Page 12 - THE SLOUGHI REVIEW SPECIAL ISSUE 7 B

T H E S L O U G H I R E V I E W 1 2

Finally, in Saint-Gemme, on the edge of the Marly Forest, in a delightful setting, a

model kennel was set up, then a marvellous track was traced. On this track runs an
astonishing electric hare pulled by a steel wire which, from a distance, would almost
deceive the spectators themselves. And there, for a year and a half, excellent and
perfectly regular races have taken place on Tuesdays and Saturdays of each week.
The attendance is very select, very elegant, the club house is pretty and convenient,
where one can have lunch and afternoon tea under the trees.

After the races: teatime under the trees.

Needless to say, the sighthound Stud Book is maintained with terrible rigor by the
Society for the Encouragement of Dog Racing. Already, quite a few births have taken
place. A puppy with good blood sells for quite a high price, it must: around 8,000 to
10,000 francs. A good adult racing dog is worth 20,000 to 30,000 francs, and more.
Some studs are said to fetch 60,000 or 80,000 francs. In England, the best racing
sighthounds are, so to speak, priceless: they are worth a fortune.

As for the coursing we mentioned above, it is one of the most beautiful and greatest
sports known. But, as everyone knows, these are races held by elimination: two dogs
run at a time, alone, across a large field, on real hares. A judge on horseback follows
the dogs and scores the points. The real hare's hooks make these races almost
poignant, and it is a spectacle of unparalleled beauty.