Click Here to download the Lure Coursing Brochure
Lure coursing is a performance sport developed in the early 70s by sight hound fanciers who hunted jackrabbits in the open field. They invented lure coursing as a safer, 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 hounds. Lure coursing aims to preserve and develop the coursing skills inherent in sighthounds and to demonstrate that they can perform the functions for which they were originally bred. The hounds chase plastic bags on a course laid out to simulate escaping game. The plastic bags are pulled around on a nylon string course, propelled by a hand controlled motor.
A coursing dog should have the ability to course without showing signs of undue stress or lack of fitness. Coursing tests many aspects of a dog’s physical structure and temperament. As a consequence, dogs who participant in lure coursing need to be both sound and fit.
Lure Coursing is open to all breeds and associate register dogs. There are two streams with two separate sets of titles.
Sighthound stream breeds are: Afghan Hound, Azawakh, Borzoi, Greyhound, Ibizan Hound, Irish Wolfhound, Pharaoh Hound, Saluki, Deerhound, Sloughi, Whippet, and Italian Greyhound plus Basenji and Rhodesian Ridgebacks
The Coursing Ability stream is open to all other registered breeds and associate register dogs.
For more information on titles and eligibility is available in the rules on the Dogs Australia website.
Not unless your dog is in the Sighthound stream and you plan to run your dog in open stakes (ie, with other dogs). If that is the case, once your dog has qualified as a Junior Courser you will need to purchase “blankets” (racing jackets) for your dog in the recognised colours of blue, yellow and pink.
