Animals: At Abilene

Kansans began importing greyhounds 65 years ago to rid their lands of jack rabbits. Now Kansas raises more greyhounds than any other state. In it dwell 67% of National Coursing Association members. The springy sod of Abilene’s Coursing Park, best in the land, was selected after soil tests in 20 Kansas towns. Last autumn the park was planted with barley. Last fortnight it was mowed down to a bright green turf; a space 450 yd. long and 200 yd. wide was fenced by wire. Every day last week 1,000 to 5,000 spectators went to the park to watch the running of the National Coursing Association meet, top semi-annual event for breeders of racing & coursing greyhounds.

Top stake in the coursing meet is $1,500, well under the cash to be won on racing tracks in Miami. But for breeders the coursing meet outranks any race because its results determine supremacy of blood lines. Breeders’ big money comes from the sale of pups. Untried pups from winning sires & dams bring up to $500. A breeder normally raises about one-third of every litter (from six to twelve whelps). The rest die naturally or are killed because they show no promise. No racing & coursing greyhound ever runs loose. It spends its first year in an enclosure, then goes into intensive training on a diet of hamburger, bran, spinach and bread once a day. Its track life is three or four years.

After two weeks of training, the jack rabbits at Abilene last week knew that their only chance for life was to beat the greyhounds to the burlap at the far end of the field. Each rump-bobbing rabbit raced 150 yd. over the greensward before a brace of dogs leaped in pursuit. One dog wore a red knit collar, the other a white. From a tower the judge watched sharply to see which dog took the lead at the start, which turned the rabbit at a right angle, which made the kill. He raised a red or white flag to name the winner, doffed his hat to indicate a tie & runoff.

Coursers competed for three stakes: the Sapling, for hounds under 16 mo.; the Futurity, for those under 22 mo.; the Derby, an all-age event which is called the Waterloo at the Coursing Association’s autumn meet. “Gangster” was the wise word as the final day approached. “Gangster,” said experts, “is the greatest dog that ever lived in America.”

Grey-eyed, Brindle Gangster had already won three Australian championships before he was imported in 1932 by John Pesek, heavyweight wrestler of Ravenna, Neb. Since then he has won the Waterloo twice. Calm and well-mannered in the paddock, he has unsurpassed speed in the field, turns quickly, keeps his eyes on the rabbit, dives beautifully for the kill. Owner Pesek. who boasts the largest greyhound kennels (200 couple) and one of the finest pairs of cauliflower ears in the U. S., has refused $10,000 for Gangster.

Last week a tie for first in the Sapling went to Gangster’s son, Tiz A Gangster, also owned by John Pesek. Ed McGinnis of Miami paid a reputed $1,000 for Rhu, got $600 back next day when Rhu won the Futurity. In the Derby, Gangster easily took the lead from his co-finalist, Sunny Sahara, reached the rabbit four lengths ahead. He missed on the dive and Sahara made the kill, but judges gave the cup to Gangster. Third place in the Derby went to another of Gangster’s progeny. Shadow Son of Gangster. Proud John Pesek promptly planned to up Gangster’s stud fee, once $75, to $200.