赛狗历史

　　在18世纪，灰狗首次被引入到美国，以帮助农民控制Jackrabbit人口。随着时间的推移，农民开始进行一些有竞争力的赛狗比赛，后来轨道赛狗演变成我们今天所知道的形式。

　　灰狗的起源是很老，可能可以追溯到几千年前。法老的规定它们的地位在作为宠物和猎物的所有动物中是最高的。在早期铭刻的古埃及陵墓的墙壁上的灰狗图像中可以看出。在当时的阿拉伯文化，灰狗的出生与儿子的出生一样重要。在波斯，罗马和希腊，灰狗享有类似的地位。

　　灰狗在英国成立之初仅为英国贵族享有，不能由其他公民所享有。 1014年英国国王克努特制定了森林法，其中规定，只有贵族自己和他的灰狗可去打猎。

　　这个最高贵的动物优雅而美丽，有一种超凡脱俗的气质。此外，灰狗在自己的赛车生涯的结束后，很容易适应一个受宠的生活状态，它们已成为越来越多的宠物爱好者选择的宠物。

　　灰狗赛车轨道的历史可以追溯到1919年，当时欧文帕特里克·史密斯促进了在加利福尼亚州举行的第一次重大赛事。在史密斯的919年实行的机械诱惑方法开始之前，他尝试了不同力求完善的方法。

　　史密斯，发明了革命性的以机械引诱来运转的一个圆形轨道，赛狗可以周游。他有着迫使狗在这一圈轨道中追一只兔子，并让它们击中的想法。他的实验标本是用一辆摩托车拖动后面的轨道。他被称为美国赛狗之父。

　　史密斯不仅是美国赛狗之父，而且是现代赛狗的创始人。他在英格兰和爱尔兰有太多启动现代赛车的专利，因而C.芒恩聘请他。此外，运用机械的引诱早在1906年就已实行，但每个人都以为直到1919年的埃默里维尔才开始。他曾在亚利桑那州，德克萨斯州和新奥尔良建立这样的轨道，然后到加州，在那里起飞，并迎来了早期的名声。

　　但在此之前这项运动没有符合英国海岸当曼彻斯特的专用轨道，直到1926年，7月24日首次举行了会议。这是一个面向更多国家的赛道，今天的赛狗在英国的主要体育赛事中取得了成功。

　　译文

　　Greyhounds were first introduced to America in the 18th century to help farmers control the jackrabbit population. As time went by, the farmers started to conduct some form of competitive greyhound racing which evolved into the greyhound track racing as we know it today.

　　The origin of the greyhound is quite old, possibly dating back thousands of years. The Pharaohs rated them first among all animals as both pets and hunters. Images of the early greyhound can be seen etched on walls of ancient Egyptian tombs. In Arabian culture at that time, the birth of a greyhound ranked nearly as high as the birth of a son. In Persia, Rome and Greece, the greyhound enjoyed similar standing.

　　Greyhound racing in England was first established for the English nobility and could not be enjoyed by other citizens. In 1014 King Canute of England enacted the Forest Laws, which stated that only noblemen could own and hunt with greyhounds.

　　The elegance and beauty of this most noble animal is a sight to behold. Additionally, at the end of their racing career the greyhounds easily adapt to the life of a loving pet and have become the pet of choice among an increasing number of pet lovers.

　　Greyhound track racing dates back to 1919 when Owen Patrick Smith promoted the first major race meeting in California. O.P. Smith's idea of the mechanical lure started way before 1919, and it was up until then that he tried different lures to perfect it.

　　O. P. Smith, invented the revolutionary mechanical lure that could travel around a circular track that made dog racing possible. His research into forcing the dogs round a track hit on the idea of getting them to chase a rabbit. His experiments included dragging a stuffed one around a track behind a motorcycle. He is considered the "Father" of American greyhound racing.

　　O.P. Smith is not only the "Father" of American Greyhound Racing but the "Founder and Inventor of Modern Greyhound Racing". It was O.P. that hired C. Munn to go to England and Ireland with his patents to start up Modern Racing there too. Also, O.P. was working on the mechanical lure as early as 1906, but everyone refers to the 1919 date of Emeryville. But before that he had tracks in Arizona, Texas and New Orleans, then to California, where it took off and gained its early fame. （This information has been kindly provided by Tim O'Brien, the Great Grandson of Owen Patrick Smith.）

　　The sport did not reach British shores until 1926 when Manchester's purpose-built track first held a meeting on 24th July. It was such a success that more race tracks were built around the country and today Greyhound racing is a major sport event in the UK.