Dunstall Park Greyhound Stadium hosted “100 Years on Track – Celebrating a Century of Greyhound Racing,” a milestone evening marking 100 years since greyhound racing began in Great Britain.
The event honoured a century of tradition, community and sporting heritage, on the very anniversary of the sport's first meeting. In his welcome address, Sir Philip Davies, Chairman of the Great Britain Greyhound Board (GBGB), captured the spirit of the night, reflecting that “100 years is not built just by a generation – it's built by thousands of people over many years,” naming the owners, trainers, kennel staff, vets and volunteers whose quiet devotion built the sport, long before adding that the room was there to celebrate exactly that.
Celebrations took place exactly 100 years after greyhound racing’s first fixture at Belle Vue, Manchester, on July 24, 1926. Sack suits, flat caps and waistcoats were dusted off as guests dined on a three-course 1920s inspired menu in the presence of historical memorabilia including news clippings, winning jackets, trophies and vintage books.
The evening also featured six races in tribute to the sport’s first fixture a century ago, with each race worth £1,926 to the winner. Following its launch in July 1926, greyhound racing exploded in popularity and is even credited with saving Wembley Stadium when the sport was introduced to the national stadium in 1927. Crowds greater than 90,000 gathered at tracks including White City – host venue of the 1908 Summer Olympics – Wimbledon and Walthamstow to cheer on dogs which achieved household name status such as Mick The Miller, Ballyregan Bob and Scurlogue Champ. Dual English Greyhound Derby champion Westmead Hawk even became the first dog to be profiled at Madame Tussauds as part of the museum’s ‘Best of British’ season in October 2007.
Today, there are 16 tracks licensed by the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB), each of which will celebrate National Greyhound Week at the end of August from 24th - 30th in a further bid to drive interest. The initiative is designed to raise the profile of licensed greyhound racing nationwide, building on the momentum of the centenary celebrations to bring the sport to new audiences across the country.
The evening opened with an introduction from Mark Moisley, Commercial Director for Greyhound, followed by Sir Philip Davies' welcome speech and a film retracing the sport's journey from its first race at Belle Vue, Manchester, in 1926 to the present day at Dunstall Park. Sky Sports Racing presenter Darrell Williams talked guests through the racecard, and a dedicated film shone a spotlight on Greyhound welfare. Later in the evening, MPs, GBGB representatives and other officials were given a brief tour of the stadium's kennels, newly built as part of Dunstall Park's wider redevelopment.
Chris added: “While our sport – and other pursuits in life – have undergone significant change in the last century, greyhound racing’s fundamentals remain the same with the dogs at the heart of everything we do. Our racing operation touches millions of people worldwide every week. It’s a fantastic, family friendly, night out people of all ages can enjoy.”
Further information about Dunstall Park Greyhound Stadium is available online via www.dunstallpark-greyhounds.co.uk.
