Young achiever Nicholas Ware balances track curating and greyhound care

Pictured: Nicholas Ware, along with partner Leah Washington. Credit: Dave Robbie

Working fulltime as a track curator, then handling greyhounds during race days and helping out in kennels makes for a very full-on lifestyle.

Twenty-one-year-old Nicholas Ware takes it all in his stride and he’s part of the team that ensures the Addington Raceway track is presented in first-class order for the busy racing schedule held in the Garden City each week.

He is frequently sighted on the end of a lead when handling greyhounds from the Craig Roberts kennels. Ware then assists, while working with his partner Leah Washington with the daily duties back at the Roberts kennels.

It is those healthy attributes that deservedly saw Ware being acknowledged as the August winner of the GRNZ Board award, which recognises young achievers within the greyhound code.

“It was originally my brother Luke who got involved with greyhounds. He was working for Robin (Wales) at the time,” Ware said. “I started handling greyhounds at the track.

“Further on my partner Leah was working with Craig’s dogs and I started helping out there. I had been travelling greyhounds down to Invercargill for Craig and did a couple of trips up north (Palmerston North), which I really enjoy doing.

“I started track curating around four months ago. It’s very important work and I find it very rewarding and satisfying work in preparing tracks, especially in keeping the tracks safe for racing on.

“Thursday is a full-on day, preparing the track during the day, then when finishing that work I normally handle dogs during the race meeting.

“I love working with and handling greyhounds. They all have such fantastic different personalities.”

Ware is also a member of the Stitched Up syndicate, which includes Luke, who races greyhounds including the competitive sprinter On Grid from the Ray Casey kennels.

“I have some favourite greyhounds and I was thrilled to handle Caterpie Bale when she won the NZ Nationals. Levi Bale (dual NZ Sprinter of the Year) was an awesome greyhound to handle.

“Craig and Angie (Washington) have put their trust into me to handle greyhounds and working in the kennels with them and Leah is rewarding work and I have to give big thanks to them for the opportunity to do so. I try to do as much as I can around there.

“The welfare and rehoming of greyhounds is so important. We all have our parts to play within the industry and we all work in together.

“I would love to stay in the industry and hopefully one day I can train myself,” said Ware.

Roberts said, “Nick is a really good guy who is an asset to the industry. He’s a really hard-working kid who has really taken to his curating role and he is respected for the work he does.

“Nick loves the greyhounds and he’s always helping out in the kennels at home. He’s a big help to us. He has great respect for the dogs and I have no hesitation in sending him away on trips with my racing team.”

Being fully hands-on with greyhounds leaves little time to enjoy other activities, however Nicholas Ware does appreciate breaks away as he explains. “I enjoy playing indoor basketball, which I try to play once a week. I also like going fishing. Other than that I spend my time with the dogs.”

“To me, it’s a big thing for me to win the Youth award. For other people to put my name forward is very rewarding. I view my involvement as a positive role within the sport and I’m proud to be involved,” said Ware.

The future for the greyhound code is indeed in excellent hands with the ethics displayed by young achievers like Ware all around the country being the future for the industry.

Peter Fenemor