The sport is mourning the loss of one of its most successful breeders and owners, Bob Cummings, who passed away peacefully this week at the age of 78 following a long battle with illness.
Bob’s involvement in the sport began in the early 1980s, when he was gifted a greyhound by good friend David Gleeson. The pair would go on to form a long-lasting partnership, producing one of the most successful breeding lines in the country – the ‘Shima’ bloodline.
“He loved his greyhounds but was also a very handy footballer,” Gleeson said.
“He played in the St Kilda reserves and was part of Oakleigh’s last Grand Final side in the VFA.”
The duo made a commitment to breed one litter each year, which produced strong long-term success, headlined by the brilliant Shima Shine.
“We had a 90% success rate – getting them to the track and winning a race. Bob was thrilled to bits with Shima Shadow, emulating his mother (Shima Song) by winning the Geelong Cup. He also loved Shima Bar. And Shima Song, she’s sitting on my floor waiting for her chicken fillets.”
The Cummings legacy will continue in greyhound racing, with Bob’s son becoming part of the ownership group in recent years.
A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, July 15 at the Blair Chapel, Springvale Botanical Cemetery from 1.15pm, followed by a wake at the cemetery.
