Kibble and Biscuits - Greyhounds Queensland

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THE Wright family has a colorfulbackground, warm hearts and a passion forgreyhound racing.But their background is a script not eventhe best Hollywood writers could haveinvented.Ken Wright recently grabbed more thanhis 15 minutes of fame when he landedgreyhound racing's ultimate prize, a Group 1victory. For Ken it was this year's GoldenEaster Egg at Wentworth Park.But Ken's come a long way to get to Group1 status.As a young blokegreyhound racing wasfurtherest from his thoughtsuntil the payback of a loanintroduced him to man's best,and fastest, friend.Ken served as a Corporal atthe Victorian barracks beforebeing promoted to RegimentalSergeant Major. One of hisserving lads, named Noel, owedhim $20 but could not pay itback.In those days in the army,there were no rain cheques andKen told Noel what he wouldhave liked to have done to him."I thought about giving hima good hiding but was pulled upat the last minute, thankgoodness, Noel was a championfighter," said Ken.So Ken agreed to take agreyhound Noel offered insteadof the $20. The dog was worthabout $200."I thought this is OK, I may make a littlemore, so I went to every pub from one coasttown to the next south of Melbourne butGary ClarkGalaxy DreamsRearing and Breaking-In FacilitySteve andMichelleKEEP95 Imeson RdYorkleaPhone (02)66637021Breaking-in30 years in the industrySteve is grandson of LilaSimpsonDogs educated for:Steve KavanaghGlenda andJohn DartMick andKay Thrupp$60 per weekNew South Walescouldn't find a buyer. At the finish I couldn'tgive it away."Even swapping it for a good tastinghamburger failed, so I took it back to theHome of Galaxy winnerSottie AlloverRearingFacilitiesBrick kennels12.5m x 50mholding runs5 pups to each yardFacilities for 70 pupsAll yards open to10-acre gallopingpaddock withhuge dam$35 perweekbarracks," Ken explained.After a few weeks, the dog won a coupleof races and Ken's luck prevailed when aninspection of his quarters revealed a dog-likesmell.Ken refuted this."I think he knew but we kept the dog therea little longer and that is how it all started,"Ken said.Ken can also tell of his days in the army,how he fought the enemy, held the troopstogether, took prisoners and at the end of theday cooked one of the best meals in anywartime.Half a century later and Ken still feels theeffects of his injuries in Vietnam where heserved for 14 months.He met his wife Mary in 1968 whenplaying AFL. He spotted a good sort in thecrowd so on his way off the field approachedthe young woman and asked her out, Theywere married 18 months later.Mary was a school teacher in Frankstonat the time.The Wright's have two children, daughterKellie and son Brett.Brett has followed dad in racing and tookout the Young Trainer of the Year award in2000.Kellie has a career in management withTelstra.Ken learned the trade through one of thegreat veterans of the sport, Jack Irwin."I owe Jack everything, I continue to telleveryone that and it was so pleasing to get acall from him after winning the Egg," Kensaid.For many years Ken checked hundreds ofdogs weekly and at this time met EdieBeauchamp, became close friends and remainthat way to this day.It was that friendship that prompted Kento name this year's Golden Easter Egg winnerafter Edie.In 2002 Ken and Mary provided youngKarina Britton with a new home and a familyenvironment. Aged 16 and in year 12 at schoolKarina wanted to learn about the racing dog.Karina has learned the trade well. Shehandles all the Wright dogs on race nights,The (June, 2006) Journal Page 26LEFT: Ken Wright with handler Karina Britton celbrate the GoldenEaster Egg victory (above) of Edie Beauchamp.travels interstate and even represents thekennel for race night interviews.She is one of a number of young womenbeing groomed by leading kennels in hopethey will be our future star trainers. This hasbeen a significant turning point in her life.For Ken and Mary their life in greyhoundracing has been a fortunate one with successof top sprinters, Jungle Fantasy, Alastic Rebeland in recent times Eifella and EdieBeauchamp.Jungle Fantasy won a Penrith Derby andmade the final of the 1996 Easter Egg. AlasticRebel won a Vic Peters while Deane's Dancermade four Group finals and was runner-up ina National Derby.In 2004 Eiffella who won the Young StarClassic, Xmas Gift and the race Ken wantedso badly, last year's National Derby.Weeks later Eiffella was hailed the EasterEgg winner, leading Paua To Burn off theback, but the mighty bitch came back to beathim.But Edie Beauchamp, a track recordholder at Bulli and Nowra, a finalist in theNationals and a Canberra Cup, went onebetter this year."I talked with Mary and we had decidedto give her a chance at the Forbes Cup atEaster," said Ken. Ken has supported theForbes club for many years, but at the lastminute there was a change in plans.The rest of the story is history, EdieBeauchamp controlled the Easter Egg of 2006... and there was no Paua To Burn waiting toruin the Wright fairy tale this year.Ken has been president of Queanbeyanclub and viceûpresident of the NCA for 13years before retiring in 2003 and has been avaluable supporter of country racing.The Sargent Major, his loving wife, theirson and daughter, grandchildren, a closefriend and an adopted young girl have allfound themselves travelling different livesthat has led them to celebrate as one.They were all part of a magical EasterSaturday night when their bitch EdieBeauchamp had the honour of being awardedthe Golden Egg.Salute the Major!
ANGELA Langton is thankful sheignored the advice of several vets to putAuf Wiedersehen down.The former Queenslander is morethan pleased after the smart sprinterrecently won the $50,000 WarrnamboolClassic.Auf Wiedersehen said a swiftgoodbye to the field as he cruised tovictory ahead of Warrnambool trainedduo Dusty Rhode and Classy Rhode."He was born with a deformity in hisleg and he used to get a lot of swelling,"Langton said."Three vets from three differentstates told us to put him down but wedidn’t, we just kept going."In recent times the injury hasn’thampered the brilliant beginner, whichis owned by Langton and her mother SueSmith, of Toowoomba, who also bred thedog.Dusty Rhode ran down AufWiedersehen in the semi-final andLangton was crossing her fingers itwouldn’t happen again in the final."I thought from box one he’d bepretty hard to beat because he’s got a lotof early pace and I thought once he wason the bunny, if he could just keep goingat the end, because sometimes he doestend to be a little bit weaker,’’ she said."I saw the eight looming and I knowit’s a good young pup and I thought‘hello, here we go’."I was just hoping he would keepgoing, especially when the track was wet.I was a bit worried, it makes it a bitheavier, but he did a good job.’’Langton had two other dogs in thesame race, Outmaneuver (eighth) andSchalken (fourth), while her fiance JeffBritton had Lady Alouette (sixth) alsocontesting the final."I just said to him if I can’t win Ihope you do,’’ she said.For Warrnambool trainer NormMcCullagh it wasn’t the fairytale itcould have been.McCullagh landed the trifecta in therace in 2000 with the winning dog beingOur Daisy, the mother of Dusty Rhodeand Classy Rhode. But he wasphilosophical about the minor placings."He (Dusty Rhode) got checked offthe heels of the two dog and he lostprobably two lengths,’’ McCullagh said."The other one (Classy Rhode), shemissed the start but she ran home verywell. We probably should have nearlywon but that’s racing, we get ready fornext year now.’’Brilliant Lee flashed home to win the$48,000 Warrnambool Cup at WannonPark.The Brett Lee-Grigorieva sprinterdowned Corzac with Comedy Mist third.Andrew ThomsonABOVE: Auf Wiedersehen wins theWarrnambool Classic.BELOW: Angela Langton.Owners Richard and JodieKurkowski couldn’t contain theirexcitement about the result, which tookVictoriatheir charge’s record to 14 wins from 29starts.The Kurkowskis owned thegreyhound’s father, the famous BrettLee, which they sold after a handful ofstarts for $100,000."When you owned the father and themother and bred the litter it is a lot morespecial than going out and buying aready made race dog,’’ Richard said."He’s just really special, weabsolutely love our dogs."We’re blessed to sell a dog like that(Brett Lee) and breed the litter fromhim. This is the first litter we bred andwe’ve got these dogs out of it."It’s just amazing, we’re veryfortunate.’’Trainer Lenny Poore said: "He tore atriangular (muscle) in January andthat’s a bad tear."I’ve done a lot of work with him."Richard and Jodie have a unique wayof rewarding their dog after success."He’s going to get some dim sims.Every win he gets a couple after therace,’’ Kurkowski said.Renzo Park(Formerly known as Simpson's Spelling Kennels)Spelling - Rearing - Pre-trainingOffering you and your valuable greyhounds aLIFETIME OF EXPERIENCEin the industry!Testosterone studyGreyhounds Australasia would like to thank all participants and controlling authoritiesfor supporting the Australasian testosterone study.Racing Analytical Services Limited (RASL) the laboratory conducting the testingconfirmed they had received more than 180 samples from greyhounds in Australia andNew Zealand.In the next month, RASL will analyse these samples and prepare a report on theirfindings, which was to establish what the appropriate threshold levels for testosterone arein the racing greyhound.Once identified, this threshold will be compared with international data.Participants who supported the study "where applicable" will shortly receive a $25payment per greyhound for their time by their respective controlling authority.As soon as the report is received by Greyhounds Australasia the contents will besummarised and made available to participants.Some of the trainers who have trusted uswith their dogs over the years ... John andGlenda Dart, John Reimer, Hec & LeahWatt, Geoff & Robyn Watt, Dennis ReidAll dogs fed only on beef and cow's milk.All dogs given A-one attention.Excellent facilities available for spelling dogs.For Bookings and InquiriesPeter and Helen Simpson35 Northfields Rd, Stratheden, NSW (Halfway between Kyogle and Casino)Ph/Fax (02) 66335115 Peter's Mobile 0438 792348The (June, 2006) Journal Page 27
Page 1 and 2: JOURNALOfficial Publication of the
Page 3 and 4: THE resolution of the long andbitte
Page 5 and 6: Julie keeps the place smilingJULIE
Page 7 and 8: WhiskyAssassinAWESOME ASSASSIN BK D
Page 11 and 12: May 21, Sale, VictoriaSuperbowl Mai
Page 13 and 14: LEFT: Rylee's Revenge holds on to w
Page 15 and 16: THE Dunsmore kids might be havingth
Page 17 and 18: Historic Racing in RockyThanks to t
Page 19 and 20: Revamped Studbooknow on saleTHE stu
Page 21 and 22: COLIN Bell was not taking a puntwhe
Page 23 and 24: IpswichIt was great to see long tim
Page 25: Syd NorrisI GREW up as a youngster
Page 29 and 30: Spotlight on Breedingby John Edward
Page 31 and 32: Brad NewmanChanging of the guardAs
Page 33 and 34: FORTHCOMING EVENTSJULY 7 Non Penalt
Page 35 and 36: FORTHCOMING EVENTS5th Grade 460mMai
Page 37 and 38: Heading overseas?As from July 1, 20
Page 39 and 40: GRA Special Stakes to be judged Sun

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