11/21/14

At times like this people often ask what they can do for the family.  Sammy’s mother has made it easy for us!  To honor his memory, she asked if his friends and co-workers would send their favorite story or memory.  She would like to share these with others at the service in Vinton.
Although time is very short, please consider honoring her request by emailing your response to Jean Cook.  Jean will put them all together to present to her at the funeral. 

FYI, we are planning to also honor Sammy by having a gathering in Austin in December – will let everyone know when those plans are finalized  and for those who are planning to send flowers, we have just learned that due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the florist needs to have orders no later than Tuesday, November 23rd.

Thank you, Texas Racing Commission

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Due to problems that the TGA has had with a group called 18 Shades of Grey, (last known to be located in Vidor, Texas) we ask that our greyhound owners do not give any of your greyhounds to this group for adoption.  For many reasons, this group is not approved by the Texas Greyhound Association as one of our preferred adoption groups.  For a list of groups that we work directly with, click on the Adoptions tab.

If you have any questions, please contact Nick James at (512) 415-0005 or TGA Inspector Paul Watt (512) 413-7532.

Owned by Ed Gardner

On Saturday; August 23, 2014, the TGA hosted a meeting with several Texas adoption groups to establish a dialogue/partnership with them. Our inspectors explained that the TGA has been doing inspections on the greyhound farms and will begin doing site visits on adoption facilities that have NGA/TGA registered greyhounds. Paul Watt, NGA/TGA Inspector, was contacted by Gary Guccione of the NGA and he stated this had been done in Kansas and it proved to be a very positive event creating and opening conversations between the racing industry and the adoption groups. In attendance from the TGA was Nick James (Executive Director), David Peck (TGA President)  Paul Watt (Board Member/Inspector), James Parker (Board Member/Inspector) Lois Mowery (Assistant Executive Director)  & Janelle Peck (TGA Member).
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By Gary Guccione   Wed, Aug 20, 2014

For the Atascocita racing team out of Texas, the last half of June proved to be a special time.

On June 15, Atascocita owner George Ulmer won the Diane Whitely Sprint Championship at Gulf Greyhound Park with Atascocita Kosta (sweeping all his elimination races and then the final, for the Libby Kennel). Kosta had a 15-3-2-1 record in 25 Gulf starts this year (as of June 21), and boasted a six-race win streak (which ended May 15) at the Texas track. [Read more…]

By Gary Guccione   Wed, Aug 20, 2014

There was little time for discussion. Even less time for debate, and no time for argument.

When NGA uncovered a situation in Arkansas in May, where greyhounds were at-risk, the decision to go into action-mode took slightly less than a nanosecond. Within minutes, wheels were literally in motion to get trucks and trailers to the site and transport the 141 greyhounds to safety. Clearly, it was the right thing to do.

In less than 12 hours, that daunting task was accomplished. Then began the recuperation of the greyhounds, followed by their placement back to their rightful owners or into adoption programs. Again, it was the right thing to do. No questions, no debates, no arguments. [Read more…]

Robert Dempsey Hibbs, born November 10, 1926 in Bastrop County, Texas passed peacefully into the hands of his Lord and Savior on Sunday, August 17, 2014.  Robert is s survived by his loving wife, LaVerne, to whom he was married for 67 years. He is preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Lucille Hibbs, brother J.C. Hibbs and sisters, Dorothy Krueger, Ruth Mrugalski and Barbara Harrison.

He is survived by his son Bobby Hibbs and wife Gina, daughter Gayle Graham and husband David and Billy Hibbs and wife Cindy. Also surviving are nine (9) grandchildren and (15) fifteen great grandchildren.

Bobby served his country in the United States Army during World War II. Upon returning from overseas and starting his family, he worked for Binswanger Glass Company for 17 years and Floyd’s Glass Company for 16 years. It was 1961 when he started his 46 year journey in the racing greyhound business. Most of the daily business was conducted from the kitchen table over biscuits and gravy. Bobby and LaVerne raced and trained the greyhound “Ready to Nod” who won the first Inaugural race at Gulf Greyhound Park on Bobby’s birthday, November 10, 1992. Bobby and LaVerne bred and raced hundreds of greyhounds which raced with much success all over the United States. They operated racing kennels at Galveston and Corpus Christi. Bobby was blessed with many friend’s love and respect in the greyhound industry.

The family would like to thank the staff of Elgin Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for his extended care services and Dr. Edward Chafizadeh and staff for many years of love and excellent cardiology care.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to Yegua Creek Evangelical Free Church, 1200 County Road 466, Elgin, Texas 78621.

Pallbearers: Tyler Graham, Mitchell Hibbs, Nick Hibbs, Terry Hibbs, Gary Krueger, B.C. Norton, Cody Norton and Ty Norton Honorary Pallbearers: Harrold Harrison, Charles Henry Duvall, Dr. Charles Graham

The family will receive guests at the Providence-Jones Family Funeral Home on Tuesday, August 19th, 6:00-8:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, August 20th, 10:00 a.m., Yegua Creek Evangelical Free Church, near Elgin. Interment will follow in the Elgin Cemetery.

Greyhound Racing — The Truth
A Journey from Anti-Racing to Pro-Racing

by Amy Cochran

Okay whoa. Hang on a second. You’re anti-racing. I get it, but you’re so full of smoke I can’t see the ground in front of me. Being used by people? Suffering? Forced to race? Do you even know what  you’re talking about? Have you spent time with trainers, owners, operators, etc? Have you watched how they Interact with the dogs in their care? I have. I have never SEEN a greyhound suffer at the hands of their trainers. And I certainly have never SEEN a greyhound “forced” to race. You don’t force a greyhound to do anything. You may encourage their natural Instincts  to chase by giving them the opportunity to chase, but you certainly don’t force a greyhound to do anything he doesn’t want to do.

Now don’t go jumping down my throat without knowing a thing about me. But I will tell you this. I’m from Ohio (non­-racing state) then we were stationed in Illinois(Another non-racing state.) And yes, I was involved in animal “rescue” and greyhound adoption. And yes, at that time, I was ANTI-Racing. I heard the stories, saw the pictures, and then we were stationed in Alabama and EVERYTHING CHANGED. [Read more…]

SPOTLIGHT:  THE WOMEN OF THE TGA

KAREN HYDE

From the first moment that I started talking to Karen Hyde, her love and admiration for the greyhounds was apparent.

Karen retired from the corporate world in Dallas and was a Paralegal and Courtroom Administrator for a Federal Judge. She had always dreamed of having a little place in the country so she could have all the animals that she wanted. When she retired she bought a small farm and it started out as a hobby, but then she needed a little extra money, so she went to work for a local television station, as the producer of a talk show, where she met Robert Stokes nephew, a professor at TxA&M. He would come on her show as a regular and as she got to know him she found out that he had an uncle who raised greyhounds. Unfortunately the television station closed down and she was looking for something to do. She called Mr. Stokes nephew and asked him if he would introduce her to his uncle who had a greyhound farm. She was absolutely intrigued with greyhounds and had never seen one before. In 1985 she set up an appointment with Mr. Stokes and was given a tour of his farm and told him that she would love to get into raising them. Mr. Stokes told her to research and get as much information as possible on the breed, which she did. Soon after this she started building pens, runs and a whelping house for her broods and puppies.  [Read more…]