It is an increasingly rare spectacle: greyhound racing, in decline since the ban on betting, still survives thanks to a handful of enthusiasts, who sometimes cross France to have their dogs compete.
At the end of September, south-east of Tours (Indre-et-Loire), for example, there were around fifty of them braving the cold, at the foot of the Grillemont castle, for one of the last meetings of the pursuit year sight on lure, two weeks before the French championships in Haute-Vienne.
All day long, the races continue at a frantic pace: each in turn, the greyhounds set off at more than 60 km/h in pursuit of a plastic lure. They will then be decided by a judge, particularly on their ability to keep their eyes on their target.
For their masters, the stakes are “very important”.
“These races have importance in the national ranking and influence, for example, the value of the dog and its descendants”explains Corinne Lantais, who came with her daughter and their five dogs – whippets, one of the thirteen breeds of greyhounds.
For her, who never hesitates to travel several hundred kilometers, these meetings represent a “the last places of conviviality where you can forget your struggles between enthusiasts”she still enthuses.
« Instinct naturel »
Véronique Guyot, for her part, came to offer her Hungarian greyhound Maiko a last stand: after eight years of putting in the miles, and a French champion award later, it is time for the duo to hang up their guns.
“It’s eight years of racing, but also eight years with friends on weekends which are closing in”she regrets with a touch of nostalgia, before her dog is called to join the starting line. For her, competition is “to please your dog” and he “rediscover your natural hunting instinct”.
The golden age of greyhound racing, in the 1960s, seems a long way away, even more so since the ban on sports betting on races in 2019.
The Touraine sporting greyhound club, which initiated this day of racing, almost disappeared on many occasions like many others before it, according to its president Alain Simon Vermot, 78 years old and with a deep passion.
According to him, the sector has also suffered from accusations of animal abuse, which he describes as“unfair”.
“The end of something”
“The dogs we see every weekend, they only come to exercise. The greyhound is a big lazy guy, he only runs if he wants to run”justifies the one who founded this club in 1987.
The National Commission for the Use of Greyhounds (CNUL), which regulates racing, has also published a brochure of good animal welfare practices, intended for owners and aimed at showing their credentials.
But the decline in popularity of greyhound racing seems inexorable and the ultimate speed event, which takes place in dog racing circuits, is also struggling to attract crowds.
A few hundred dogs still manage to compete, thanks to a handful of volunteers in France who are trying to save a ” heritage “.
Aurélie is one of the fifty members of the Touraine club. Hidden behind the counter of her refreshment bar, where fries and merguez are on the menu, she joined the club last year, but struggles to hide her pessimism.
“This is being lost: when the elders leave, there is a lack of young people to take over”she blurted bitterly.
For Alain Simon Vermot, it is indeed “the end of something”. “We’re a little tired”he sighs.
“These are a lot of investments in terms of time and we are not profitable. In two years, I’ll stop. All we have to do is hope that someone will take over from me.”.