Latest news with #GreyhoundRacingNSW
The Age
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Age
Last lap at Dapto: A community gets ready to farewell a local icon
Every Thursday, 72-year-old Col Pomeroy follows a routine that hasn't changed for nearly half a century. In the morning and afternoon he studies the form guide back to front, then he arrives at Dapto Dogs long before the first race begins. Pomeroy is one of the last regular punters at the track, bound by tradition and community. He points to a large plastic table inside the canteen, where he once met 20 friends each week. Now, he often sits alone. Most of Pomeroy's friends have left the track, due to old age or the change in a place that was once the centrepiece of Australian greyhound racing. Next year, Pomeroy will join them. After 88 years of continuous use, Dapto Greyhounds will close because the site's owners have informed Greyhound Racing NSW that they will not extend their lease beyond June 2026. 'Just knowing that this track is not going to be around any more, it's pretty disappointing,' Pomeroy says. 'It mightn't be important to some people, but for me, and for our family, it's been a buzz for the last 50-odd years. 'It is important because even if you come here, it's not necessarily the race. It's about community, it's about people who you have known for decades. You might win a couple of bucks, but that's not what you come back for; it's a family sport. 'I know progress has got to happen, but it's just going to be bad when that final race happens here.' On a cold Thursday night, the grandstand has few spectators as greyhounds are paraded for the first race at 7pm. The dogs are competing in their maiden race and gaze around the track as they are led out by their owners, dressed in red bibs with their racing numbers. In its heyday, the track could hold almost 3000 spectators. They would come each week to place a bet on the row of local bookmakers. 'Dapto Dogs' gained national recognition with former NSW State of Origin player Terry Hill's comedic crosses from the track during Channel 9's The Footy Show, dressed in a gold jacket, ironically pointing out the best-dressed punters in the grandstand.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Last lap at Dapto: A community gets ready to farewell a local icon
Every Thursday, 72-year-old Col Pomeroy follows a routine that hasn't changed for nearly half a century. In the morning and afternoon he studies the form guide back to front, then he arrives at Dapto Dogs long before the first race begins. Pomeroy is one of the last regular punters at the track, bound by tradition and community. He points to a large plastic table inside the canteen, where he once met 20 friends each week. Now, he often sits alone. Most of Pomeroy's friends have left the track, due to old age or the change in a place that was once the centrepiece of Australian greyhound racing. Next year, Pomeroy will join them. After 88 years of continuous use, Dapto Greyhounds will close because the site's owners have informed Greyhound Racing NSW that they will not extend their lease beyond June 2026. 'Just knowing that this track is not going to be around any more, it's pretty disappointing,' Pomeroy says. 'It mightn't be important to some people, but for me, and for our family, it's been a buzz for the last 50-odd years. 'It is important because even if you come here, it's not necessarily the race. It's about community, it's about people who you have known for decades. You might win a couple of bucks, but that's not what you come back for; it's a family sport. 'I know progress has got to happen, but it's just going to be bad when that final race happens here.' On a cold Thursday night, the grandstand has few spectators as greyhounds are paraded for the first race at 7pm. The dogs are competing in their maiden race and gaze around the track as they are led out by their owners, dressed in red bibs with their racing numbers. In its heyday, the track could hold almost 3000 spectators. They would come each week to place a bet on the row of local bookmakers. 'Dapto Dogs' gained national recognition with former NSW State of Origin player Terry Hill's comedic crosses from the track during Channel 9's The Footy Show, dressed in a gold jacket, ironically pointing out the best-dressed punters in the grandstand.
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Daily Mail
A vet and her friend claimed a dog owner falsely accused them of stealing her pet... here's why they're the ones who have to pay $660,000
A vet and her friend have been ordered to pay $660,000 in legal costs after losing a defamation case against a dog owner and a pet detective. Ainslee Munro and agronomist Lauren Marchant lodged the case at the NSW District Court in 2020 after they claimed they were falsely linked to the disappearance of a five-month-old puppy. Judge Judith Gibson ordered on April 24 that the two women pay $629,000 to the pet detective and $30,000 to the dog owner. The judge found they had stolen the puppy, which was a high-value Cavalier King Charles spaniel, and taken him to a breeder. The spaniel, 'Teddy', was reported missing when his owner Shannon Wheeler returned home in Young, NSW, on June 9, 2020. In a post to a Facebook group at the time, Ms Wheeler said: '(The back) gate could have been opened any time between 9.30am and 7pm. We are very worried.' She then found CCTV images of two women walking down the street with a small black dog on the day of the incident and posted them on social media. Social media users identified one woman as Munro, who had worked with Greyhound Racing NSW, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. An investigation by Ms Wheeler and pet detective Anne-Marie Curry ensued as they looked into Munro and her friend Marchant. Ms Wheeler, a beautician, then shared a 'name and shame' social media post tying them to Teddy's disappearance but, within 24 hours, she and Ms Curry were served concerns notices. Marchant and Munro claimed the posts and comments painted them as 'criminals, dog thieves, (and) liars'. But the defamation case was dismissed in NSW District Court by Judge Gibson in February after she found evidence supporting the allegation the pair stole Teddy. 'The intention to deprive the true owner was more or less instantaneous with their recognition of the value of Teddy,' Judge Gibson found. Teddy was a black and tan male, non-desexed Cavalier King Charles, with puppies valued from $1,000 to $3,000 on Gumtree. The court heard Munro and Marchant did not take Teddy to a pound when found him on the street, reported. They instead drove to a former colleague's home who was a licensed microchipper and Cavalier King Charles breeder. Teddy jumped out of the car and escaped. He has never been found. Judge Gibson told the court she was 'comfortably satisfied' Munro took Teddy to the breeder 'namely to put Teddy into his backyard'. 'I am comfortably satisfied that she did so for the purpose of seeing if he would like to keep Teddy,' she said. She added Munro took Teddy there knowing the ex colleague had the 'expertise and equipment to remove and replace Teddy's microchip if required'. Judge Gibson also said that, if Ms Wheeler and Ms Curry had not proved the pair stole the dog, she would have ordered damages of $10,000 to Munro and $15,000 to Marchant. But as a result of the judge's findings, it was the pair who were ordered to pay $629,000 to Ms Curry and $30,000 to Ms Wheeler who self-represented herself, meaning her legal costs were lower. The demand has been stayed as Munro and Marchant filed at the Court of Appeal on May 13.
