Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to evaluate the conformation, temperament, pedigree, general health, performance and previous history of greyhounds to determine their suitability for racing.

This unit also requires the ability to read and interpret pedigrees, veterinary records, race form and results; rank selection criteria; and evaluate the impact of other factors, such as training style and training location.

This unit of competency operates in work environments of racing kennels, racecourses and public areas.

Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements may apply to this unit. Check with your State Principal Racing Authority for current license or registration requirements.

Application of the unit 

This unit of competency supports trainers and others to select greyhounds for racing.

This unit can be contextualised for other industries while also maintaining the integrity of the unit.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

Profile a greyhound.

1. Characteristics  of greyhound types are identified.

2. Features of conformation are evaluated.

3. Race times and track records are researched.

4. Racing program aims are determined.

Evaluate pedigrees.

5. Pedigree information is interpreted.

6. Racing breeding theories are evaluated.

7. Features of prominent racing lines  are identified.

Evaluate available greyhounds.

8. Options for racing greyhounds are identified.

9. Health and fitness priorities are evaluated.

10. Available greyhounds are ranked based on racing program aims, pedigree and general health.

Re-evaluate greyhound's racing career.

11. Greyhound's progress in racing program is evaluated.

12. Options for greyhound's future are discussed.

13. Greyhound's future  is determined with consideration to animal welfare issues.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• communicating with greyhound health and exercise specialists and others using assertive communication techniques to gather and relay information related to selecting greyhounds for racing
• determining desired extent of participating in racing and how this may influence type of greyhound selected
• evaluating conformation features of nominated greyhounds
• evaluating racing breeding theories and rationalising influence of pedigree and other factors to potential performance
• evaluating potential influence of ancestors to characteristics and potential of nominated greyhounds
• identifying current popular sires
• identifying current prominent racing greyhounds
• identifying prominent racing family lines
• interpreting basic genetic terminology
• interpreting statistical racing information, including breeding performance, track times, race sectional times and winners
• listing track records for major feature races
• rationalising greyhound's future in racing, based on performance, health and injury status
• reading and interpreting racing pedigrees and breeding theories
• reading and interpreting workplace documentation, including relevant rules of racing and animal welfare regulations
• relating greyhound temperament to racing potential
• relating pedigree and conformation to potential performance in various race distances and types
• relating to people from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and with varying physical and mental abilities
• written communication skills to complete workplace documentation and reports.

Required knowledge 

• basic genetic theory of inheritance of traits
• characteristics of successful greyhounds of various racing types
• common greyhound behaviour, social traits and vices
• features of healthy and fit racing greyhounds
• features of conformation of racing greyhounds
• illnesses and injuries that may impact on greyhound's potential in racing
• industry terminology related to breeding and racing greyhounds
• life span of greyhounds and likely length of racing career
• popular racing breeding theories
• racing industry animal welfare requirements
• relevant rules of racing
• role of greyhound temperament in racing potential
• statistical information related to breeding performance
• track records for prominent races
• types of pedigree layout.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy all of the requirements of the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge and the range statement of this unit and include evidence of the following:

• knowledge of the requirements, procedures and processes that are to apply when determining a greyhound's suitability for racing
• preparation and timely application of criteria for the safe, effective and efficient selection of greyhounds for racing or alternative future options
• working with others to select greyhounds for racing that meet required outcomes.

Evidence should be collected over a period of time and be focused on selection and decision making processes applying to a range of greyhounds of different ages and sexes, at different stages of their racing career. Theoretical components can be assessed in a simulated situation but must be related to racing industry conditions and contexts.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Competency may be assessed in an actual workplace or simulated environment that provides access to the required resources. Assessment is to occur under standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints. It is to comply with relevant regulatory requirements or Australian Standards requirements.

This unit includes practical aspects as well as the research, interpretation and evaluation of data. Assessment of the practical components of this unit will be by observation of relevant skills.

The following resources must be available:

• a variety of greyhounds
• breeding or commercial racing kennels
• materials and equipment relevant to assessing candidate's ability to assess conformation, pedigree and race type features of greyhounds for racing
• work instructions and related documentation.

Method of assessment 

Assessment methods must satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the Racing Training Package.

The suggested strategies for the assessment of this unit are:

• written and/or oral assessment of candidate's required knowledge
• observed, documented and firsthand testimonial evidence of candidate's application of practical tasks
• inspection of completed work
• simulation exercises.

Evidence is required to be demonstrated over a period of time, therefore where performance is not directly observed any evidence should be authenticated by supervisors or other appropriate persons.

This unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other units of competency relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role.

Guidance information for assessment 

Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands (e.g. literacy and numeracy demands) and the needs of particular target groups (e.g. people with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people with a language background other than English, youth and people from low socioeconomic backgrounds).

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording in the performance criteria is detailed below.

The range statement provides details of how this competency can be used in the workplaces of the racing industry to select greyhounds for racing. Workplaces include greyhound kennels and racecourses, training tracks and public areas.

Profiling  a greyhound may include:

• assessment of pedigree and performance of close relatives
• conformation evaluation
• health and injury status
• performance if any of nominated greyhound.

Characteristics  of greyhound types include:

• climate adaptability
• greyhounds that prefer to lead versus those who prefer to cover
• race greyhound types include:

• all weather runners versus particular weather specialists
• distance versus sprinting types
• track direction preferences
• track type preferences

• temperament and ability to settle into training and racing
• variations in behaviour and management requirements based on sex and age.

Features of conformation  may include:

• balance and proportion of body
• conformational faults that may affect racing performance
• front leg structural features
• hind leg structural features
• structural features of feet and toes.

Racing program aims  may include:

• longer term performance in feature races
• race class
• race distance
• race location, including:

• country
• metropolitan
• provincial.

Pedigree information  may include:

• dam line pedigree styles
• methods used in pedigrees to identify race performance, such as black type
• sire line pedigree styles
• suffix details commonly used in pedigrees for greyhounds, for example import country
• terminology used in describing the relationship between ancestors and other relations for greyhounds.

Racing breeding theories  may include:

• dangers of close or inbreeding, or breeding from animals with known inherited faults
• line breeding and outcrossing
• influence of dam on progeny performance
• influence of environment on performance potential
• influence of sire on progeny performance
• race records and statistical information.

Features of prominent racing lines  may include:

• consistency of type within progeny of nominated sire or dam
• consistency of race performance of nominated sire or dam, for example producers of early winners
• current successful dams based on:

• dam's race record
• number of pups to race
• number of winners to starters
• prize money earned by progeny

• current successful sires based on:

• number of runners for winners
• number of winners to starters
• prize money earned by progeny
• sire's race record

• sale price of pups
• race performance of related progeny within a three generation pedigree
• reputation of dog as producer of successful brood bitches.

Options for racing greyhounds  may include:

• racing as an owner-trainer
• leasing greyhounds to race
• syndicating greyhounds to race
• purchasing a share in a greyhound
• purchasing a greyhound and engaging a trainer
• selecting a greyhound with racing performance versus selecting a pup
• breeding a greyhound to race.

Health and fitness priorities  may include:

• free of inherited abnormalities that may affect performance or general health
• respiratory soundness
• structural soundness
• metabolic efficiency
• seeking specialist advice, including:

• veterinary advice and testing, such as:

• blood test
• endoscope
• racing fitness testing
• suitability for racing assessment
• x-ray

• trainer advice.

Options for greyhound's future  may include:

• changing racing location to change:

• climate
• quality of competition
• racing direction

• changing trainer
• retiring greyhound from racing
• selecting appropriate race distance
• selecting appropriate race type, such as country versus metropolitan start
• spelling greyhound.

Greyhound's future  may include:

• ensuring adequate provision is made for feed, water, shelter, exercise and companionship if greyhound is to be retired
• euthanasing greyhound with serious injuries or poor prognosis
• identifying potential other uses for greyhound that is retired from racing, such as:

• companion animals
• re-homing program
• pets as therapy

• leasing greyhound to other racing team
• selling greyhound to other racing home
• sending greyhound to stud.

Unit Sector 

Greyhound racing code

Co-requisite units 

Functional Area 

Racing performance services