Champion Tipperary breeder visited Clonmel for the biggest coursing day of the year
National Coursing Meeting at Powerstown Park
Coursing enthusiasts travelled from all over the world and from all corners of Ireland to attend the annual coursing extravaganza at Powerstown Park in Clonmel last weekend.
Coursing legend, Tom O’Dwyer from Cashel, was among those who attended.
Tom, who will celebrate his 90th birthday next month, has not missed the annual meeting in Clonmel for the last seventy years.
“It's like our All-Ireland. There is nothing else like it. It is the biggest day of the year for us all,” said Tom, famous for his charges with the Smokey prefix.
Tom, a champion breeder whose dogs have won over 60 trial stakes and has three Oaks victories and 1 Derby triumph to his name, said he loved meeting his friends in Clonmel.
One of those friends is Viara Gent, a Canadian lady who now lives in the Horse & Jockey area.
“This coursing meeting is the pinnacle for me. We wait all year for this. The people who come here love the sport, they love their dogs. It is wonderful,” said Viara.
“People from Portugal, Scandinavia, Germany, America and Australia come to Clonmel for the coursing, they just would not miss it,” said Viara who has had coursing dogs for many years but is also a member of the Irish Kennel Club and is a top breeder of show dogs who had a winner in Crufts last year.