Italian Greyhound "Mikey", BOB winner at the 2007 IGCA ASFA Lure Coursing Trial

Lure coursing is a modern day "bloodless" copy of the original practice of "coursing" sighthounds.  The sighthounds were bred specifically for sighting and running down game (coursing), as opposed to the scent hounds who would follow scents for miles until the game was caught up to, cornered, and held at bay.

Lure coursing tries to "mimic" the idea of coursing.  A course is set up in a large field (usually 5 acres or larger), using corner pulleys, string and a machine which pulls the string through all the pulleys in a set pattern so as to "mimic" game (i.e.. rabbit or hare) running away from a  predator.  The dogs are run in 3's, 2's or singly (depending on the number of hounds entered) usually by breed, and are scored by 1 or 2 judges (number of judges depending on if you are coursing in the USA or Canada) and judged on 5 criteria:  speed, follow, agility, endurance and enthusiasm.  Hounds will run a preliminary course (a.m.) and a final course (p.m.), then scores are added together giving an overall finishing score.  Dogs are put in order of highest scores to lowest scores to ascertain 1st/BOB, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and NBQ.  (BOB=Best of Breed / NBQ=Next Best Qualifier or 5th).  Sometimes there are ties for placements, in which case the competitors will either "run-off" or forfeit for the tie.  If there are run-offs, these are done  prior to any stake run-offs for BOB.  In Canada, if there are 24 dogs entered they will be divided into two stakes of 12 (ASFA rules differ...see the ASFA web site for details).  The 1st place winners of each stake of hounds must run-off to get one BOB hound.
That's basically it, in a nutshell!

For information about practices and Club trials please contact the following clubs/organizations:

 

Call or email the above Contact persons for information about lure coursing practices and/or lure coursing trials.