Allansford trainer, Kurt Howard, had his first win at Geelong this week and two races later backed it up for a double as he joins the younger brigade of Victorian greyhound trainers having success around the state.
Kurt had his first success when Lil Miss Shooter grabbed a length and a half win in race one and then he backed up with Big Buck in the third.
To pick up the first winner is always a great thrill, but to manage the double was something else for Kurt.
“It was really exciting, just so much fun,” he said.
With both dogs owned by first-time greyhound owner Chris Haberfield from Mepunga, on the Great Ocean Road, and trained out of Howard’s Allansford kennels, near Warrnambool, greyhound life is looking good for the 25-year-old trainer.
Kurt got his trainer’s licence in December last year following the sudden death of his grandfather, successful Western District trainer Gerry Taylor, late last year. Kurt had been helping train Gerry’s dogs and when he obtained his licence, he took over Gerry’s eight dogs.
He currently has four of them in work, but out of the blue got a call from an old school mate Chris to see if he would take on Lil Miss Shooter and Big Buck.
“I’ve known Chris since primary school and he and a mate, who I had played football with, had both dogs being trained in Geelong,” Kurt said.
“They wanted them trained a bit closer to home and sent me a message to see if I would take them on. So far it’s working well, and they are over the moon.”
Kurt said of the two Lil Miss Shooter was looking the better performer, but over the past month Big Buck had improved “a heap”.
Late last year Kurt and his grandfather bought two pups with two close friends of Gerry’s. As partners in their first greyhound syndicate, Shadow and Skeeta are now in Kurt’s training hands.
Kurt says that Shadow (pictured top of page) has been performing well at trials recently and he is in the process of completing paperwork to get her to the track.
So, with his first two wins under his belt Kurt is pretty sure “Poppy” Gerry would have approved.
*This article was written by Tony Homfray
WATCH: Lil Miss Shooter (1) lands her first career win in start number 22, while also opening the account of trainer Kurt Howard after transferring to his kennel in January.
