Greyhound First- Welfare measures initiated due to high temperatures

Monday’s Longford racing cancelled. No trials between 10AM and 7.30PM


Following the 'High-Temperature' five-day warning issued by Met Éireann, the Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) has suspended all trials between 10AM and 7.30PM with immediate effect and is monitoring all race meetings subject to changing weather patterns and local conditions throughout the week. The measures follow best welfare practices that are routinely followed during sharp temperature changes.

·         No trials at any tracks between 10AM and 7.30PM.

·         Racing at Longford Monday 25 June is cancelled. Friday’s (29 June) meeting is under-review.

·         Racing at Enniscorthy and Youghal Monday 25 June will proceed as planned.

·         Control Stewards and Racing Managers to assess local circumstances as all race meetings during the ‘High-Temperature’ period will be reviewed.


A spokesperson for the IGB commented ‘To cancel trials or racing can be a great inconvenience to owners and our customers but the welfare of greyhounds comes first in all operational decisions. Staff at all tracks have been advised to supplement existing operational arrangements during this heatwave to ensure welfare considerations are fully taken into account.’

IGB Incentive Schemes

IGB Incentive Schemes June 2018


·         Novice Scheme

Effective from 1 April 2018, a once-off payment of €100 for greyhounds who commence their racing careers prior to reaching 19 months and complete their first five races at IGB licenced tracks.

The greyhound must run their first five races in a consecutive order at IGB tracks only. The greyhound must complete its first novice race after 1 April 2018. The payment is made on the completion of a fifth race to the owner of a greyhound. The first payments are to be made from early June 2018.


·         Dublin Participation Scheme

This scheme will allow for a €20 payment in respect of the fourth, fifth and sixth place in all races at Shelbourne Park Stadium on all nights. The scheme is effective from 1 April 2018. The proposed payment should assist in alleviating the exceptional travel costs incurred by owners, breeders and trainers in attending at Shelbourne Park.


·         Runners Incentive

A once-off payment of €800 is made to an owner that reaches 100 races at IGB tracks between 1 April and 31 March of the following year. For each race after the 100 and within the year, they will receive a payment of eight euros.

An owner may designate a public or private trainer to receive the payment. Double payments for owner or trainer are not permitted.


·         Breeders’ €15 Scheme

A payment of €15 is paid to the breeder of the winning first-place greyhound in all races. The winning prize money must be €1,999 or less and at IGB tracks only.


·         SIS Scheme

A €20 payment in respect of the fourth, fifth and sixth place in all races at the three SIS meetings is paid to the owner.


·         Breeders’ 10% Scheme

The breeder of the winning first-place greyhound at all races will receive a payment equal to 10% of the winning prize money in cases where the applicable prize money is €2,000 or greater. This applies to IGB tracks only.


·         Public Trainers 10% Scheme

A Public Trainer will receive 10% of all prize money payments applicable to their greyhound. This applies to all races at IGB tracks.