Tally Ho! A Day at the Chases
Saturday in Riverside, California where beautiful weather matched sensational canine athletics: lure coursing — which involves sight hounds competitively chasing an electronic lure (white plastic bags) zigzagging around a gigantic field. The dogs compete by breed in trios: e.g three Salukis, three Whippets etc. They are judged on: following (no short cuts on the winding chase), agility (turning sharp corners), speed, endurance, and enthusiasm. I think every dog scored 100% in the last category. These dogs howled and strained to be let loose for the chase.
I have grouped the dogs in the order of their competing: Afghans (floating gracefulness); Basenjis (bouncy alertness); Borzois (aerodynamic elegance); the Ibizans (bounding eagerness); Irish Wolfhounds (fierce stolidity); Pharoah Hounds (wild exhilaration); Rhodesian Ridgebacks (muscular fervor); Selukis (silky sleekness); Whippets (quicksilver flight).
It was so mesmerizing watching these dogs enjoy their genetic heritage that I had a hard time focusing on the photography.
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