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Members Reserve  Champion & Champion 2009
                                                                  

WELCOME TO THE OFFICIAL NL&RC WEB SITE                                                     

The NL&RC is now in its twenty-ninth year and is the largest Lurcher Club in the

world today, having members both here and abroad. We have amongst our

members some of the best Lurchers in the country, some of who give

demonstrations at events all over England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

What is a Lurcher?

The dictionary definition of a lurcher describes it as a crossbred dog usually

a retriever, collie or sheepdog crossed with a greyhound and used by hunters and

by poachers.  Not the most flattering description, but then not many dictionaries are written by lurcher

people. So from our perspective what is a Lurcher?

A Lurcher is a purpose bred hunting dog, a sight hound crossed with another breed.  In the past Lurchers

were used for pest control of rabbits and foxes. They were also used for coursing hares, sadly now the only

legal quarry for Lurchers are rabbits and rats. The cross that a lurcher man or woman chooses will depend on several

factors, not least of which is the part of the country in which they may live. Someone living in an area

comprising of small fields  such as is found in the Peak District of Derbyshire, who wants to catch rabbits

may favour the smaller Bedlington/Whippet cross, where as someone living in an area such as Cumbria with

its beautiful fells may prefer a larger more rangy type of dog that favours the Greyhound or Deerhound type.

Which ever type of Lurcher you prefer you should get a biddable all round hunting dog that will work either

by day alongside ferrets or at night on the lamp.

All of our demonstrations and competitions are arranged around working practice. The blind stay for

example is an important discipline for anyone who may be out working with ferrets as sometimes holes

may be both side a wall or hedge. You must be confident that you can leave your dog to work on the blind

side without constantly checking on its whereabouts, and it is needless to say a dog that will not retrieve will

leave the handler with a lot of legwork to do when out lamping. The NL&RC is open to anyone with an

interest in Lurchers, if you would like to join please down load an application form and send it in, alternately

if we are at a show or event please feel free to come along to the Lurcher area and have a go with some of

the things we are doing with your own dog or just come along to watch ours.