The first aspect to highlight about such a high-profile competition is the practice of coursing, where greyhounds pursue a live hare—a sport that has not taken place in the United Kingdom since 2005.
- Reactions to this fact vary widely, ranging from sentiments of regret over its closure to opinions that it was long overdue. It's indeed unfortunate that the oldest tournament in England, which had been held continuously since 1836, is no longer in existence. This event attracted tens of thousands of spectators from across the nation, who gathered to witness the finest greyhounds in action and to place their bets on the thrilling races. It was regarded as the premier event of the year in the UK, and enthusiasts dubbed the Waterloo Cup the “blue riband” of dog racing, acknowledging its elite status among competitions.
- However, as Sir Paul McCartney articulated in 2003,
- "Many of us prayed that the sport of baiting live hares with dogs would not survive into the 21st century." He further expressed concern, stating, "Inconceivably, there is now a legal way to torture an animal... Each hare is pursued for two hours by beaters until it reaches a clearing, where it must then run for its life. If caught by the dogs, it faces a brutal tug-of-war, and its suffering only ceases when it is removed from them and killed."
A bit of history
The year 1929 is notable for Mr. William Lynn, the proprietor of the Waterloo Hotel on Ranelagh Street in Liverpool, who leased the land from William Molyneux, 2nd Earl of Sefton. He established a racetrack and initiated the first horse races at Aintree, which gained prominence in 1839 and were officially named the Grand National.
In 1836, this visionary organiser also launched another significant event, a course competition known as the Waterloo Cup, named in tribute to his hotel. The coursing took place at the nearby Altcar estate owned by the Earl of Sefton, just north of Liverpool. Remarkably, the Waterloo Cup was recognized as the most prestigious and colourful event in the sporting calendar at the time. By the end of the 19th century, the three days of hare coursing in February attracted more spectators than any other sporting event. Mr. William Lynn passed away in 1870, and he regarded the Waterloo Cup as his crowning achievement, referring to the Grand National as "a most unfortunate speculation."
The Waterloo Cup consisted of a knockout tournament featuring 64 greyhounds from Great Britain and Ireland, culminating in a final held at Great Altcar over three days in February. Preparations for the event occurred nationwide for six months. Results were transmitted via homing pigeons, and the announcement of the winner was significant enough to halt trading on the Stock Exchange in London until the following day.
The tournament's structure involved capturing brown hares in nets and bringing them to the competition site. Once there, the hares were released and driven towards the racing field by beaters. After reaching a designated spot, two greyhounds were released to chase them, receiving a head start of 70 to 100 yards. A judge on horseback awarded points based on the greyhounds' speed, agility, endurance, and their ability to corner the hare. Additional points were awarded if a greyhound killed the hare. The greyhound accumulating the most points advanced through the elimination rounds until a single champion emerged.
McGrath - Waterloo Cup Legend
The inaugural winner of the Cup in 1836 was the greyhound Milanie, owned by Lord Molyneux, the eldest son of the Earl of Sefton. Perhaps the most iconic greyhound in the Cup's history was Master McGrath, an Irish dog belonging to the 2nd Baron Lurgan. Master McGrath achieved remarkable success by winning the tournament three times, in 1868, 1869, and 1871.
James Galway, Lord Lurgan's partner, was a greyhound breeder who initially deemed the small black and white puppy unpromising and considered having him euthanized. However, the young trainer, named Master McGrath, pleaded to keep the pup, who was later named in his honour, with Master McGrath eventually becoming Lord Lurgan’s dog.
When Master McGrath secured his first victory, it took everyone by surprise, leading many to believe it was a fluke, especially since he was only two years old. The following year, a crowd of 12,000 gathered at Altcar to witness the daring greyhound as he faced the undefeated Scottish bitch Bab-et-the-Booster in the final race, ultimately managing to defeat her.
The year 1870 proved challenging for Master McGrath; during the Waterloo Cup, he nearly drowned after falling through the ice into a river. An Irishman named Wilson jumped in to rescue him. In the aftermath, the owner vowed never to let the dog race at Altcar again and took him back to Ireland.
However, a year later, Lord Lurgan could not resist the allure of competition and brought McGrath to another tournament, which he won effortlessly, quickly becoming a national hero. Captivated by the incredible dog, Queen Victoria invited Lord Lurgan and Master McGrath to Windsor Castle.
Tragically, two years later, this remarkable athlete passed away from heart failure. In his homeland of Ireland, he is fondly remembered as the mighty McGrath. A monument stands near his birthplace, and his image has been commemorated on the Irish sixpence coin.
A poem was composed in McGrath's honour and set to music, now an Irish ballad.
The Battle of Waterloo is Lost
Between 1998 and 2002, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) and various animal rights organisations investigated instances of cruelty in live hare chasing competitions. Undercover investigators reported that the official death counts were significantly underestimated and that the hares did not die instantly; instead, they suffered for a period of 30 seconds to two minutes before their necks were wrung. Proponents of the competitions argued that the primary goal was to evaluate the greyhounds' working capabilities rather than to kill the hares. However, the loud cheers that erupted when two dogs caught and ripped apart a hare painted a different picture. In response to these findings, the government initiated the Burns Inquiry in 1999 to assess greyhound hunting, which led to multiple amendments to the Hunting Act 2004 that came into effect on February 18, 2005. The day before this date, the last Waterloo Cup was held, about which a film was made. Cassettes with this film were passed around, people cried, saying goodbye to the tournament. The Hares were not informed about the end of the tournament, and if they had found out, they obviously would not have cried. And in the world of people there was less cruelty, which means more kindness and mercy.