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hi all my father in law has asked to post this story he wrote on his behalf,   Its about his match winning bitch he had in the mid 70's, a few may or may not recognise some of the names inside   e

This is Lou

Thanks for all your comments; everything I have written about is true.   My name is Billy Bruce, I am nearly 67 and I have had coursing dogs all of my life. Most have been good sporting dogs, not ma

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Thanks for all your comments; everything I have written about is true.

 

My name is Billy Bruce, I am nearly 67 and I have had coursing dogs all of my life. Most have been good sporting dogs, not match dogs and they have run hares all over the country some of the names I have been coursing with are Andrew Young from Stonyburn near Bathgate in Scotland, Sonny Welsh from Darlington, Alfie and Wally Welsh when we stopped together near Dunstable, John Davis from Sandy in Beds, Billy and David West from Cambridge, Billy; Archie and Tommy Brown from Enfield, Mike and Orrie Gaskin, Bob Gaskin, Joe Gaskin from Doncaster, Joe Wilshire from Leighton Buzzard, Henry Smith from Upper Dicker, Old Champa near Basingstoke, Mick Harris from Slade Green, Johnny and Danny Coates from Dartford, Billy Brazil from Effingham near Guildford, Teddy Adams from Ashford in Kent, Tommy Melish from Brighton, Fat Lias from Cambridge, Young Jim Jefford; John Jefford from Cambridge, Georgie Jefford from Romford, Bill and Wally; twins from Abbeywood and a lot of others I can’t think of.

 

When I meet a few of the young boys who might still be going coursing I try to give them a few tips how to get their dogs fit. Don’t take one dog on its own across the local fields, take it with one or two other dogs and they will run and chase each other all over the place. Give them a good hour every day; make sure they’ve got a good dry and warm kennel, plenty of bedding. Start running pups at about 7 months old only with another dog that can kill its hare for them, give them as many kills that you can until they are 12 month old when I think if they are coming along they should be ready to run single handed.

 

Try breeding a litter of pups between July and September so when March and April come round, they can have a few easy kills. Keep them fit all through the summer, when the corn gets cut they should be ready to run single handed.

 

All you young men just remember one thing; look after your dogs the way you would want to be looked after yourself. Remember only brag about your dogs if it has been killing its hares in late November to late February single handed. Only bet on it if it’s been killing 3 out of 3 regularly.

 

I still live in Belvedere in Kent, born and bred here, I usually have a drink on a Friday night at The Barge Pole opposite Thistlebrook Trailer Site in Abbeywood with some men I have known all my life, we all have a sing song on the karaoke, one man who I and a lot of others think is the best singer amongst all travellers, his name is Jim Downman known as Killerman, he’s a true gentlemen, got a lovely wife and 3 boys; Jimmy, Billy and Tommy who all show me a lot of respect also Wally and Bill, twins are good old fashioned boys, good company could not wish for better men.

 

P.S; don’t keep a bad dog; it will eat just as much as a good one.

 

Signed

 

Billy Bruce

 

Add me to your list Billy , about 2002 / 2003 me you your son and young Tony W from Kent had a good day on the fens , I remember you telling me tales of you travelling and working the northeast coast through Blackhall , Horden etc , Young Tonys not so young now , he talks of you a lot on another forum I'm on ,

 

 

Yours in sport .....T

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