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By Diana Zimmerman
Wah. Co. Eagle 

Camaraderie pervades lure coursing event

 

Diana Zimmerman

Teri Cuzzeto celebrates Sabrina's First Place, Best of Breed and Best in Field awards with the judge, Vernon Staack of Spokane. Cuzzeto and her Basenji are from Gresham.

There was a palpable sense of camaraderie and joy of the dog amongst the group of enthusiasts who joined Howard and Judy Brawn at their home, Misty River Plantation, on Puget Island last weekend for a lure coursing event.

A couple stopped by while looking for a home on Puget Island. The young woman mentioned that they had owned a whippet and quickly made friends. The group teased each other and laughed easily, immediately welcoming to any new face.

The event was not unlike a greyhound race. The dogs chase a lure attached to a line at ground level on the Brawn's well-groomed acreage. However, there is no fancy track. The line has been fashioned into what one dog owner described as the shape of a "hand controller for a Playstation."

With a "ready-set-go," the lure was speeding down the line at a good clip. The dogs had had a full weekend, but they were up for one last run on Sunday.

An Ibizan Hound named Dinah and a young Irish Wolfhound took up the chase and their delight was obvious and infectious. The wolfhound, Cathey's Valley Girl or Valley Girl for short, at 8 and a half months of age was too young to fully comprehend what was going on and mostly chased the hound.

Diana Zimmerman

Lynna Campbell and her Ibizan Hound Dinah, walk across the field after the last race.

This year a Basenji named Sabrina won Best in Field at this event. Her owner, Teri Cuzzeto of Gresham, has several Basenjis and loves the breed.

"They're great companions," she said. "They love kids; they have a ton of energy but they also sleep a lot. Plus they don't bark and the fleas don't like them."

Cuzzeto was energized by the win and ready for more.

There was a special competition for the Basenjis during this event, but Lynna Campbell of Hillsboro brought her Ibizan Hounds anyway. She comes to these events whether her dogs can compete or not. She'll volunteer or enter her dogs in any event in which they compete.

The next event that the Brawn's will be hosting is coursing ability tests, called CATS set for September 13-14.

 

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