The Czech Greyhound Racing Federation is calling the tune in the Czech greyhound racing

The elite of the greyhound racing, adrenaline, a new track record, luxury, gentility, return to the spirit of the first Republic racing days, culture and
–great entertainment, that the Praskačka racecourse had not experienced before.

The photographs taken disclose the ever-present cheerfulness of all participants.

Sportsmanship was not missing at all, quite the contrary.

The morning began almost rough.

Right in the morning the foreign owners of greyhounds expressed themselves to the organizers of the racing in the sense that “Praskačka’s” greyhounds
would get a thrashing today and that they wished to have all the achieved results recorded in their Racing Book, because they had to have that new track
record simply recorded there.

There was not a better source of adrenaline. The “non-resident” actually took up the glove publicly – an appeal to beat current Praskačka’s records,
by which their records from the last racing were beaten and it was obvious, that they intended to keep their achieved reputation at all costs.

How did it turn out in the end?

A race No. 4, a sprint for 300 m, greyhound bitches – was won in a “start to finish” manner by Baletka, Ballet Dancer, in a an excellent time of 18.17 sec.

A race No. 5, a sprint for 300 m, greyhound dogs – was won by Dalton Co Co in a new track record of 17.74 sec. (!)

A race No. 6, a classic 525 m, greyhound bitches – Vigorous Carrera won in a very even duel in the time of 32.68 ahead of the best participant
Cikorka Co Co with the time of 33.50 sec.

Cikorca Co Co had the best start, she ran the section from the start to a photo-finish within 5.96 sec, a winner Vigorous Carrera was second
in a meantime and had a loss of 0.14 sec behind Cikorka Co Co.

In the turn, however, the powers equalled and Vigorous began to pull away from the rivals.

A race No. 7, a classic 525 m, greyhound dogs was the climax of the whole competition.

The ranks in the meantime reflected, how the ranks became mixed in after the first turn.

After the start Ato Boldon took lead – 5.85 sec, second Andy – 5.94 sec, third Courtney – 6.03, fourth Vigorous Brandon- 6,07, fifth Druppi – 6.22 sec,
and sixth Hardy – 6.32 sec.

In the course, however, the cards got shuffled, so that Ato Boldon kept his head start all the way to the finish with the time of 32.07 sec, but the ranks after
him changed fiercely.
Vigorous Brandon ran second through the finish line with the time – 32.49 sec, closely before Druppi Co Co with the time of 32.54 sec.

Ballet Dancer	Dalton Co Co	Vigorous Carrera	Ato Boldon Grefina

The starter, Mr Jindřich Erbs, would not deny sportsmanship and the abilities of a showman. In his presentation the participant’s parade as well as
the preparation of the participants to the starting boxes was an experience, and that is both in terms of his skill and in terms of an attractive show.
The spectators were in ecstasy, Mr Erbs did simply well.

A hare lure conductor was not a less important person, perhaps the most important at the racing itself, he was a conductor of a hare – a lure.
From a conducting tower Mr Jiří Jirout conducted a lure with hawk eyes always as it was just needed and his experience of many years as well as
feeling in his hands was recognized. Thanks from us all belonged to him.

In the event of decorating the winners and losers there were distributed tens of thousands Crowns, number of cups, medals, breast-knots, large quantity
of beef ears prepared as medals and number of other material prizes.

Original medals – beef ears were donated by a sponsor Mrs Jana Braunová and additionally we had to thank and also congratulate to her courage to store
such a quantity of “ears” from their purchase until the time of the races taking place.

Simply the love to greyhounds, as we could see and also “feel”, had no limits. There was so much “fun” around it, when it was devised, where to put them,
before it all erupted.
The betting shop was rejected as a temporary storage, because there sprouted a suspicion that the “bookmaker” might be somewhat intoxicated. Which
you must acknowledge, that in case of such an important matter, such as tipping the winning greyhounds and winners of tipping, was completely unacceptable.

Of course, what did not smell good to people, dogs enjoyed greatly. In one transportation car even a dog “fight” for medals was recorded.

The winners were decorated in a decorating tent, newly upholstered by a plush red carpet in red shade – Ferrari. Allegedly there were quite a lot of troubles
with it, as to find a right shade – Ferrari. But when the Hollywood movie starts can step on the red carpet for Oscars, why should the greyhound celebrities
be deprived of it? Work succeeded, “Ferrari carpet” was delivered and it matched the tents, its logos and attire of the competing greyhounds splendidly.

All racers as well as the racecourse officials were clothed in team attire of our Federation or to similar attire with a logo of a partner of our Federation
– the CZECH International, a.s. company. You would look around and – it all “clicked” together beautifully. We could not have provided the decorated with
the better coulisse.

Another climax of the evening was the announcement of the winners of the competition “in as mall hat at the races in Ascott”.

Hostesses as beautiful as a fresh summer breeze walked among the races participants with ballot papers.

When the spectators placed their secret tip on ballot papers, hostesses collected them to beautiful voting boxes.

Decision-making was, however, too hard. Ladies heads often changed to really artistic works.

Wide picture hat brims were decorated with feathers, flowers, thistles, butterflies, corn, ribbons, tulle, etc.

It is said that women of a really great wealth had in the Art Nouveau time their hats decorated even with stuffed animals and even our contending ladies
spectators did not forget this daedal accessory.

Mrs Ing. Věra Babincová’s hat, that is well “knowledgeable about the history” and of Mrs MUDr. Hana Plíšková excelled, the hats of Mrs Jana Braunová
and Tereza Braunová were impressive and original, and many others.

Whichever from the hats you captured, that one was liked “the most”.

In the end the spectators cast most of their votes to the hat of Doctor Hana Plíšková. This indeed an impressive artistic piece of work was closely pursued
by the hats of two girls, and that is Veronika and Tereza. Third place was taken by a fresh hat of Mrs Ladislava Jurková.

The winners were decorated in a decorating tent on the winner's rostrum.

French cosmetics of Clarins brand	Lip glosses of Dior brand	French perfume of Dior brand

The “bookmaker“ of the tipping competition Fun -Tip of Mrs. Shadow took number of tips, nevertheless there was not so many winners.

For instance, Druppi Co Co mixed the ranks, which was a favourite of the race No. 7.

A fixed star of Praskačka – Mrs Eva Kučerová, was also decorated.

She stood in a decorating tent to a number 6, that was supplemented with a zero and thus a number 60 was achieved, which is a respectable age that
Mrs Kučerová lived to see these days, although nobody would guess her age. Famous photographers, film director and painters, were among congratulators,
which entrusted the President of our Federation to deliver their artistic works to the jubilant.
You can see in a photo-documentation how it ended up.

If it is really her, who is pictured in the artistic works, is only known to her and the artists.

If in one of the acts a name of a model Ema is mistakenly mentioned instead of a correct name Eva, it is also known only to Mrs Eva Kučerová and – the artist.
Let us not look for the truth, let us leave a bit of secret for her....

After 8:00 pm another surprise of the evening was being prepared, and that was a bash for the members of our Federation and its guests.

All members of CGRF and also the guests – Mrs Mayoress of the Praskačka municipality, Mrs Ing. Miroslava Součková,

Mr Architect of the Praskačka racecourse – Mr Petr Košťál with a spouse, also a singer Mrs Heidi Janků with a husband Ivo Pavlík and many other dear
guests accepted the invitation.

Excellent catering and also with service provided by the company Bazalka Catering, that performed its task very professionally. Good food, splendid
decoration, professional performance, staff in professional attire in white hands. As it should have been. The decorating tent transformed to a bash tent.
The bash was opened by the President of our Czech Greyhound Racing Federation.

The reality surpassed expectation of a gourmet experience, promised in the offer of a lavish menu of the catering company. A decorated sundae with sour
cherries in chocolate was extremely successful.

This social event was recorded on a professional camera Nikkon of Mr Marian Volka’s firm.

The whole course of the above mentioned social event was recorded on Sony digital cameras by the company Accord from Prague that committed itself to
produce a professional DVD video recording of the whole sports and social afternoon for the Federation.

Alee participants of the races viewed in a bash tent also a premiere of a DVD film from the Miro gallery during the debut of a book Chrti – Nepřekonatelný greyhound (The Ultimate Greyhound) on LG plasma screen. Further, they also saw a reprise of the television program of Prima TV– Prima jízda (ride) about Greyhounds, about Praskačka and about a new book on Greyhounds. Also the CZECH International Derby 2004 races were shown.

Showing a DVD film was livened up by degusting the Moravian wines from a vintage house of the races catering.

At 10:00 pm a discotheque alias “Duňas” was opened. It rumbled, so that the whole Praskačka was awake and some citizens fired fireworks from their
gardens to the racecourse.
In particular from the direction from Kletečků.

Beautiful coloured fireworks flew across the air and that way they improved the social atmosphere and entertainment in the main tent. Some envious citizens
tried to disconnect the racecourse from electric power, but Mr Architect of the track, Mr Košťál, had the racecourse under absolute control, so that
the envious did not have a chance to disrupt the social atmosphere.

A midnight repetition of a wedding ceremony was the climax of the night rumble. The wedding march tunes started to sound and Mrs Mayoress was married
again, after a 30-year duration of marriage, symbolically present married couple that up to today’s weekend lived to see a 30-year anniversary.
The “bride” revealed, that she had met her husband when she was 15 years old, today she is fifty and it does not appear to her at all. That’s how the time goes.

There was singing and dancing in a bash tent and also a “live” singing. At the request of our Mr starter Jindřich Erbs, who insisted on keeping all items on the agenda, also Mrs Heidi Janků sang live few “shooters“.

The pictures from the discotheque proved that Mr Erbs was in good shape that could be envied by various people. What I did say was that all danced “
as loose cannons”, as far as one would wonder.
Only Mr Erbs was seen a bit too much. Maybe because he was in white and under lights. Perhaps he thought that under lamp there is the utmost darkness,
when he saw girls one after the other. One of the passionate dancers sweeping in a coloured smoke as “bayadere” claimed that the drum noise was healing and demanded encores of this type of afro-music.

But DJ “alias Duňas” would not have it otherwise than what he continued to perform further on, what he prepared for the dance-eager ones – and the drums
would be again next time.

In a dancing atmosphere it was noticeable, that we all had missed this.

We wined and dined until it ended.

The continuation was opened on Sunday at 10:00 am in a clubroom of the Czech Greyhound Racing Federation in Praskačka. The members and guests met
again after the successful evening and night, at the morning spicy goulash, that was prepared and offered personally by the President of our CGRF.
Goulash tasted in a way that all “pricked up their ears” and asked for a repeat of goulash-a free setter. It is said that really they did not say it only, because
that they wanted to “rise” in our President’s eyes.

Some even asked for his recipe. Ingredients were revealed, but the recipe was not.

The Racing was completed on Sunday at 1.00 pm, when after a good coffee from Mrs Veselá, we all said our farewells and set off to our homes.

And we remember and remember......

Not mentioning the work professionally done by amateurs – officials of the races, sports luck in races, luck in the guessing competition, or whose legs ached
from dancing and for how long the second day, if the white wine was more delicious than the red wine, whether goulash of an amateur cook could boldly
compete with the professional catering, or whether this or that was a greater fun.

Let us leave aside all aspects of satisfaction, appreciative squinting of eyes or twitching corners of mouths, giggling, all the way to a blunt laughing also
numerous calls after a reprise of the experience, letters of thanks, and the like, - should the CZECH International Derby 2005 mention it.

On a scale of various individual and subjective feeling there is always one feeling heard in everyone – and that is Cosiness. There was nothing that would
disrupt the ever present cosiness even a bit, that would somewhat discompose somebody, or even spoil somebody’s mood. There was no “quacking,
griping and different jaw-jaw, jawing just for jaw-jaw itself”.

“And it was, as we all wish ”.