Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
The remains of the abandoned Canterbury Greyhound Club Trial Track at Carrs Road, Wigram, Christchurch, New Zealand.
The current oval racing industry was born out of coursing which was seen at the time as a way to help control the population of hares. The first hares were brought to New Zealand in 1868 as hunting quarry but a gestation period of around 40 days resulted in problems for farmers and British greyhounds were imported to help control them. The first greyhound club in New Zealand was formed in Southland during 1876.
The New Zealand Federation of Coursing Clubs was formed in 1877 and the National Coursing Association was formed in 1908. The inaugural Waterloo Cup was held at Southland during 1879.
Experiments with artificial hares began in 1934 and the 'Tin Hare' (a metal arm system on a rail around an oval track) was first officially used for a race meeting at Christchurch in 1948. This is regarded as the birth of modern greyhound racing in New Zealand. However in 1949, the sport was refused totalisator betting by the Royal Commission on Gaming.
On 10 December 2024, Winston Peters the Minister for Racing announced that greyhound racing was to be banned in New Zealand and would end by 2026.
Camera assistant; Cayleb Clayton
Thanks to Greyhound Racing NZ for permission to use the race audio from this video
youtube.com/watch?v=1VdJNoTACvY&t=168s
The remains of the abandoned Canterbury Greyhound Club Trial Track at Carrs Road, Wigram, Christchurch, New Zealand.
The current oval racing industry was born out of coursing which was seen at the time as a way to help control the population of hares. The first hares were brought to New Zealand in 1868 as hunting quarry but a gestation period of around 40 days resulted in problems for farmers and British greyhounds were imported to help control them. The first greyhound club in New Zealand was formed in Southland during 1876.
The New Zealand Federation of Coursing Clubs was formed in 1877 and the National Coursing Association was formed in 1908. The inaugural Waterloo Cup was held at Southland during 1879.
Experiments with artificial hares began in 1934 and the 'Tin Hare' (a metal arm system on a rail around an oval track) was first officially used for a race meeting at Christchurch in 1948. This is regarded as the birth of modern greyhound racing in New Zealand. However in 1949, the sport was refused totalisator betting by the Royal Commission on Gaming.
On 10 December 2024, Winston Peters the Minister for Racing announced that greyhound racing was to be banned in New Zealand and would end by 2026.
Camera assistant; Cayleb Clayton
Thanks to Greyhound Racing NZ for permission to use the race audio from this video
youtube.com/watch?v=1VdJNoTACvY&t=168s
