History

New Mexico is the land of wide-open spaces and free-ranging cattle, a land made for coursing, both lure and live game.


Lobo Lure Coursing Club (LLCC)

In early 2014, AWFA (see below) changed names to Lobo Lure Coursing Club to reflect the all-breed and multi-sport nature of the club and its sponsored activities.

LLCC is a small but active club, hosting AKC lure coursing tests and trials, ASFA lure coursing, and AKC CAT and AKC Fast CAT events twice each year. These events are held in the spring, usually March and April, and in the autumn, usually September and November, when the temperatures are most conducive to safely running sighthounds. Large entries are usually pulled in Afghan Hounds, Borzoi, Saluki, and Whippets, with a good representation of several other breeds.

 All are welcome, and membership is open to all sighthound enthusiasts. 


Turquoise Trail Borzoi Club

TTBC formed in 2020, and took over hosting LGRA race meets from RUNM (disbanded). TTBC hosts borzoi conformation specialties, and amateur straight-racing meets for all approved sighthound breeds. Races are divided into Programs by breed, and racers grouped by speed. The High Point Races in the final Program of the day are very exciting! 

TTBC is available to assist specialty clubs with Regional and National race meets. Click here for contact information.


Albuquerque Whippet Fanciers Association (AWFA) 

Formed in 1974, Albuquerque Whippet Fanciers Association was the original lure coursing club in New Mexico. Our first official meeting of sighthound enthusiasts was at the wedding of two of the original members. 

In 2011 AWFA applied to ASFA to begin holding ASFA trials again; approval was granted and the future of ASFA in NM was assured.  In 2014 AWFA changed its name to Lobo Lure Coursing Club.


Eastern Slope Coursing Association (ESCA)

ESCA originally formed as an offshoot of Albuquerque Whippet Fanciers in the 1980's. ESCA was a smaller sized club and hosted ASFA (American Sighthound Field Association) events, and periodically hosted the ASFA Region 3 Invitational. In 2011 ESCA decided to fold due to financial difficulties; the last ESCA-sponsored ASFA trial was held in March 2011.


New Mexico has a history of coursing dating back to the time of the Spanish Conquistadors as they brought with them their Greyhounds to hunt game in the New World. The first mention of the use of coursing dogs appears in the journals of Bernal Diaz, who chronicled the Cortez expedition. It seems that a greyhound, name unknown, was busily hunting game when the time for the return to the ship arrived. When the hound could not be caught, Grijalva, the contingent's leader, ordered the errant hound left behind. The hound was joyfully reunited with the explorers at a later date, as recounted by the historian Gomara, She greeted them wagging her tail, jumping from one to the other, and later went into the woods that were near and returned bringing hares and rabbits.

Other stories of New Mexico surround the particular adventures of Charles F. Lummis. In September 1884, Lummis left Cincinnati, Ohio to make a "Tramp Across the Continent" (title of his later book). He completed his trek in 143 days, covering 3507 miles, many of the miles shared only by his greyhound, Shadow. Lummis found Shadow as an abandoned pup near Pueblo, Colorado. They traveled the state, far and wide, one night meeting up with a cougar on a narrow mountain trail. They crossed New Mexico and Arizona, reaching the Mojave desert before a tragedy took Shadow's life.

Coursing hounds were kept by an assortment of ranchers in New Mexico for years to hunt coyotes and wolves to help protect their flocks and herds. Farmers and vintners kept hounds to course jackrabbits which decimated crops and vineyards.

Three organizations host Open Field Coursing events in New Mexico during the winters.

 

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