October 25, 2008 - National Oval Track Racing Association (NOTRA) Practice Race Meet

This event is sponsored by the Albuquerque Whippet Fanciers Association (AWFA). Contact Leonore Abordo, Race Meet Secrtary at Leonore@borzoi-oxota.com for more information.

October 26, 2008 -National Oval Track Racing Association (NOTRA) Official Race Meet

This event is sponsored by the Albuquerque Whippet Fanciers Association (AWFA). Contact Leonore Abordo, Race Meet Secrtary at Leonore@borzoi-oxota.com for more information.

Sighthound racing is broken up into two types: straight and oval. Oval racing is similar to what most people think of when they imagine a professional greyhound racing track - a large oval. Straight racing is just what it says, racing in a straight line, sort of like sprinting races for the two legged types. Like lure coursing, there are separate organizations. Oval racing falls under the National Oval Track Racing Association (NOTRA). Straight racing for Whippets (they have their own organizations) falls under three different organizations: the Whippet Racing Association (WRA), North American Whippet Racing Association (NAWRA) and the Continental Whippet Association (CWA). All other sighthounds involved in straight racing compete under the Large Gazehound Racing Association (LGRA).

Lure coursing is a performance event developed in the early 70's by Lyle Gillette and other California sighthound fanciers who hunted jackrabbits in the open field, which risked the harm caused by barbed wire fencing. They invented lure coursing as a n alternate, more controlled sport for sighthounds that would recreate the physical requirements of open field coursing, allowing them to continue testing the functional abilities of their sighthounds. The hounds chase plastic bags on a one-quarter mile course laid out to simulate escaping game.

Courteous spectators are always welcome to come and watch lure coursing and racing events.

Free To Be Ranch is available, schedule permitting, to any non-herding dog clubs interested in putting on trialing or training events.

Need a country setting for your next event? We have the land and facilities to support your programs. Free To Be Ranch is completely fenced, gated and cross-fenced in every location. We have five various size training arenas ranging in size from a round pen up to a large arena 200' x 300' in addition to three fenced pastures - 10 acre, 40 acre, 120 acre. Non-herding dogs can run free to do "their thing." The Ranch provides the land, the fencing, a bunkhouse for group meetings and housing your judges, porta-potties, RV electrical hookups, a limited amount of dog kennels at the bunkhouse, parking and the security to run your events for "unleashed" dogs in any outdoor venue. In addition, there is a dog friendly motel nearby in Mountainair.

You provide any special equipment or supplies needed for your dog sport, your usual group insurance for special events, and your own judges . Our camping facilities are available to you at reasonable costs. The bunkhouse has a kitchen where you can prepare modest group meals or we can assist you in negotiating with catering contacts that will serve your group for a weekend event.

Please contact us to see if Free To Be Ranch can assist your group with a site for your outdoor trials or training using our facilities.

EMail us at: Free To Be Ranch