Page 55 - THE SLOUGHI REVIEW SPECIAL ISSUE 7 B

T H E S L O U G H I R E V I E W 5 5

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE UICL

BY ELS SIEBEL - NETHERLANDS

The UICL was the first international

organization dedicated to
sighthounds in general and
sighthound racing in particular. For
many years, UICL championships
were organized, in which Sloughis
participated.

The official language was French. The Netherlands and Switzerland were invited as
guests to the founding meeting. They also became members immediately.

The objective was fourfold:
☑ To draw up unambiguous breed standards.
☑ To establish international prizes for breeders.
☑ To organise international greyhound shows.
☑ To set up a studbook secretariat for the UICL.

Not all of these goals proved achievable. Exhibitions exclusively for sighthounds
remained a dream; the special annual UICL exhibitions were always combined with a
large existing show. Maintaining a studbook proved too much work and incurred too
many costs. Although not included as an objective in the statutes, the “Ersten
öffentlichen Windhundrennen” (First Public Sighthound Race) was organized on
September 14, 1924, in Bern, Switzerland, at that time still on a straight track. In the years
that followed, races continued to be organised, always attracting great public interest. In

1930, the first UICL racing regulations saw the light of day.