Latest news with #DaptoDogs
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
As Aussie as meat pies and Holden: farewell Dapto Dogs
It's a random winter's night at the world famous Dapto Dogs and no more than 50 people are in attendance. The subdued scene makes it hard to believe thousands once routinely packed into the showground's grandstand to watch the greyhounds go around. In less than a year, there will be nobody left in the stands as the lights on the iconic track are turned off for the final time. The first race meet at Dapto was held in February 1937. Next June, just shy of its 90th year in operation, the racetrack will close. The decision came after the showground's owners, the Dapto Agricultural and Horticultural Society, opted not to extend its lease. David from Goulburn, who is happy to chat but prefers not to give his last name, has been a hobby trainer since 1958 and spent decades travelling to racetracks across southern NSW. While the 84-year-old is saddened by the reality Dapto will close, he acknowledges the sport needs to progress. "Racing has been good to me ... there's good money to be earned," he tells AAP. "There was a time there would be thousands of people in the stands but since COVID people prefer to stay at home. "I'll be sad to see Dapto close but that's just progress." Greyhound NSW chief executive Steve Griffin, who took on the job in March, says the organisation initially tried to negotiate a 20-year lease with the owners but were unsuccessful. "It's very much a landlord-tenant thing so we've got no real basis to challenge it," he laments. "At the end of the day we need to make long-term investments in the sport and we're ready to do that, so we need to move on." But the closure at Dapto has been a hard pill to swallow. "For the staff and local trainers who have been using that site for generations, they are grieving and have a sense of loss, as do people in the community," Mr Griffin says. "It may sound clichéd but the Dapto Dogs is as Australian as meat pies and Holden cars and whether you are a punter or not, you have heard of the name. "It is an iconic venue and location and it's disappointing but we do need to move forward." Twenty-year-old Seth Hermann is one of the younger brigade of Dapto locals rarely seen at the track of late. He remembers going to the races with his dad as a five-year-old, back when a full house was the standard. Now an apprentice electrician, seeing the track lights aglow on his way home from work and in the knowledge they won't be on for much longer, he decided to pull in for a drink or two. "I'm not skilled enough for punting but I'll give the dogs a watch," he offers. "Every Thursday on my way home from work, I see the lights and think I should go watch but I don't. "I saw the lights tonight and thought I better come and see it before it shuts because who knows when the next time I can come will be." But even he expected a few more people to have the same idea. "(The closure) is sad news, not so much that it's stopping racing but just that this is something that Dapto is known for," he says. "You see it on TV and you think that's pretty cool, I shop there, I live there." Trainers and punters will still have two greyhound racing options in the Illawarra area, further north at Bulli and to the south at Nowra. Greyhound NSW insists racing is a thriving sport in the state, with 26 clubs. It holds more than 1200 meetings a year, hosting 14,000 races, attracting almost 170,000 spectators and paying out more than $50 million in prize money. It also generates more than $800 million every year, supporting more than 4500 jobs of which almost half are in regional areas. The organisation is currently completing an optimisation process, as there are currently too many racecourses in NSW. Compared to 13 in Victoria, there are 27 in NSW. It's also difficult for clubs to maintain a profit if they are only racing once a week, Mr Griffin says. "We want to connect, excite and delight the community," he explains. "That could mean changing what the product looks like, racing on astroturf and straight tracks, with safety for greyhounds the imperative. "We need to get even better at welfare and reducing injury rates and we need to place the greyhounds in good homes when they become pets." The industry is preparing to celebrate its 100th birthday in 2027. As for the next 100 years, appealing to the next generation will be key to its survival. There are between 200 and 300 trainers under the age of 25, Mr Griffin says. "We are cognisant of the fact the industry has a very aged demographic and we need to have a future of people in the sport," he adds. "It's not an easy life to be a trainer and it's not attractive for a lot of people. "But there are those looking to come into the sport and we need to support them." It's a random winter's night at the world famous Dapto Dogs and no more than 50 people are in attendance. The subdued scene makes it hard to believe thousands once routinely packed into the showground's grandstand to watch the greyhounds go around. In less than a year, there will be nobody left in the stands as the lights on the iconic track are turned off for the final time. The first race meet at Dapto was held in February 1937. Next June, just shy of its 90th year in operation, the racetrack will close. The decision came after the showground's owners, the Dapto Agricultural and Horticultural Society, opted not to extend its lease. David from Goulburn, who is happy to chat but prefers not to give his last name, has been a hobby trainer since 1958 and spent decades travelling to racetracks across southern NSW. While the 84-year-old is saddened by the reality Dapto will close, he acknowledges the sport needs to progress. "Racing has been good to me ... there's good money to be earned," he tells AAP. "There was a time there would be thousands of people in the stands but since COVID people prefer to stay at home. "I'll be sad to see Dapto close but that's just progress." Greyhound NSW chief executive Steve Griffin, who took on the job in March, says the organisation initially tried to negotiate a 20-year lease with the owners but were unsuccessful. "It's very much a landlord-tenant thing so we've got no real basis to challenge it," he laments. "At the end of the day we need to make long-term investments in the sport and we're ready to do that, so we need to move on." But the closure at Dapto has been a hard pill to swallow. "For the staff and local trainers who have been using that site for generations, they are grieving and have a sense of loss, as do people in the community," Mr Griffin says. "It may sound clichéd but the Dapto Dogs is as Australian as meat pies and Holden cars and whether you are a punter or not, you have heard of the name. "It is an iconic venue and location and it's disappointing but we do need to move forward." Twenty-year-old Seth Hermann is one of the younger brigade of Dapto locals rarely seen at the track of late. He remembers going to the races with his dad as a five-year-old, back when a full house was the standard. Now an apprentice electrician, seeing the track lights aglow on his way home from work and in the knowledge they won't be on for much longer, he decided to pull in for a drink or two. "I'm not skilled enough for punting but I'll give the dogs a watch," he offers. "Every Thursday on my way home from work, I see the lights and think I should go watch but I don't. "I saw the lights tonight and thought I better come and see it before it shuts because who knows when the next time I can come will be." But even he expected a few more people to have the same idea. "(The closure) is sad news, not so much that it's stopping racing but just that this is something that Dapto is known for," he says. "You see it on TV and you think that's pretty cool, I shop there, I live there." Trainers and punters will still have two greyhound racing options in the Illawarra area, further north at Bulli and to the south at Nowra. Greyhound NSW insists racing is a thriving sport in the state, with 26 clubs. It holds more than 1200 meetings a year, hosting 14,000 races, attracting almost 170,000 spectators and paying out more than $50 million in prize money. It also generates more than $800 million every year, supporting more than 4500 jobs of which almost half are in regional areas. The organisation is currently completing an optimisation process, as there are currently too many racecourses in NSW. Compared to 13 in Victoria, there are 27 in NSW. It's also difficult for clubs to maintain a profit if they are only racing once a week, Mr Griffin says. "We want to connect, excite and delight the community," he explains. "That could mean changing what the product looks like, racing on astroturf and straight tracks, with safety for greyhounds the imperative. "We need to get even better at welfare and reducing injury rates and we need to place the greyhounds in good homes when they become pets." The industry is preparing to celebrate its 100th birthday in 2027. As for the next 100 years, appealing to the next generation will be key to its survival. There are between 200 and 300 trainers under the age of 25, Mr Griffin says. "We are cognisant of the fact the industry has a very aged demographic and we need to have a future of people in the sport," he adds. "It's not an easy life to be a trainer and it's not attractive for a lot of people. "But there are those looking to come into the sport and we need to support them." It's a random winter's night at the world famous Dapto Dogs and no more than 50 people are in attendance. The subdued scene makes it hard to believe thousands once routinely packed into the showground's grandstand to watch the greyhounds go around. In less than a year, there will be nobody left in the stands as the lights on the iconic track are turned off for the final time. The first race meet at Dapto was held in February 1937. Next June, just shy of its 90th year in operation, the racetrack will close. The decision came after the showground's owners, the Dapto Agricultural and Horticultural Society, opted not to extend its lease. David from Goulburn, who is happy to chat but prefers not to give his last name, has been a hobby trainer since 1958 and spent decades travelling to racetracks across southern NSW. While the 84-year-old is saddened by the reality Dapto will close, he acknowledges the sport needs to progress. "Racing has been good to me ... there's good money to be earned," he tells AAP. "There was a time there would be thousands of people in the stands but since COVID people prefer to stay at home. "I'll be sad to see Dapto close but that's just progress." Greyhound NSW chief executive Steve Griffin, who took on the job in March, says the organisation initially tried to negotiate a 20-year lease with the owners but were unsuccessful. "It's very much a landlord-tenant thing so we've got no real basis to challenge it," he laments. "At the end of the day we need to make long-term investments in the sport and we're ready to do that, so we need to move on." But the closure at Dapto has been a hard pill to swallow. "For the staff and local trainers who have been using that site for generations, they are grieving and have a sense of loss, as do people in the community," Mr Griffin says. "It may sound clichéd but the Dapto Dogs is as Australian as meat pies and Holden cars and whether you are a punter or not, you have heard of the name. "It is an iconic venue and location and it's disappointing but we do need to move forward." Twenty-year-old Seth Hermann is one of the younger brigade of Dapto locals rarely seen at the track of late. He remembers going to the races with his dad as a five-year-old, back when a full house was the standard. Now an apprentice electrician, seeing the track lights aglow on his way home from work and in the knowledge they won't be on for much longer, he decided to pull in for a drink or two. "I'm not skilled enough for punting but I'll give the dogs a watch," he offers. "Every Thursday on my way home from work, I see the lights and think I should go watch but I don't. "I saw the lights tonight and thought I better come and see it before it shuts because who knows when the next time I can come will be." But even he expected a few more people to have the same idea. "(The closure) is sad news, not so much that it's stopping racing but just that this is something that Dapto is known for," he says. "You see it on TV and you think that's pretty cool, I shop there, I live there." Trainers and punters will still have two greyhound racing options in the Illawarra area, further north at Bulli and to the south at Nowra. Greyhound NSW insists racing is a thriving sport in the state, with 26 clubs. It holds more than 1200 meetings a year, hosting 14,000 races, attracting almost 170,000 spectators and paying out more than $50 million in prize money. It also generates more than $800 million every year, supporting more than 4500 jobs of which almost half are in regional areas. The organisation is currently completing an optimisation process, as there are currently too many racecourses in NSW. Compared to 13 in Victoria, there are 27 in NSW. It's also difficult for clubs to maintain a profit if they are only racing once a week, Mr Griffin says. "We want to connect, excite and delight the community," he explains. "That could mean changing what the product looks like, racing on astroturf and straight tracks, with safety for greyhounds the imperative. "We need to get even better at welfare and reducing injury rates and we need to place the greyhounds in good homes when they become pets." The industry is preparing to celebrate its 100th birthday in 2027. As for the next 100 years, appealing to the next generation will be key to its survival. There are between 200 and 300 trainers under the age of 25, Mr Griffin says. "We are cognisant of the fact the industry has a very aged demographic and we need to have a future of people in the sport," he adds. "It's not an easy life to be a trainer and it's not attractive for a lot of people. "But there are those looking to come into the sport and we need to support them." It's a random winter's night at the world famous Dapto Dogs and no more than 50 people are in attendance. The subdued scene makes it hard to believe thousands once routinely packed into the showground's grandstand to watch the greyhounds go around. In less than a year, there will be nobody left in the stands as the lights on the iconic track are turned off for the final time. The first race meet at Dapto was held in February 1937. Next June, just shy of its 90th year in operation, the racetrack will close. The decision came after the showground's owners, the Dapto Agricultural and Horticultural Society, opted not to extend its lease. David from Goulburn, who is happy to chat but prefers not to give his last name, has been a hobby trainer since 1958 and spent decades travelling to racetracks across southern NSW. While the 84-year-old is saddened by the reality Dapto will close, he acknowledges the sport needs to progress. "Racing has been good to me ... there's good money to be earned," he tells AAP. "There was a time there would be thousands of people in the stands but since COVID people prefer to stay at home. "I'll be sad to see Dapto close but that's just progress." Greyhound NSW chief executive Steve Griffin, who took on the job in March, says the organisation initially tried to negotiate a 20-year lease with the owners but were unsuccessful. "It's very much a landlord-tenant thing so we've got no real basis to challenge it," he laments. "At the end of the day we need to make long-term investments in the sport and we're ready to do that, so we need to move on." But the closure at Dapto has been a hard pill to swallow. "For the staff and local trainers who have been using that site for generations, they are grieving and have a sense of loss, as do people in the community," Mr Griffin says. "It may sound clichéd but the Dapto Dogs is as Australian as meat pies and Holden cars and whether you are a punter or not, you have heard of the name. "It is an iconic venue and location and it's disappointing but we do need to move forward." Twenty-year-old Seth Hermann is one of the younger brigade of Dapto locals rarely seen at the track of late. He remembers going to the races with his dad as a five-year-old, back when a full house was the standard. Now an apprentice electrician, seeing the track lights aglow on his way home from work and in the knowledge they won't be on for much longer, he decided to pull in for a drink or two. "I'm not skilled enough for punting but I'll give the dogs a watch," he offers. "Every Thursday on my way home from work, I see the lights and think I should go watch but I don't. "I saw the lights tonight and thought I better come and see it before it shuts because who knows when the next time I can come will be." But even he expected a few more people to have the same idea. "(The closure) is sad news, not so much that it's stopping racing but just that this is something that Dapto is known for," he says. "You see it on TV and you think that's pretty cool, I shop there, I live there." Trainers and punters will still have two greyhound racing options in the Illawarra area, further north at Bulli and to the south at Nowra. Greyhound NSW insists racing is a thriving sport in the state, with 26 clubs. It holds more than 1200 meetings a year, hosting 14,000 races, attracting almost 170,000 spectators and paying out more than $50 million in prize money. It also generates more than $800 million every year, supporting more than 4500 jobs of which almost half are in regional areas. The organisation is currently completing an optimisation process, as there are currently too many racecourses in NSW. Compared to 13 in Victoria, there are 27 in NSW. It's also difficult for clubs to maintain a profit if they are only racing once a week, Mr Griffin says. "We want to connect, excite and delight the community," he explains. "That could mean changing what the product looks like, racing on astroturf and straight tracks, with safety for greyhounds the imperative. "We need to get even better at welfare and reducing injury rates and we need to place the greyhounds in good homes when they become pets." The industry is preparing to celebrate its 100th birthday in 2027. As for the next 100 years, appealing to the next generation will be key to its survival. There are between 200 and 300 trainers under the age of 25, Mr Griffin says. "We are cognisant of the fact the industry has a very aged demographic and we need to have a future of people in the sport," he adds. "It's not an easy life to be a trainer and it's not attractive for a lot of people. "But there are those looking to come into the sport and we need to support them."
ABC News
24-05-2025
- General
- ABC News
Dapto Dogs to stop running after nearly 90 years as showground owners end lease
It is the end of an era for the iconic Dapto Dogs as the local show society prepares to wrap up racing at the venue by the end of June next year. Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) chief executive officer Steve Griffin said it was an unfortunate decision. "Very sad for the industry and for us. We are a little bit shocked and surprised. We had hoped that we were going to get a 20-year extension but the society has decided to go in another direction." GRNSW had been in negotiations Dapto Agricultural and Horticultural Society for some time over rent and facility upgrades, including relocating the kennel block to the western part of the precinct. Mr Griffin had visited the site just last week to inspect the proposed areas. The news was shared with GRNSW on Friday night. Racing started at the track on February 25, 1937. Mr Griffin said people will be "grieving for the loss of the icon from the sport". "Obviously there will be some people who will be hurting because this has been their home track for their lifetime and probably their forbearers before them. Close to 100 trainers trial their dogs at the track each week. Two full time and four part time staff will be offered opportunities at the Bulli and Nowra tracks. GRNSW has a parcel of land at nearby Bong Bong Road and will continue to explore opportunities — but it would involve significant work to determine if it would be suitable for a straight track. Shellharbour state MP Anna Watson said the decision was sad but she is glad it was not acrimonious. "It is a big parcel of land. It is community. It presents a great opportunity to see what comes from the Dapto Agricultural and Horticultural Society in the future," she said. Ms Watson said she looked forward to seeing how GRNSW progressed the Bong Bong Road site. The Dapto Agricultural and Horticultural Society has been contacted for comment.
Daily Telegraph
24-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Telegraph
Dapto Dogs: Greyhound racing to close in June 26
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Greyhound racing at the world famous Dapto Dogs will draw to a close by June next year at the latest, bringing an end to 88 years of history at the iconic racing venue. News Corp can reveal that the Dapto Agricultural and Horticultural Society (DAHS) advised Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) this week that advances for a new long-term lease to continue racing at the track, which first began in 1937, had been rejected. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The two sides had been locked in negotiations in recent months with GRNSW requesting a new 20-year lease which would provide the certainty needed to allow for significant – and much needed – investment in the venue. But in response to the proposal, the DAHS said a long-term commitment 'would severely limit the society's ability to adapt and deliver its evolving vision for the site' while adding that a 'shorter-term arrangement would impose constraints that restrict broader planning and limit future use of the precinct'. GRNSW has been conducting racing at Dapto since 2019 when the DAHS abruptly brought a halt to racing under its management, citing issues around club funding and race dates as reasoning for the decision. The closure of Dapto will draw to an end 88 years of racing history at the venue • 'Must be the J-Mac tax': Owner surprised by Doomben Cup plunge Since then, the industry's commercial arm has been leasing the track on a year-to-year basis to maintain a racing footprint in Dapto for the benefit of owners and trainers in the region. But the process has proved to be a costly exercise for a track that races just once a week and was last year relegated to Sky 2 broadcasts under a revamp of the racing schedule which saw Wentworth Park moved to prime time on Thursday night. The move resulted in Dapto, a one-time centrepiece of NSW greyhound racing, finding itself battling for relevance, with meetings comprised of predominantly lowly 297 metre events on the second-tier racing channel. In confirming news that racing will soon come to an end at Dapto, GRNSW CEO Steve Griffin said 'that while the decision is disappointing' there are 'exciting plans to modernise greyhound racing in the months and years ahead'. GRNSW CEO Steve Griffin Picture: Thomas Lisson 'GRNSW has been in consultation with the Society in recent months about the future of racing at the Dapto Showground and we held hopes that a long-term extension at the venue may be possible,' Griffin said. 'The Society informed us this week that greyhound racing did not align with their long-term goals at the site. 'We understand it was a commercial decision, but that doesn't soften the disappointment which will be felt right across the industry, particularly within the Illawarra. 'It may sound cliched, but the iconic Dapto Dogs is as Australian as meat pies and Holden cars, and whether you are a punter or not, you have heard of the name.' Mr Griffin also confirmed news that hopes of a Centre of Excellence being built at Dapto were slim but he hadn't ruled out the possibility of a straight track being brought to the region. In early 2023, GRNSW – under the direction of former CEO Rob Macaulay – announced amid much fanfare the purchase of a parcel of land on Bong Bong Rd at Dapto for $4 million. The land was to become the home of a new Centre of Excellence for the industry but zoning concerns and lack of clarity around funding for the project plagued the concept from the outset. The land purchased at Bong Bong Rd Dapto by Greyhound Racing NSW. It's understood GRNSW is currently exploring alternate options for the land, including the construction of a straight track, but a Centre of Excellence is no longer being considered. While the lease at Dapto expires in June 2026, it remains to be seen whether GRNSW considers an earlier exit given the track's fate is now sealed and the recently upgraded track at Nowra is being very well-supported. News of the demise of Dapto comes ahead of GRNSW this week launching its Track Optimisation Strategy in which stakeholders from across the industry will come together to discuss the NSW racetrack footprint for the future. Originally published as World famous Dapto Dogs to close next year, ending 88 years of racing at the historic venue
News.com.au
24-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
World famous Dapto Dogs to close next year, ending 88 years of racing at the historic venue
Greyhound racing at the world famous Dapto Dogs will draw to a close by June next year at the latest, bringing an end to 88 years of history at the iconic racing venue. News Corp can reveal that the Dapto Agricultural and Horticultural Society (DAHS) advised Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) this week that advances for a new long-term lease to continue racing at the track, which first began in 1937, had been rejected. The two sides had been locked in negotiations in recent months with GRNSW requesting a new 20-year lease which would provide the certainty needed to allow for significant – and much needed – investment in the venue. But in response to the proposal, the DAHS said a long-term commitment 'would severely limit the society's ability to adapt and deliver its evolving vision for the site' while adding that a 'shorter-term arrangement would impose constraints that restrict broader planning and limit future use of the precinct'. GRNSW has been conducting racing at Dapto since 2019 when the DAHS abruptly brought a halt to racing under its management, citing issues around club funding and race dates as reasoning for the decision. • 'Must be the J-Mac tax': Owner surprised by Doomben Cup plunge Since then, the industry's commercial arm has been leasing the track on a year-to-year basis to maintain a racing footprint in Dapto for the benefit of owners and trainers in the region. But the process has proved to be a costly exercise for a track that races just once a week and was last year relegated to Sky 2 broadcasts under a revamp of the racing schedule which saw Wentworth Park moved to prime time on Thursday night. The move resulted in Dapto, a one-time centrepiece of NSW greyhound racing, finding itself battling for relevance, with meetings comprised of predominantly lowly 297 metre events on the second-tier racing channel. In confirming news that racing will soon come to an end at Dapto, GRNSW CEO Steve Griffin said 'that while the decision is disappointing' there are 'exciting plans to modernise greyhound racing in the months and years ahead'. 'GRNSW has been in consultation with the Society in recent months about the future of racing at the Dapto Showground and we held hopes that a long-term extension at the venue may be possible,' Griffin said. 'The Society informed us this week that greyhound racing did not align with their long-term goals at the site. 'We understand it was a commercial decision, but that doesn't soften the disappointment which will be felt right across the industry, particularly within the Illawarra. 'It may sound cliched, but the iconic Dapto Dogs is as Australian as meat pies and Holden cars, and whether you are a punter or not, you have heard of the name.' Mr Griffin also confirmed news that hopes of a Centre of Excellence being built at Dapto were slim but he hadn't ruled out the possibility of a straight track being brought to the region. In early 2023, GRNSW – under the direction of former CEO Rob Macaulay – announced amid much fanfare the purchase of a parcel of land on Bong Bong Rd at Dapto for $4 million. The land was to become the home of a new Centre of Excellence for the industry but zoning concerns and lack of clarity around funding for the project plagued the concept from the outset. It's understood GRNSW is currently exploring alternate options for the land, including the construction of a straight track, but a Centre of Excellence is no longer being considered. While the lease at Dapto expires in June 2026, it remains to be seen whether GRNSW considers an earlier exit given the track's fate is now sealed and the recently upgraded track at Nowra is being very well-supported. News of the demise of Dapto comes ahead of GRNSW this week launching its Track Optimisation Strategy in which stakeholders from across the industry will come together to discuss the NSW racetrack footprint for the future.
