. To answer that question I’m adding all my June 2020 hounds to the dogs for sale page. My grandfather had a shop and he worked until he was 88. My mother worked until she was 88 so I’m off a breed that don’t retire. I haven’t had a drink for over 12 month and never enjoyed the dogs as much as I am at the moment. We still start every day at 6am. I have great help from my head lad Padgie who is probably the best in the game. When were schooling and preparing dogs for schooling at home, when I see a real one it excites me as much today as it did when I started. Its definitely a business where you have to love what you’re doing as its 7 days per week 365 days of the year. If you’re not in love with greyhounds you wouldn’t last 10 minutes. With a bit of luck I will still be doing it in another 27 years time.
Sunday 4th April:
The work went well on Saturday. We got all the worming finished, got caught up with all the paperwork, we continued levelling out the garden paddocks and we’re about halfway through. We got all our waste away and tidied the vans. Things got busy at 3pm yesterday as Swift Hazel started having her pups to Droopys Sydney. She had four dogs and three bitches. Swift Magnetic also started having hers to Malacki. She had five dogs and four bitches. When I got up at 4am this morning there was another lady starting to have pups. Padgie was back and forward all night. It has all gone well and its all going well. It will be a typical Sunday. With a bit of luck we will get another sand run levelled out. Newcastle United play at 2pm today. We needs a miracle the way they’re playing.
ON THE OPEN RACE SCENE IN THE UK WE HAVE TWO RUNNERS TONIGHT AT SWINDON: PIPPAPIPPAPOPS AND SWIFT SUNSET.