Up and running

I’m very glad you are reading this, as it means that I am a small step closer to achieving my ambition of launching a quality quarterly print magazine for the greyhound community, and if you have found your way here, you may well be a prospective reader for the magazine.

Before I elaborate on that, let me give you a little bit of background about myself. I am a journalist by profession, and have spent the last 20 years writing mainly about travel, real estate and hospitality for a wide range of magazines, newspapers and websites.

But sighthounds are my passion. I guess you could say whippets were my gateway drug, quickly leading to a full-blown greyhound obsession, which has taken in syndicate membership, ownership and, more recently, my first venture in to breeding.

I have several hounds racing currently, with four different trainers in England, and a litter I have bred in partnership with good friends is just starting schooling in Ireland. Despite the difficulties that the pandemic has brought to the sport, I am as keen as ever.

One of my goals is to convey just how far the sport has come in terms of welfare and rehoming. It’s been pretty woeful at promoting itself and in countering the anti-racing messages that have really hit home with the general public. Thankfully it does feel like the tide might finally be turning in that respect, with some great work being done to promote greyhounds as pets.

But The Greyhound Quarterly – both online and eventually in print – is not just about racing, far from it. It’s aimed at all those who love and admire the greyhound breed while acknowledging and respecting its sporting history. We’ll be covering coursing, lure coursing, agility, breeding, rearing, schooling and, of course, rehoming.

There will also be profiles of great hounds from history, we’ll interview prominent dog men and women, and there will be plenty of wonderful images of these stunning hounds. In fact if you have a fantastic greyhound image you’d like to share, please email a hi-res jpeg to georgesell@me.com for consideration.

I’m aiming to have regular guest contributions for the site from greyhound folk around the world, and I’m really looking forward to this adventure. I hope you will come along for the ride.

George Sell,
Hampshire, UK – February 2021