...yada yada yada...
I'm probably looking forward to this Winter's coursing season a little more than I ever have. For the first time, we'll have hounds who are fit and ready for competition right out of the box. Remember, for the past 5 or 6 years, we've been showing up in New Mexico in January after having spent the previous 11 months traveling around the country, shooting lure coursing trials, and staying at campgrounds where we have to leash up the dogs and walk them around a small area. Rarely...no, never, have we stayed anywhere where the dogs were free to run around. So when we got to New Mexico, we had a limited amount of time to get them ready for competition, or even for just going out free-coursing.
Well, that all changed last March, when we moved into our house in Deming. We've been running consistently, at least once a week, and more often, twice since the end of September. And that's made all the difference in the world for Sandia. Of late, he's been spending more and more time at the head of the chase, especially late in the chase. Check him out. That's one buff looking Galgo!.
Is he handsome... or what?
dan and margaret, he is indeed a beauty! where did he come from? u.s.?
ReplyDeleteIndeed he did. Right here in New Mexico. From Dutch parents ;)
ReplyDeleteGood Luck and Good Hunting! He looks terrific! Hoping to read about his adventures in the field as most of our OFC has to be vicarious.
ReplyDeleteVickie got out again to Wyoming this Fall and it was just about as magical as last year. Perfect borzoi weather and there were plenty of hares--though it took marching 11 miles and all day to them.
Even without living on the road it is a challenge to condition Eastern dogs enough to go out West and be competitive. Almost impossible in the endurance breeds, I would think. Unless you have serious acreage, a great roadwork plan, or a heavy LC/race schedule. In my limited experience with the borzoi raw speed is more the ticket to a decent performance in a breed hunt.
Training is getting intense. We've been out every other day since Wednesday. Will go again on Tuesday. Dutch is probably going again on Christmas Eve... we'll probably skip that one, especially if we want to hit a hunt on Saturday.
ReplyDeleteHe is looking great and I would almost think I see something familair in him ;)
ReplyDeleteI wish you both a cool Xmas and a smashing New Year.
His endurance is starting to blow me away. Yesterday, on the fifth jack, he was way out of position at the start- probably 30 yards behind the front of the chase. Over the next 60 seconds or so, he had reeled everybody in and was 10 feet behind the hare, and 10 yards in front of the other dogs. (Never could close that last 10 feet, though) ;) His speed rarely varies, whether it's at the start, or 3 minutes later. Thank You Anke for his awesome parents!
ReplyDelete