Page 34 - THE SLOUGHI REVIEW SPECIAL ISSUE 7 B

T H E S L O U G H I R E V I E W 3 4

A report by X. Przezdziecki, published in “der Windhundfreund” in December 1977, tells us
about Sloughis participating in racing competitions:

“In Algeria, Sloughis had been participating in races since February 22, 1955. In Germany
and Switzerland, Sloughis also participated in all sports intended for sighthounds. However,
the first official race in France in which Sloughis participated was not held until September

25, 1977, near Marseille, on the Carnoux plateau. The track was 820 metres long and the
hare was moved electrically. The dogs were said to have become more docile and tolerant,
and possibly even more affectionate, as a result of being on the track. The condition and

health of the participating dogs was excellent, as evidenced by the fact that the 6.5-year-old
bitch Une Belle, who had a poor start due to problems with her muzzle, still managed to
finish third.“

Start. Bad start of Une Belle (her head can be seen at the tail end of number 5 because of
problems with her muzzle)

However, the author does not believe that track racing is the ideal activity for Sloughis.
He sees much more potential in hare hunting, or (lure) coursing. This allows them to
improve their visual awareness, stamina, agility, fitness, and ability to overcome obstacles
in varied terrain. The author also considers it important to develop a good assessment
system for both track racing and coursing in order to evaluate the dogs' performance and

thus assist in selecting the best breeding animals.