October'07 - Greyhounds Queensland

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Ron Ball watches over DirtyVegas, Berella Diva andWitheren's Girl on thewalking machine.RON Ball, like all top class trainers, iswell aware that they are only as good as thegreyhounds they have in their kennel.But Ball, like so many of the premiertrainers, always seems to come up with thebetter quality greyhound.While Ron’s personality can sometimesbe fiery and impatient, as a greyhound traineris exudes patience with his dogs. And theylove him. You only have to spend a few hoursat his kennels to know that.Every greyhound on the property is aseparate entity, every one of them looks infirst class order, for every one Ball has a planmapped out. He’s that meticulous.His methods are much the same as manytrainers, but vary in subtle ways to most.These are they:FEEDINGBall’s greyhounds, like most having tocope with the heat in Queensland, get plentyof fluids. Breakfast for all greyhounds inBall’s care consists of 500mls of a milkpowder (Ensure) and water. To this is added10mls of Stamezene an electrolyte madespecifically for racehorses.“It is caramel flavoured and it tempts adog to drink the fluid,” said Ball.The milk is given first and when finished,each dog is given a 4x2 biscuit.Dinner is meat and kibble with vitaminsadded, just like most other greyhounds in thecountry.Dogs are fed between 680gms and950gms of meat, bitches get between 550gmsand 580gms. Kibble is only Farrells and variesbetween 100gm and 150gms for each dog.“I have fed Farrells for as long as it hasbeen on the market and have no intention ofchanging,” said Ball.Daily vitamins are 20mls of Sprint Oil,DCP powder, a Beta K tablet and oneMethanine 90 tablet.Feramo D and Kelp are fed every secondnight and Ironcyclen is fed three times a week.“I always put one cup of boiling waterover the kibble, then add the meat andvitamins,” said Ball. “The boiling watermakes the meal warm when it is given to theFor appointmentsor InquiriesPhone Rick FallSpecialists inRearing, BreakingIn, Arm & BoxRe-Education.(For Break InsPlease book at least 2Months ahead.)Lot 13 Wotan RdAtkinson Dam 4311.Ph 07 54264338or 0427 264338Trials byappointmentonly ...Tues, Thurs,Sat, SunMornings.dogs.”Every second night he will grate carrotand apple over the dog’s dinners.“I used to chop spinach and mix it in, butwith 25 dogs in work I don’t have time forthat,” he said. “It hasn’t affected their abilitynot getting it.”WORMINGBall uses Ivomec as an all purposeworming and heartworm prevention on thefirst of every month, and then every secondmonth uses Drontal for tapeworms.PRE/POST RACEDogs racing during the day or at night allreceive their breakfast as normal.If they are racing during the day, no feedin given prior to heading to the track.But if Ball has a runner at a nighttimemeeting, he will cook up 3ozs of meat andmix it with some fluids and feed it to therunner about 2pm at virtually the same timethe rest of the kennel is receiving their mainmeal.After racing, each dog is given its normaldinner.But after that, the dogs that raced will alsobe given 500mls of full cream milk, adessertspoon full of acidophilus yoghurt, anda cube of cheese (half the size of a kennelticket) as a treat.“I heard years ago from a vet that cheeseis good for a dog’s brain,” said Ball. “I’vebeen feeding the cheese treat ever since.”Ball said he used to feed stews to his dogsafter racing but it became too time consumingwhen his dog number grew substantially.Congratulations ...To the connections of our new break-in recordholder, a Collision bitch who ran 17.85.Encounter Kennels &Breaking In ComplexBreak-in Vacancies ...With the completion of our new kennel block forracing dogs, this has given us more space in ourbreaking-in kennel block.Phone us to inquire about a booking forbreaking-in and join the many satisfiedcustomers to have used our services.Trainingcan bea BallDAILY ROUTINEThe Ball kennel is roused into action from7am in winter and earlier in summer.Ball has always built undercover emptyout yards. At his Prenzlau kennels he has fourof these.Six dogs at a time are let out into thesesmall yards. “It’s a must during wet weatherto get the dogs to empty, that’s why I havealways had undercover yards like this, as wellas a couple outside as well,” he said.Once emptied, three dogs are put on thewalking machine for 20 minutes. The dogswalk briskly for 15 minutes, then the speed isincreased to a trot for five minutes, and finallyslowed for a warm-down of two to threeminutes.“Every dog gets warmed up before theygallop,” said Ball.“I don’t have a straight track on my newproperty, but I have two competition runs thatare 130 metres long.”After the warm-up on the walkingmachine, two dogs are put into thecompetition runs.“I like to see them free gallop for 500metres,” he said. “It’s controlled galloping.We have to work out who will gallop withwhom. Some won’t run with certain dogs,some will do too much etc.“Every dog goes into the competition runsevery day.”The entire kennel is finished by 10.30 to11am.Ball is adamant that greyhounds need towork every day.The afternoon work is started at 2.30pmon race days, a little later if there are norunners that night. “We are aware of ourobligations to kennel on time, so that’s whywe start at 2.30 on race days,” said Ball.The dogs are let out to empty and thenfed.EARLY EDUCATIONRon believes this is where he differs frommost trainers.“I believe the initial education of agreyhound is crucial to its fitness and just howlong and constantly it can race,” said Ball.Ball gives his pups a month break afterbreaking in.Once they are brought into the kennels,they are educated to the daily routine and freegalloped for three weeks and taught toexperience the walking machine.Then the pups are put through a six toeight week fitness program galloping up thestraight track behind the lure.Ball starts them off at 150m before thelure every second day and then graduallyincreases the length of the straight gallop. Hewill not take a pup to the circle unless he isconfident it is striding out perfectly up theThe (October, 2007) Journal Page 16
THE fact that Ron Ball has trained three Queensland Greyhounds of the Year (Flying Amy twice,Boronia Blossom and Springtime Magic) speaks volumes about the training ability of Ron Ball. Amywas the first dog inducted into the Australian greyhound Hall of Fame and in the first induction inthe Queensland Hall of Fame.Ball is never without a quality greyhound. He’s proved that in recent times. After a lean trot, he hasbounced back with a line-up of top class stock. Journal Editor DAVID BRASCH sat down with Ronand got an insight into his training methods.straight.“The straight work is six to eight weeksand the pups are really fit by then,” said Ball.“If I’m happy they are coming up well, Iwill go to the circle.”He uses the circle trials track run by JohnCollins at Postman’s Ridge and Rick Fall atEncounter Kennels at Churchable.“I only ever slip the pups on a corner,increasing it the next time before then puttingthem in the boxes about their third or fourthtrial,” he said.“The number of trials all depends on howthe pups are going.”This education period can take betweenthree and four months before the now youngrace dog is ready to start trialling onracetracks.Ball has cut down on the amount of fieldexperience he gives pups these days. “It’sbasically a thing of the past with me,” he said.“Anyway, you can’t field trial dogs like FlyingAmy.”He says that once a dog has been broughtup with this patient education process thereis never any real need to spell the dog.“Once educated I rarely trial a dog,” hesaid. “I believe the less a dog sees a lure, theTHE ORIGINALAUSTRALIAN PLASTICGREYHOUND MUZZLESStop PressThe Original AustralianPlastic (nylon)Muzzleshave beenapprovedfor racingon alltracks inQld byGRA.better it will chase in a race.”He said he now uses the “fantastic”straight track operated by Nigel Rugg atChurchable. “It’s as good as any I’ve seen.My dogs go over there maybe once or twicea week if they are not racing,” said Ball.“But I refuse to have a squeaker in thecatching pen. I don’t want dogs starting tolook for that temptation in the pen. I wantthem looking for where it has gone.”Ball says most trainers he sees do noteducate their dogs enough at this early age.“If you are going to educate them, educatethem properly,” he said.GENERALBall says he has always been fortunate tohave quality race dogs in his kennel.He does all his own muscle work. “I waseducated by the boss himself, Graham Beh,”he said.Ball uses a laser machine only on boneproblems, and sticks religiously to the use ofan ultrasound on muscles. “I also do a lot ofphysio on them,” he said.“I’m looking at my dogs every day, all day.I watch them, and watch them, and watchthem. I always put a lead on my dogs and letthem walk in front of me, never lead them bythe collar.“I can see them walking in front of meand this is so telling for any little problemsthat may be there.”He says he constantly keeps watch onimportant muscles like the hip support,hamstring, calf etc in young dogs. “I believethree sore spots on a dog will cost it threelengths in a race,” he said. “Depending onwhere they are.”Every dog is given a hydrobath on racemorning. “That will surprise a few people,”he said.He also believes stayers need much morework than sprinters. “My stayers definitelyhave a different preparation,” said Ball. “Iwant to see them free gallop at least 800m aday.“Boronia Blossom (winner of twoAre now readilyavailable again ...* Lightweight* Ideal for travelling,kennelling & trialling* Durable * 6 SizesSole Distributor: Miller's Muzzles0418 315790www.millersmuzzles.comNational Distance titles and a Gold Cup atAlbion Park) would be put on my straighttrack and free gallop with the pups on theother side of the track.“Then she would be put up the straightover 300m, and after that allowed to freegallop on the straight as well. You get to knowwhen they’ve had enough.”Ball says many barkyard trainers face adifficult task competing with theprofessionals. “Their dogs are never going toget the consistency of galloping they need.They must use their muscles every day,” hesaid.Ball will get a “gut feeling” about a dogand keep it for as long as he feels necessaryto bring the best out in it.“It is something you feel about a dog, thatmaybe there might be more to it,” he said.“Shining Gazelle took nine months to getgoing and at her fourth race start she brokethe track record at Ipswich,” he said.“My current star Dirty Vegas was sixmonths before I got him going as well as Ithought he should to start.”Ball makes sure every dog racing has thequicks taped on the inside and outside toe onevery foot. “We never have a problem withinfected quicks because we do this every timethey race,” he said.“Often we will leave them on for weeksat a time.”He also has built a type of foot bath forhis dogs.It is about four foot long and three footwide and four inches deep. In it he puts waterto two or three inches deep and with adisinfectant included.Every dog coming back into the kennelsin led through that foot bath to not only cleantheir feet after being outside, but to keep thekennel area free of any infections as well.The kennels are hosed every day.The foot bath is refilled every day.And for his final word.“Champions are born,” said Ron. “Theyare not made by trainers. We only just lookafter them.”Ball should know, he’s had some of thebest and one of the greatest.The Home-Grown Championwith the OUTCROSS pedigreeVesuvioBlack Dog, Dec 2002, 33.8kg. FEE $880REGGEMITE-ITALIAN PRINCESS (by Malawi's Prince)21 starts, 13 wins, 3 2ndsWon 2005 Statewide Challenge (Albion Park in 30.14)2nd 2005 Group 2 Lismore CupFinalist 2005 Group 1 Paws of Thunder (WPk)Finalist 2005 Group 1 Winter Carnival Cup (Alb Pk)Finalist 2005 Group 3 Gold Coast CupPerformedBitchesFREEGerry Crisci(07) 54246115Ran: 30.01 Albion Pk; 29.96 Wentworth Pk (beating trk rec holderBenny's Toll); 30.27 Lismore; 25.65 Gold Coast (near record);22.68 Gold Coast (near record)Won first eight starts. Made TWO Group 1 finals in first 15 starts.Only Qld dog in Group 1 Winter Carnival Cup. One of three Qlddogs shortlisted for TOPGUN.Sire: REGGEMITE (Topgun winner. Sire of Tears Of Jupiter, Ruddikan,Fitzroy Jim, Wotan Angel, Timely Thoughts, Duel's Me Mum)Dam: ITALIAN PRINCESS Winner, dam also of ... * Italian Special (finalistGroup 3 Gold Coast Cup; 14 wins, Alb Pk, GC, Lismore) * Colosseo (10wins, Ips, GC, Cap) * Monte Bello (winner Capalaba) * Sofiemite (winnerAlb Pk, Ips) * Italian Energy (Ips Futurity)This is the damline of TROJAN TEARS, KOBBLE CREEK,RELIABILITY, ROCKING RAMBO, LONG SHADOW, TIP TOP TEARS,STYLISH BOUNDER, CONVINCING LEE etc etcThe (October, 2007) Journal Page 17
Page 1 and 2: JOURNALOfficial Publication of the
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Page 9 and 10: QUEENSLAND’S stud ranks have been
Page 11 and 12: Dogs for Racing OverseasMust be und
Page 13 and 14: 2OO7superdogsseriesGroup 1ADVANCE S
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Page 19 and 20: RBGreyhounds New England Proudly Pr
Page 21 and 22: 16 starts9 wins, 4 2ndsFree service
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Page 25 and 26: IN the early 1990s Kevin Richards w
Page 27 and 28: RIGHT: Barry Morris laid up inhospi
Page 29 and 30: MY dad Perc came up in the hardscho
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Page 36 and 37: FORTHCOMING EVENTSSemi-Finals Highl
Page 38 and 39: FORTHCOMING EVENTSNoviceNovice Bitc
Page 40: Genetic Full Brother to Elite State

October'07 - Greyhounds Queensland

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