What's it like at Shawfield?

Willie McKelvey is a long-term greyhound enthusiast from north of the border. Shawfield is currently the only Scottish track racing under the rules of the NGRC although there are plans for a new stadium development at Wallyford near Edinburgh.

A one time BGRB director as an owners' representative Willie is also a former MP so brought and important link with Westminster to the sport at a crucial time. He was fundamental in starting the All Party Parliamentary Greyhound Group or APPGG.

He said: "I bought my first two pups in the late 80s in partnership with former MP pals - Irene Adams, John McAllion and Jim Wray.

This was first venture and it was fatal. The pups were not cheap at the time at about £1,500 each we were told they were a bargain but they couldn't even qualify to race!

"I bought my beloved Lady Polly in another partnership - a Kilmarnock lad I had introduced to greyhound racing. She costs us £800 and was a grad investment. She won us plenty of races including an open at Powderhall. When she retired I took her home 'just temporarily and she was a tremendous pal for the next 12 years!

Racing Info

Race Days:

Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.

Admission Prices:

£4.00

Distances raced:

300, 450, 480, 500, 510H, 670, 730, 882, 932 metres.

Track Records:

300m: Ravage Again (Tico-Dromindy Rose) 17.35sec - 07 April 1990

450m: Fairhill Boy (Tico-Echo Duchess) 26.85sec - 27 October 1989

480m: Farloe Verdict (Droopys Vieri-She Knew) 28.79sec - 3 April 2004

500m: Droopys Sandy (Ardfert Sean-Droopys First) 29.39sec - 21 May 1994

500mH: Face The Mutt (Mutts Silver-Millroad Cast) 31.07sec - 22 May 1982

670m: Crack Of The Ash (Kildare Ash-Coppertone) 40.50sec - 11 September 1993

730m: Decoy Princess (Glatton Grange-Decoy Lassie) 45.09sec - 16 August 1988

882m: Rosemoor Flower (Frisby Full-Clydal Becky) 56.55sec - 13 April 2002

932m: Silken Dancer (Old Gandouge-Ballymore Ann) 59.35sec - 02 Sedptember 1993

Major Open Events:

Scottish Derby (April)

St Mungo Cup (October/November)

William King Cup (dates to be confirmed)

Trainers:

Mr Peter Adams, Miss Wendy Aitken, Mr Edward Andrew, Mr Alan Armstrong, Mr Daniel Beattie, Mr George Beaumont, Mr David Bennett, Mr James Burns, Mr Gary Carmichael, Mr Thomas Clark, Mr Thomas Clements, Mr William Cochrane, Mr Francis Crowe, Alexander Cull, Mr James Dobbie, Mr Andrew Dunlop, Mr Tommy Dunn, Marion Ellison, Mrs Amanda Ferguson, Mr Steven Fleming, Mr William Frickleton, Mr James Fury, Mr Robert Gallacher, Charles Heggie, James Hunter, Mr Matthew Hutchinson, Mr Andrew Hutchison, Henry Hutchison, Mr James Kerr, Mr David Kirkland, Mr Vincent Lund, Mr William MacDonald, Mr Alan McCaw, Mr Robert McDonald, Mr Barry McGrogan, Joseph McMenemy, Mr Manus McTear, Mr James Miller, Mr Henry Muir, Mr Thomas Murray, Mr Manus O'Donnell, Mr Andrew Parisi, Mr Thomas Patrick, Mr George Power, Mr William Rae, Mr Graham Rankin, Mr Andrew Reid, Mr Michael Reynolds, Mr Andrew Ritchie, Mrs Elizabeth Sillars, Mr William Smith, Mr John Spence, Mr Hugh Stark, Mr James Steele, Mrs Anne Stirling, Mr Alexander Strang, Mr George Thomson, Mr Graeme Torrance, Mr Donald Tulloch, Mrs Eleanor Watson, Mr Robert Watson, Mrs Pamela Weir, Mr Andrew Wood

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