@wubanga:
thats pretty cool , congrats, how do u get into something like lure coursing? i dont know much about it. can anyone take there basenji to one of those places? really no clue how it works, how much does it cost? any info appreciated curious if my younger one would chase it.
just youtubed it, looks like great fun for the dog. i think mine are too dumb/the other too old to chase it lol
Lure coursing is a BLAST! We MUCH prefer it to showing (mostly because I don't have to dress up haha). It is a very instinctual thing… doesn't require any smarts 😉 If your basenji likes to chase birds, squirrels, leaves, trash in the wind, shadows, whatever, it will likely chase the lure. Both of my girls took to it the very first time they saw it.
There are two organizations that we compete in... ASFA & AKC. In order to compete, you need an AKC number. If you have a rescue or, in my case, a dog registered with Continental Kennel Club, & you don't have AKC papers, you can get an ILP (Indefinite Listing Privelage) number to allow you to compete. There are a few requirements to get it (the dog must be spayed or neutered, you have to submit pictures, you have to have a breeder or breed specific rescue rep sign off on the form, and I heard today a DNA test, but I'm not sure about that... that wasn't a requirement when I got Lola's ILP 2 years ago). You pay a small fee, and it doesn't take too long to get the number.
To find events in your area, check out
http://asfa.org/
or do an event search on http://www.akc.org/.
Be aware that you have to check the trial schedules frequently, as trials often don't get put on the website until a month before the trial.
Virginia is in Region 8. Here is the contact info for the Region 8 Director. He should be able to point you in the right direction.
REGION 8: NJ,PA,DE,MD,VA,WV
Don Ewing (2011)
370 Bollinger Road
Littlestown, PA 17340
(717) 357-9606
REG8DIR@asfa.org
Lure coursing is a lot of fun for the dogs. Its a lot of waiting in really hot, really cold, windy and rainy weather for humans, but its worth it when you see your dog running all out, doing what it is built to do. Its a little tricky to find the information & trials when starting out, but once you get into it, its a little easier to find out about upcoming events.
I know a friend with Ibizan hounds that lives in Virginia. I'll ask her for some more info to pass along to you.
But, i have to admit to being partial to a little bit of Bon Jovi sometimes! 
