As I write we are loading things into boxes and clearing out cupboards in Straffan ready for the big move to Rathangan.
The new clinic is 95% ready with just a few minor things to finish which should be done in our week off (16th-22nd June).
It's hard to believe that I have been in this location for ten years. I'm looking forward to lots about the move: being in my own place, having windows, not commuting.....
I'll miss the people around here- Anne my landlady who lost her husband Charlie far too young, Tony across the road and Pat Hanafin, more obliging people you couldn't meet.
I hope that you the clients will follow me into the unknown. I can promise you a brand new purpose built clinic with a bit more room, a nice kitchen to make tea and plenty of room to walk the dogs!
See you in Rathangan!
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Monday, March 3, 2014
Clouds
I was prompted to reflect on our sport when I read an interview with Willie Mullins the top National Hunt racehorse trainer today. He spoke of his frustration at the failure of the racing authorities to deal swiftly and effectively with a recent case of drugs possession in Ireland and how the episode had put a cloud over the sport just before Cheltenham.
Our own sport has a similar cloud over it since rumours began circulating about possible positive tests at the National meeting at Clonmel. We can still hope that these turn out to be inaccurate, but even if they do, we have no reason for complacency.
The truth is that drug abuse in coursing is endemic and widespread and anyone who thinks otherwise is naive. The fact that there is no drug testing except at Clonmel is widely known and the dopers take full advantage.
I have had many coursing men say to me that they would gladly pay extra in entry fees or club subscriptions to ensure a level playing field and a drug free sport. My suspicion is that the political will from the top down is not there to make this happen.
Tackling this wouldn't be that difficult: a two-man "Flying Squad" possibly ex-Gardai with no coursing connections could be employed to travel the country and descend unnanounced on any trial stake and take random samples. This would be sufficient deterrent to introduce doubt into potential miscreants' minds.
The second plank of this would have to be in the area of procedures and enforcement. Judging by the number of court cases the I.C.C. has been dragged into as a result of past positive tests, procedures are not legally watertight. They need good legal advice as to how to set the sytem up to be highly resistant to legal challenge. If penalties are then a sufficent deterrent (Surely a ban of more than one year at a minimum) the system should work. If horse racing can do it, there is no reason coursing can't.
People often ask me if I keep a coursing dog or buy a pup. In truth one of the main reasons I don't is the sure and certain knowledge that during its career it will have to meet more than one opponent getting more help than food and water. That has to change.
Our own sport has a similar cloud over it since rumours began circulating about possible positive tests at the National meeting at Clonmel. We can still hope that these turn out to be inaccurate, but even if they do, we have no reason for complacency.
The truth is that drug abuse in coursing is endemic and widespread and anyone who thinks otherwise is naive. The fact that there is no drug testing except at Clonmel is widely known and the dopers take full advantage.
I have had many coursing men say to me that they would gladly pay extra in entry fees or club subscriptions to ensure a level playing field and a drug free sport. My suspicion is that the political will from the top down is not there to make this happen.
Tackling this wouldn't be that difficult: a two-man "Flying Squad" possibly ex-Gardai with no coursing connections could be employed to travel the country and descend unnanounced on any trial stake and take random samples. This would be sufficient deterrent to introduce doubt into potential miscreants' minds.
The second plank of this would have to be in the area of procedures and enforcement. Judging by the number of court cases the I.C.C. has been dragged into as a result of past positive tests, procedures are not legally watertight. They need good legal advice as to how to set the sytem up to be highly resistant to legal challenge. If penalties are then a sufficent deterrent (Surely a ban of more than one year at a minimum) the system should work. If horse racing can do it, there is no reason coursing can't.
People often ask me if I keep a coursing dog or buy a pup. In truth one of the main reasons I don't is the sure and certain knowledge that during its career it will have to meet more than one opponent getting more help than food and water. That has to change.
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