National Coursing Meeting 2019 – Important Notices 

JUDGES & SLIPPERS  
Following the counting of votes this afternoon (Monday) we can announce that the Officials for the 94th National Coursing Meeting will be:   
Judges: Liam Kelly & Brendan Purcell.  Reserve Judge: John O’Connell
Slippers: Brian Doyle & Richard Quinn jnr. Reserve Slipper: David Galvin (will slip RD1 of both Consolation Stakes)

WITHDRAWALS / REPLACEMENTS   

PLEASE RETURN ACCEPTANCE FORMS
Will owners of greyhounds qualified to run in the 2019 BoyleSports Derby or Horse & Jockey Hotel Oaks please return your acceptance form if you have not already done so. These are the forms which issued with the trial stake certificates. Forms must be signed by the Owner, Joint Owner (where applicable) and Trainer (where applicable). No tickets can be issued until the form is returned fully completed. If you have already submitted the form but now wish to notify us of a change (e.g new trainer, change of ownership) please ring Eugene @ 052 6188508.

NATIONAL MEETING WITHDRAWALS / REPLACEMENTS / CHANGE OF OWNER
In the unfortunate event that a Derby or Oaks runner is not available please let us know and we will then issue you with two x 3 Day Complimentary passes as a small token of thanks for your co-operation. 
The Irish Coursing Club must be notified of the withdrawal no later than 12 noon on Friday 25^th January. Please confirm withdrawal to Eugene by ringing 052 6188508 or 087 2953377.
Please also note that any change of ownership must be effected with the ICC no later than 12 noon on Friday 25^th January. (Remember the new National Meeting guarding rules will apply, Rule 163). The draw will take place later that evening in the Horse & Jockey Hotel.

HARE SCHOOLING SESSIONS   
To book ring Eugene @ 052 6188508. Single Dog Trials – National Meeting runners receive preference – Ray Timing in operation –               

THE DUBLIN COACH COURSING BUS
We are delighted that John O’Sullivan is once again providing this wonderful service on three different routes. The coaches will leave each morning from Galway, Dundalk and Tralee with strategic pick-ups along the way. All who travelled this way in recent years have had nothing but the highest of praise for the service so early booking is advisable. https://irishcoursingclub.ie/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Coursing-Bus-2019.pdf

PATSY BYRNE JUNIOR NOMINATOR
Thank you to the Club Secretaries who have already sent in details of their Junior Nominators for the National Meeting.  Thanks to the generosity of the Byrne family we have €2,000 in prizemoney for this competition and of course it is very exciting for the two first prize winners as they get invited to the Coursing Awards Dinner Dance to receive their cheque for €500. Can we appeal please to the  Club Secretaries who have not already submitted their Junior Nominator form to do so immediately.

Shine A Diamond (pictured) made sure he will be travelling to Clonmel on February 5th with his litter sister & kennelmate Share A Dream by winning the Castle Hotel All Age Cup at Macroom today. He jumps up to 5th place and for now relegates Irish Cup runner-up Always Inthe Run and Exit Strategy to the reserves.

Hopefully news of today’s result has made it’s way to West Africa where John Maher will be delighted to hear he has taken over as the leader of the Fantasy Coursing competition.  Shine A Diamond’s success also means that for the first time this season Mary Nolan has company at the top of the Charity Fantasy leaderboard. The last few year’s of studying the bloodlines & breeding for his Sporting Press column are starting to pay dividends for Frank Kieran !!!.

CHURCHTOWN SOUTH OPEN
Sunday 27^th January
Judge: Bernard Goold
Slipper: Shane O’Brien
Meet in Churchtown South Village at 10.00am sharp.
Commencing with Sean Ahern Memorial Cup.

KNOCKGRAFFON OPEN
Sunday 27^th January
Judge: Alan Robinson
Slipper: Joe Egan
Meet at Whitelands Cross at 9.30am.
First brace in slips at 10.00am.
Complete Scully Cup and then commence Knockgraffon Cup.

The draw for order of Reserves in the Oaks and Derby at the 2019 National Coursing Meeting took place on Tuesday November 6^th. The draw was made by Mr John Egan, Treasurer ICC and was witnessed by Mr James O’Regan (ICC Trustee & Executive Member).

Photo shows presentation at Mitchelstown after Aghadown Luna won the Oaks Reserve Trial Stake there. She is now first reserve for the Horse & Jockey Hotel Oaks at the 2019 National Meeting.   

At the 2019 National Coursing Meeting there will be two Consolation Stakes.
The Kitty Butler Stakes for 32 bitches eliminated in the first round of the Oaks.
The T.A. Morris Stakes for 32 dogs eliminated in the first round of the Derby.
In the event of these stakes not being filled by those eliminated from the first round of the Oaks/Derby the remaining places will be allocated to reserves in the Oaks/Derby which did not get called to run in those stakes.
These reserves must have run a non-competitive course at the end of the first round of the Oaks/Derby.
A new draw will be made to determine which reserves are to receive the remaining places in the Consolation Stakes and which reserves are to be listed as Reserves A,B,C and D for the Consolation Stakes.
The draw for the Consolation Stakes will then take place.
The first round of the Kitty Butler Stakes will take place at the end of coursing on the first day of the National Meeting.
The first round of the TA Morris Stakes will take place at the start of coursing on the second day of the National Meeting.

As excitement mounts ahead of the opening meetings of the 2018/19 Coursing Season we thought we should remind Club Secretaries & Receivers of Entries of a few important rules & directives. Owners and Trainers should also take note. 

1. Every owner must name his greyhound before the time fixed for close of entries (Rule 95).
2. You may have 2 x Reserves in an 8 Dog Stake, 4 x Reserves in a 16 or 32 Dog Stake and 6 x Reserves in a 64 Dog Stake.
3. 48 runner trial stakes must now be drawn with 24 runners in each half. At quarter-final stage with six greyhounds remaining, the 3rd greyhound in each half gets a Bye resulting in four dogs remaining on the final day.
4. No Owner/Partnership/Syndicate may have a runner AND a reserve in the same stake, however they are allowed to have two runners in the same stake (must be guarded in the draw).
5. If a greyhound appears in the draw for two All Age events which are due to run concurrently it will not be allowed to run in either and shall be penalised for 12 days.
6. If a greyhound is absent from any stake or withdrawn from any stake it will not be allowed to compete for 12 Days. (Subject to Rule 122).  If such authorisation is not granted and the greyhound competes,  it shall be disqualified and forfeit all trophies & prizemoney won. As a rule of thumb we count the final day of the meeting where it was absent/withdrawn as Day 1 of the 12.
7. Directive No 16 covers Prizemoney Ratios in All Age Cup and All Age Bitch events. In a 32 Cup the ratio is 10:3:1 so for every ten units to the Winner, the Runner-Up must receive at least three units and the beaten semi-finalists at least one unit each (E.G Winner €1800 – RunnerUp €540 – Semi-Finalists €180 each).  In a 16 Cup the ratio is 10:3 so for every ten units to the Winner, the Runner-Up must receive at least three units (E.G Winner €1,400 – RunnerUp €420).
8. Winner’s prizemoney for All Age Cups and All Age Bitch Stakes cannot be changed from that which appeared in the Sporting Press prior to the draw.
9. The Entry Fee for ALL 32/48/64 runner trial stakes is now €50.  Winner to receive €1.500 (32) or €2,000 (48/64).  There is no change to 16 runner trial stakes which will continue to have an Entry Fee of €40 and winner’s prize of €600.

A huge thank you to our guest speakers and to the 134 delegates from over 60 clubs who attended the 2018 Hare Husbandry Seminar at Powerstown Park, Clonmel last Saturday, September 8th. 

We know that hare husbandry is top priority with all coursing clubs and we hope that Saturday’s event was of benefit to those who travelled from near & far.

A proud moment for Gerry Meehan (centre), Club Rep for Millstreet CC and a native of Co Clare as he receives the chain of office from retiring ICC President, Brian Divilly, (Galway & Oranmore CC), at the AGM of the Irish Coursing Club on Wednesday 8th August.
Brian had been President since 2008 making him the longest serving President in the 102 year history of the Club. Many tributes were paid to Brian and he in turn wished his successor every success. On left is DJ Histon CEO and remarkably Gerry will only be the second President that DJ has worked with since taking up his position at Davis Road in the autumn of 2008.

The Executive Committee of the Irish Coursing Club have announced that the 2019 National Coursing Meeting will take place in Clonmel from Sunday February 3rd to Tuesday February 5th.
This will be the 94th National Meeting.

A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of our 2018 Irish Coursing Club Awards, our Award sponsors for their generosity, the hotel management & staff for looking after us so well and our 320 guests who made it a very special night. Our main photo shows Sean Browne receiving his Hall of Fame Award from sponsors Brian & Noelle Divilly and surrounded by family & friends. Other photos below.

ICC Greyhound of the Year 2017/18
SILENT WHISPER  
Award Sponsor : Greyhound & Pet World

ICC Bitch of the Year 2017/18
DICKS BIMBO
Award Sponsor: Flaherty Markets

ICC Brood Bitch of the Year 2017/18
SILENT BELLE
Award Sponsor: Event Power Ltd

ICC Stud Dog of the Year 2017/18
NEWINN WONDER
Award Sponsor: National Meeting Bookmakers