GOLDEN GREYHOUND
The title of racing champions and greyhound beauty

MEMBER OF WGRF

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Who is the Greyhound?  That golden greyhound

www.cgdf.cz

.  Sand 
 greyhound 
 race track at
 Praskačka

Greyhound–artwork of nature, greyhound-king of race tracks

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He - who have not seen greyhound racing - shall retireve such error

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Czech greyhound races at the greyhound racing track Praskačka - history - Czech greyhound racing federation

Greyhound race track with the sand body - the only one in the Czech republic!

For Czech version click HERE

The area of the Czech Greyhound Race Track Praskacka - otherwise the only race track with the sand body
in the Czech Republic - and its little big history


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 someone else run 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 has 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, UAE footballers 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 bulid on left 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.

The price value raised to such extend that probably overreached financial competences of both some developpers and any racing organizations.
(Note to 1/2009: The apartment structures advanced to the sportsground area by the end of 2008 and family houses have been built directly at the borders of the greyhound racing track Praskačka).
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 Czech racing federation led by Mr. Tomas Mika and Mr. Ivo Widziolek (ČDF) or 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 Greyhound racing in the Czech Republic was certainly endangered and it is evident that building apartment structures on this area would cause the end of the greyhound racing on a sand track. 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 cathegory.
Nevertheless some greyhound owners
(R. Želinský, Z. Grondol, J. Grondolová, L. Jurková) were not incurious to such situation and wanted to keep greyhound racing intact.
With the help of their contacts they managed to find a buyer for this area.
The Czech International, a.s. 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.
The share holders of this company were acquianted with the fact that graeyhound 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 mentioned race track) could keep supporting  greyhound owners both financially and technically even in future.

The Praskačka race course was rented immediatelly after the reconstruction. The Czech Greyhound Racing Federation became the tenant of this race track and warranted that greyhound races will be held 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.

The race course was named:

Czech Greyhound Track Praskacka

Next time we will inform you about reconstruction details of technically upgraded greyhound race course - one of the safest for greyhound racing.


a greyhound racecourse - CZECH TRACK PRASKACKA

The main entry gate of the sportsground – a view of administration building and the technical background.

The main entry gate of the sportsground – a view of scaffold, control tower, betting office and bistro

Just small pieces of reconstructed places of the sportsground

 When Czech Greyhound Racing Federation (CGRF) took the area for use, there was snow covering the track.
 After its melting it showed its real face. 
 It was obvious that especially the running track must be reconstructed briefly and the curves tilted.
 The sand for the track was brought from the same mine as it was used by the constructor of the track.

archive: Racing track Praskačka in the year of 2003 of the previous manager - tenant:

archive: Racing track Praskačka (since 2004) of the contemporary manager - tenant:

Greyhound races at greyhound race track Praskačka could begin

archive: area in the year of 2003 of the previous manager - tenant:

archive: area (since 2004) of the contemporary manager - tenant:

Finally we could take off gum boots and we can put on shoes.

© Czech Greyhound Racing Federation ©
ČGDF/CGRF www.cgdf.cz