Greyhound History

GREYHOUND RACING IN WA

HISTORY

By 1971, the interest for greyhounds had reached Western Australia, with dogs being auctioned by local vendors. Trials were being conducted at venues surrounding Perth, and the demand for greyhound racing was gaining momentum. In 1972, The Greyhound Racing Control Act was passed through the Parliament of Western Australia, and the Greyhound Racing Control Board Was Formed.

On 18 September 1973, Canning Greyhound Racing Association was announced as the successful applicant for the licence. Their venue, Canning Agricultural Society Showgrounds, was the first metropolitan racing track in Western Australia.

Work on the venue commenced in 1974, and trials were held later in that year with the first race meeting held on 12 December 1974. The meeting supported an eight race programme, attracting over 15,000 people, with a TAB turnover of more than $60,000 and the on-course tote almost $120,000.

THE WESTERN AUSTRALIAN GREYHOUND RACING ASSOCIATION

In 1981, the Western Australian Greyhound Racing Association was established under the Western Australian Greyhound Racing Association Act, and the assets and liabilities of the Canning Greyhound Racing Association were transferred to WAGRA.

The Western Australian Greyhound Racing Association Act also allowed for the absorption of Mandurah Greyhound Racing Association into WAGRA.

1995/96 saw WAGRA’s Committee approve the establishment of another greyhound racing track based in the Avon Valley, initially for the purposes of trialling and training. However, on 30 September 1996, Western Australians witnessed the new venue’s first race meeting.

Greyhound racing has undergone many changes since 1974, including the transition from grass to sand tracks, the change to the above ground lure systems and most recently the re-development of the Mandurah venue to include a 599-metre one-turn track.

WAGRA now conduct 7 race meetings per week across the three venues, a far cry from the early days of one meeting per week when Cannington first opened.