LURE COURSING
AIM/OBJECTIVE: The main aim of Lure Coursing, is to get your dog to chase a plastic bag around a big open field.
EQUIPMENT: The Qld Lure Coursing Club provides all the equipment needed to Course. Basically the whole outfit is a Motorbike on a stand, lots of pulley's & spindles placed out over the field at random spots, with a rope going around them to make the course. You then attach a plastic bag to the rope, thread it around the back wheel of bike, and voila! You have yourself a Lure Course! The Dog is also required to have a collar & lead on at all times during the day, except for when it is racing, then everything comes off. If you're dog is loose on the grounds at any stage during the day, it will lose points!
PROCEDURE: Once the Motorbike is powered up, Judge is ready, and dog is sitting or standing nicely, you have to hold the dog tight, because your dog isn't allowed to go until the Starter has called the 2 magic words "Tally Ho"!!! Once this is called, you release your dog, and fingers crossed it will realise that it has to start running after the plastic bag. I have never seen a Boxer yet who hasn't gone after it. Your dog will get 2 runs each, and each run is marked out of 100 points. These points are awarded as follows, in this order of importance...
*ENTHUSIASM: (Max 15 Points) Lively, single minded, showing great eagerness & determination in regard to the lure, after the "Tally-Ho" & until the lure passes the marked "Finish" for the course.
*FOLLOW: (Max 15 Points) Chasing the lure with the intent of taking it, while maintaining a path of reasonably close proximity to the lure's course, considering the relative positions of the dogs to the lure and to each other. Keenness is exhibited when the dog reacts immediately to any change in the motion of the lure. A dog that becomes unsighted for some good reason & yet attempts to find the lure again is not severely penalised, depending on how hard it works at trying to find the lure again, & how soon it does so.
*SPEED: (Max 25 Points) Rapidity in moving, the rate of moving or progress. Credit goes to the dog which levels out low, stretching & really drives. Since timing is not used to measure speed, the dogs manner of "putting out" is an important means of assessing it's ability to cover ground.
*AGILITY: (Max 25 Points) The ability to move quickly & easily. Nimbleness in negotiating terrain which may cause a dog to slip or slide. Turning without going wide or cutting or breaking stride. Co-ordination of movement.
*ENDURANCE: (Max 20 Points) Lasting quality, stamina of physical & mental concentration. Credit is given to the dog which does not fade, or pull up or slacken.
Now if we go & take a look at the Boxer Standard you will see that 2 of the things Boxers were bred for was for Endurance, and Agility! They also have clean musculation, and are powerful like a Greyhound, and were built to withstand the most strenuous mechanical effort, and are equipped for great speed! This is why they usually rank up the top of the scoreboard, just under the Sight hounds who were bred & built for this sport!
DATE SCORE BREED PLACING GROUP? TITLE?
RESULTS 7/5/06 170 1st Boxers Yes
28/5/06 167 1st Boxers Yes
2/7/06 170 1st Boxers No - Combined Gr 6/1 NC (Novice Courser) title attained
28/7/06 168.6 1st Boxers No - 3rd - Non Hounds/Terriers
27/8/06 180 1st Boxers No - Combined Gr 1/6/7
17/9/06 167 1st Boxers No - Combined Group 3/6/7 IC (Intermediate Courser) title
18/3/07 170 1st Boxers No - Combined Group 6/7
15/4/07 167 1st Boxers Yes OC (Open Courser) title
24/6/07 168 1st Boxers Yes - Combined Group 5/6/7