|
updated in 2011
Greyhound race tracks in the Czech Republic
FCI (ČMKU) race tracks - in the Czech Republic
- in the towns of Kolín, Lednice, Mladá Boleslav - are situated on municipal land - public property. (FCI / ČMKU stands for: Fédération Cynologique Internationale / the Czech-Moravian Cynology Union - Českomoravská Kynologická Unie)
WGRF race track - in the Czech Republic - near the city of Hradec Králové, in Praskačka - is situated on a private property.
(WGRF stands for: World Greyhound Racing Federation)
Both kinds of race tracks (public and private properties) are rented to citizens' assotiations - clubs.
http://www.cgdf.cz/cs/chrti-dostihy-v-ceske-republice-1.html
The first owner of the Praskacka race track rented the track to a citizens' assotiation called: "Dostihový spolek Praskačka" (i.e. Praskacka racing club).
The second owner of the Praskacka race track rented the track to a citizens' assotiation called: "ČDF - Česká
dostihová federace" (i.e. CRF - Czech Racing Federation)
The actual and the previous owner of the Praskacka race track rented the track a citizens' assotiation called "ČGDF - Česká greyhound dostihová federace" (i.e. CGRF - Czech Greyhound Racing Federation).
The Greyhound Race Track Praskacka has always been a private property (i.e. not owned by the state or local authorities) and it has always been rented to various
citizens' assotiations. Each assotiation created and followed its own racing rules.
Greyhound Race Track Praskačka
The Praskacka track has been a private property since the very beginning in the year of 2000.
None of the previous owners and even the contemporary owner has actually operated the track. All Owners have always rented the track to various greyhound racing associations.
It is a different situation compared to greyhound race tracks in countries with developped greyhound industry, e.g. Ireland, UK, USA, etc.
Race tracks in the above-mentioned countries are usually operated by business companies (e.g. a joint-stock company or other kind of institution with permanent employees).
There are no companies running business in the field of greyhound racing in the Czech Republic and neighbouring countries. It is almost imposible to make living of greyhound races here as it would probably result in bankruptcy. The main aim of any business company is to create profit, however amateur greyhounds races (organised only as a hobby) do not offer any profit-making opportunities in this country.
Contrarily the greyhound racing sport must be subsidized by the greyhound owners themselves.
Many people incorrectly consider the Czech Greyhound Race Track Praskacka, operated by the CGRF - Czech Greyhound Racing Federation, as if it was a business company.
(However the truth is that many people, who watched the very first video tape of greyhound races of the Czech Greyhound Racing Federation at Praskacka, could not believe that the video tape was recorded during czech greyhound races. They said it had to be recorded in some of the western countries).
Some people even support the incorrect view of the status of Greyhound Race Track Praskacka or the status of the Czech Greyhound Racing Federation.
Some people present the race track as a "private business".
(some people, after 40 years of comunism,
still consider private ownership as something wrong)
If a track owner (a joint stock company) dares not to integrate in the FCI system (i.e. to give the track to everyone) .. there are hard times ahead.
The private ownership of a greyhound race track is something rare in the Continental Europe, however the Greyhound Race Track Praskacka has always been a private property, even before the present renter - the Czech Greyhound Racing Federation (CGRF). The CGRF has been organizing greyhound races in a different visual style compared to what has been common in the Czech Republic and in the neighbouring countries. The CGRF also organizes greyhound races in compliance with the racing systems of the WGRF (among others only one race of a particular greyhound per day). See the link:
Videoclips from greyhound races of the Czech Greyhound Racing Federation at the Czech Greyhound Race Track Praskackaqq
The penultimate sale of the Czech Greyhound Race Track Praskacka
In the year of 2000 a new greyhound race track at Praskačka, near the city of Hradec Králové, was built. This greyhound race track was the only track in the Czech Republic. The area of this race track, like every other estate, had its own history. There was someone who had the race track built and there was someone else who operated the race track. Owners and greyhound races operators were changing like houseowners and tenants change in a house.
The area of this race track is situated in an urban area with high value soil that automatically raises the value of such land. This area, on which the race track has been built, is not swamped by any river, pond etc. and it is of high market value.
This was also known well to estate agencies, that were to sell this property from the former owners (a local matrimonial firm). The owners have moved to the United Arabian Emirates and they ended all their business activities including the rent of the racing and football grounds (contemporaries remember that football teams, footballers from the United Arab Emirates among others, regularly trained on the grass football field inside the racing track oval).
The logical interest of estate agencies was to sell the sports area in the most profitable way. The estate agencies therefore offered to rent the area property especially to developpers dealing in the field of apartment structures. Whether it sounds incredibly or not there is not much left space to build on there because the city of Hradec Králové grows rapidly.
It was also known that this small village of Praskačka would be connected to the motorway in 2008, which increased the value of this area even more.
Anyone was allowed to enter negotiations with estate agencies or the owners of the sportsground area (greyhound race track).
Also all the previous tenants of this area had absolutely the same possibility to buy and own the local greyhound race track.
However neither the Czech Racing Federation led by Mr. Tomas Mika and Mr. Ivo Widziolek (ČDF) or the Czech Greyhound Racing Club led by Mr. Jan Potůček (ČGDK) or any other chiefs of cynological or sport clubs bought the area, in spite of the fact that they had the possibility to do it.
The future of the greyhound racing sport was certainly endangered
in the Czech Republic.
The sand surface is the best surface for thin greyhound legs and some greyhound owners let their greyhounds run only on sand surface. Greyhound racing itself is an activity that - not only in this country but also in the neighbouring states - falls in nonprofit and rather expensive hobby category.
Nevertheless some greyhound owners were not incurious to such situation and wanted to keep greyhound racing intact.
These greyhound owners (R. Želinský, Z. Grondol) provided contacs to a buyer of the race track.
The CZECH INTERNATIONAL, a.s., a joint stock company, became a new owner of this track in spite of the fact that it was evident that it was a highly disadvantageous investment to rent this area for the purposes of greyhound racing (there were about fifty racing greyhounds).The share holders of this company were acquianted with the fact that grayhound racing cannot be operated without further investments in this area.
The company was able to reconstruct the area in record-breaking short time but with really high expenses. Besides the expenses connected with purchasing the property, the company invested in expensive technical equipment.
It is evident that no other organization would do such good will because business companies do not buy properties in order to pass through but to earn money for their share holders. The difference makes only whether the shareholders are greyhound-dog fanciers or not.
The shareholders of this company "missed the odd the pence" and they keep supporting the greyhound owners. They are giving up their dividents (joint-stock pay-off) so that their company could (as the lessor of the Praskacka race track) could keep supporting greyhound owners both financially and technically even in future.
Just a little preview of the reconstructed area of the Czech Greyhound Race Track Praskacka
When Czech Greyhound Racing Federation (CGRF) took the area for use, there was snow covering the track.
After thew snow melted the race track area showed its real face.
It was obvious that especially the race track itself must be reconstructed briefly and the curves must be banked.
The sand for the track was brought from the same mine as it was used by the constructor of the track.
Archive: Greyhound Race Track Praskacka in the year of 2003 - the previous housekeeper - tenant:    
Archive: Greyhound Race Track Praskacka (since 2004) - contemporary housekeeper - tenant:
   
Greyhound races at greyhound race track Praskačka could begin..
Archive: Greyhound Race Track Praskacka in the year of 2003 - the previous housekeeper - tenant:    
Archive: Greyhound Race Track Praskacka (since 2004) - contemporary housekeeper - tenant:   
Finally, ladies could take off gum boots and they can wear high-heel shoes.
 
The Praskačka race course was rented immediatelly after the reconstruction.
The Czech Greyhound Racing Federation became the tenant of this race track as the CGRF guaranteed that greyhound races will be organized in compliance with the latest pieces of knowledge in the field of greyhound racing and with modern racing system designed according to the racing organizations incorporated in the WGRF (some other amateur czech organizations allow multiple starts of one particular greyhound in one day. Run-ups / semifinals in the morning, finals in the afternoon).
Till now the Czech Greyhound Race Track Praskacka is the only czech race track with sand racecourse body and banked turns.
The racecourse body is composed of several drainage sand layers and of drainage pipelines, the surface is a special mixture of glass sand and sand-clay.
More information on the reconstructed and upgraded race track - one of the safest for greyhound races - in the link:
Czech Greyhound Race Track Praskacka
And how did it ended up at Praskacka?
The Greyhound Race Track Praskačka was rented to the civil association Czech Greyhound Racing Federation (CGRF), that integrates owners of racing greyhounds and organizes greyhound races with the limit of one start of a greyhound per day. The CGRF members operate and maintain the rented race track and hold race there.
The CGRF is not the only greyhound racing club in the Czech Republic and in the neighbouring countries.
Any greyhound owner can participate in our events under the condition that the owner wants to contribute to the club in some way - not necessarily with the money.
Greyhound owners even don't have to be CGRF members, they can race with their dogs at Praskacka as "registered participants".
Either members or registered participants must work on preparations of the race track before races or trials and also to take part in organizing of race.
However there are only few greyhound owners who want to contribute with their work at the track. Most of them expect that they will be served, entertained by the CGRF members... free of charge of course.
Unlike the majority of greyhound owners, the CGRF members work hard all day while their dogs are closed in the racing paddock most of the day.
Many greyhound owners (non-members of the CGRF) believe their presence at the race track is necessary as they bring money in the form od starting fees. They also think that large number of greyhounds in one racing day is a prestigious and sufficient reward for the organizer. (this topic will be updated soon)
More information in the link: FAQ -Frequently Asked Questions
High level of the CGRF greyhound races at the Czech Greyhound Race Track Praskacka
People who are not involved in racing at Praskacka may consider the race track as a professional race track that makes profit out of the sport. However the CGRF representatives pay all operation costs and other expences.
Czech people are used to the fact that greyhound racing sport must be sponsored.
However people are not used to the fact that there are people, like Mr. Zdenek Grondol or Mr. Rudolf Zelinsky, who have been willing to support the greyhound racing sport in the way they do it - they support all CGRF members and they even supported members of competitive organizations for five years.
The race / trial starting fees cannot cover all operation costs of the Greyhound Race Track Praskacka (it is not possible with respect of the high level of the sand racecourse body, racing equipment, level of the races) (Update on 13th of July 2012 - the starting fees were raised in 2012 so that the fees could nearly cover the operational costs)
Only the CGRF President and the CGRF Vice-president paid all costs related with the track operation and race organization, other members never had to share the costs.
It is not usual when representatives (of any club, federation or confederation) pay all costs from their "own pockets".
That's why they are a pain in the a*s for many people involved in the greyhound racing sport.
You wouldn't invent such story...
The Czech Greyhound Racing Federation have experiences with various anonymous defamations, one of anonymous authors, from a so called "club from the hill", was discovered (the anonymous author did not realized that there was a CCTV system in the internet cafe..)
The anonymous author, a manager of a certain greyhound racing club "from the hill", did not raced her greyhound on the "hill" but she participated regularly in the CGRF events - at the only race track with the sand racecourse body - Greyhound Race Track Praskacka that would be ceased to exist without the help of the CGRF President and the CGRF Vice-president.
The anonymous author used and abused the good will of the CGRF president. She even didn't have to be a CGRF member and she could have all benefits - the CGRF charity towards all greyhound owners was boundless.
One would expect that she could at least thank for all the benefits, including prize money for winners, provided by the CGRF president.
However she sent anonymous slanderous e-mail (attacking the CGRF president) to e-mail addresses of all his business companies.
Then she, as if nothing happened, signed for CGRF greyhound races and she expected the CGRF president to prepare the race track for her and to give her some prize money again.
That was a real surprise.
The question is what was the reason for sending slanderous e-mails. The above-mentioned anonymous author/greyhound owner could race her greyhound at the one of the best and the safest race tracks. she could benefit from the sponsorship of the CGRF President.
Why would she want to ruin it?
Note:
The Czech Greyhound Racing Federation originated in 2003.
Some greyhound owners, organized, in FCI raced with their greyhounds only at FCI events and they did not want to be involved in any other organizations. Some greyhounds, organized, in FCI raced with their greyhounds at FCI events and CGRC events. Some greyhounds, organized, in FCI raced with their greyhounds at events of the first, second and even the third organization.
More in the link:http://www.cgdf.cz/cs/chrti-dostihy-v-ceske-republice-1.html
There were already some other racing organizations (e.g. a club "from the hill") but these organizations could not provide such benefits and standards.
Perhaps the jealousy caused that some participants of the CGRF races attempted to destroy our organization.
There is one czech saying: "My cow died, let the neighbour's cow also die."
There is one conclusion: health and wellfare of greyhounds is for some of their owners in the last place.
The CGRF experienced various extraordinary inspections, even Immigration Police searched for some contraband (the CGRF president dared to regularly endow the winners of the Sranda-Tip - a "betting-shop" wih bottles of vodka.) BTW. none of the inspections found anything illegal.
That was the reason why we always add an amendment to betting propositions: "The sponsor of vodka for winners: Zdenek Grondol, who enjoyed to purchase vodka for winners, who always enjoys to endow the winners."
More in the link: Betting shop Sranda-Tip at the Greyhound Race Track Praskacka
The extraordinary charity of the CGRF presidium towards all participants caused unwanted consequences.
Paradoxically mostly people outside the czech greyhound sport recognised the enthusiasm and effort of the CGRF President.
It seems as if the good deeds of the CGRF president overshadowed the glance of other racing clubs - that's something they (members of other czech racing clubs) cannot allow to happen.
The pictures of the Golden Greyhound Awards caused in some people similar reaction as if a toreador would wave a red cloth in front of an agry bull in corrida.
Mr. Jiri Jirout, one of the CGRF members said to the CGRF President:
"You brought money to the czech greyhound racing sport, that's why you must fate the consequences"
An unique opportunity for all greyhounds
- the Greyhound Race Track Praskacka is for sale again
As we have mentioned, the Praskacka race track was sold in 2004 to the actual owner who rebuilt the race track to the actual appearance. At present the Greyhound Race Track Praskacka, the only race track with a sand racecourse body in the Czech Republic, is for sale again.
It is an unique opportunity for the whole czech racing scene, especially for all managers of various racing organizations (their presidents, chairmen, advisors, etc.). Any of them can purchase the best sand race track in the Continental Europe - designed for the greyhound racing sport.
Ideal potentional buyer should be ready to purchase the track at his / her own costs and provide to other greyhound owners.
There are many people who could purchase the track. Also those who think that the last sale of the Praskacka race track was a loss for the czech greyhound racing sport.
Of course, members of the Czech Greyhound Racing Federation can advise to the potentional buyer in the matter of race track operation.
Related links:
Note.: Complete history of the Czech Greyhound Racing Federation will be published soon,
|