Bluehouse Kennels

14/08/2024

JOIN US AND BE A PART OF WILDFLOWER MEADOW CREATION NOW

We will come into schools and colleges to show you how to make and “sow” Wildflower Seedbombs in our 10 acre field

I invite schools and local businesses to be a part of this, improving the diversity in this field , by planting native grasses and flowering plants

Our Saxon field is a protected ancient artefact and we wish for local people, and their children to make rewilding and regenerative agriculture a part of their lives

03/08/2024

Our 10 acre field

Bluehouse Kennels Fields and Homing Centre CIC

We farm on church land on the River Tees flood plain owned by the Diocese of Durham.

Our 10 acre ridge and furrow field (rigganfurra) is a beautiful thing - it’s protected by law - a relic of a system of social and agricultural management in times past.

It may be from land ploughed (north to south) in this unique fashion to maximise growing area and to mitigate the flooding dating from as late as Napoleonic times (200 years ago) when England needed to grown more corn.

Or even as far back as Saxon times in the agricultural system where each strip was cultivated and managed by one family.

Modern methods don’t work on rigganfurra so management now is chiefly by pasture mainly sheep with a single cut of hay in the summer.

Our neighbours were running sheep on our land this year and has topped the grass in the field and harvested the hay.

This has provided me with a base for adding a wide range of uk native meadow grass species, perennial native flowers and annuals for next season.

I will be assisted in this endeavour by students from Askham Bryan College Horticultural in this endeavour - it will be a small scale, because the funds don't permit.

At an appropriate point we will add sheep to the field to assist the ecological management using principles of regenerative agriculture and permaculture.

I’m creating a plantation for growing native trees and shrubs here to restore the native hedgerow that was ravaged by poor management by the previous. This will link to neighbouring properties and provide habitat for our growing population of critters.

It’s exciting times here!!

Special thanks to
Guy Sampson
Hamish Smales
Lisa Proffit
Stuart Culley
Steve Lord

05/06/2024

The swallows are very active in the sunshine today

04/06/2024

GRANDAD SCHOOL - down on the farm

My daughter started this off when she offered me an apprentice during all the summer holidays 5 years ago - he was 11

So, I’ve had Isaac here every year since then and he’s got a great skill- set, now and a “ can do attitude” from being “ down the farm”. He’s fit as a butcher’s dog and a grade A student - I’m proud of him!!

So Sarah said dad your just being a good grandparent - teaching him what you know - passing on good skills and a great attitude.

Why don’t you do it for others!!

She was right- Yes indeed I was one the many “ retired “ with current skills and relevant experience.

So we started working with Askham Bryan College 5 years ago and have wonderful alumni from their animal management courses and I’m proud of them all.

I think that we make a difference and we want to do more.

Because it worries me about the prospects for our young - these dwindling prospects are being complicated now that there’s inconsiderate and ignorant categorisation of youngsters, they’re not snowflakes!! Some even think it’s time to get them doing national service.

And I’m saying that the young uns are doing alright and it’s tougher for them than it was for me - for example: Our 16 year old grandson is in the middle of GCSE exams which started 3 weeks ago and finish on July 11th. He’s exhausted, mentally and physically and he worries about his prospects are.

So we want to do more “down the farm” and we’re talking with Hartlepool College about bringing their students from the construction courses here for work experience.

And Askham Bryan in the dog kennels and in rewilding project I will working with volunteers to grow 2500 hedge row plants, from cuttings onsite because we can’t get free plants of the woodland trust and I failed to beat “The Beast on the Chase.

I’m now losing sleep about how we can provide the best mentoring, supervision and instruction for our volunteers, work placement and hopefully soon - Interns

QUESTIONS

Do any of you out there “ get “ what I’m talking about. Let’s have some feedback

Are you doing what I’m trying to do - please share experiences.

Do you wanna join me as a volunteer

26/04/2024

It’s dry and cold but the sun is shining. Mirical has just been massaged and polished

Now she’s getting her dental treatment

11/04/2024

That was a rubbish partial eclipse eh!!!!

06/04/2024

COME RACING WITH US AT ARC SUNDERLAND
We race every week at ARC Sunderland.
We’re in the fortunate position to have spaces available in our racing kennels. We now invite greyhound owners to consider racing with us at Sunderland Track. And if you have always wanted to own and race a greyhound then here is your chance to get involved

CALL 07740 485142 FOR MORE INFORMATION

WHAT WE DO AT BLUEHOUSE RACING KENNELS
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WE PROVIDE FIRST-CLASS KENNELS & EXPERIENCED STAFF
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BEST-IN-CLASS INFRASTRUCTURE KEEPS YOUR GREYHOUNDS FIT & HEALTHY
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SECURE PADDOCK FOR FREE-RUNNING
200 metre free running paddock for fitness, conditioning & stamina.
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RACE-PREPARATION GALLOP
Race preparation using 175-metre uphill grass gallop, with traps & lure for schooling.
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Electronic Timing system which is activated by the trap and provides us with accurate times to a thousandth of a second and a photo finish image.
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TREATMENTS AVAILABLE
Osteomylogist Robert Meek CTM,DRM, MAO.cam visits us regularly.
Remedial Massage, Portamag, Ultrasound & Cold Laser Therapy
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ABOUT ARC SUNDERLAND TRACK

Distances raced at Sunderland Greyhounds are 261 metres, 450 metres, 640 metres and 828 metres.

The track circumference is 379 metres, with 93 metres to the first bend on 450m distance, and 84 metres to first bend on 640m distance.

https://www.sunderland-greyhounds.co.uk/racing/ownership-and-homing/

CHECK OUT THE GBGB GUIDE TO GREYHOUND OWNERSHIP

https://www.gbgb.org.uk/become-an-owner/ #:~:text=Most%20people%20start%20by%20buying,who%20race%20their%20greyhounds%20there.

GBGB

30/03/2024

The uphill race preparation 175m gallop is looking perfect today after its first cut of the season

28/03/2024

As its newest member, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain sent me this great news about the Greyhound Retirement Scheme

20/03/2024

A big thanks to the Greyhound Board of Great Britain who have today, appointed Bluehouse Kennels Fields & Homing CIC as newest member of the Greyhound Retirement Scheme.

19/03/2024

This is a day for celebrating - 50 trees in our orchard.

We have just added a further 18 fruit trees to our orchard with big thanks to Aston and to Demi , students from Askham Bryan

15/03/2024

A big hello from Bonnie, Bella and Bailey our 9 month old puppies

They are living the best of lives in our greyhound racing puppy academy

Their mother is Lola, she’s very proud of her girls

10/03/2024

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY !!

“I love greyhounds and rugger almost as much as I love my mam!”

This is Isaac, my grandson, he is a stalwart volunteer at our homing kennels, caring for our retired boys and girls during the school vacations. He will be 16 in April and he’ll received his GBGB kennel-hand licence and can also go racing.

10/03/2024

NISSELS THUNDER ROMPING HOME AT SUNDERLAND THIS AFTERNOON

08/03/2024

Contact me now!

Gorgeous girl looking for a sofa - a very rare blue coloured greyhound.

Say hello to Blue Rumble - she never raced , checked by our vet and given a clean bill of health

This beautiful blue girl(spayed on Feb 2nd 2024 is fully inoculated (booster needed on Jan 28 2025.

She’s very loving and vivacious

She was born here on the farm

28/01/2024

BLUE MIRICAL racing out of Trap 2, acheives her first career win for MONICA SMITH of Palm Beach, Miami, Florida, racing today at Sunderland Track for Kenny Dobson.

Nissels Nova out of Trap 3 makes it first and second for Bluehouse Kennels!!!!

08/01/2024

PRIME ICONIC GALLOPING HOME
Our lovely fella in the blue jacket, trap 2) has a great win - it’s his second this year

07/01/2024

Our Retired Athletes

There are 9 of our beauties, here that have retired from racing.

If you are interested contact me

15/12/2023

Moose is staying in bed all day!!

25/10/2023

Baby girl loves her mam

08/10/2023

Are any of you interested in a loving home for some of our retired boys or girls

27/07/2023

Rossa Digger finally gets a clear run.

This beautiful lad has shown what he can do. in the first race at Sunderland on July 23rd.

He won this race in 27.09 (+.20 fast) over 450 metres - won by 10 lengths

He deserves this clear run - it’s the first time, he flew out of the traps and led all the way .

12/12/2022

12/12/2022

We’re so happy about our Lola - she is our beautiful home-bred and schooled girl.

She won a trophy yesterday and she thoroughly deserves her success - she loves to run !

We’re looking forward to her having a litter in 2023 and there’ll be more lovely Lolas carrying the Derby dream forward

Till then she’ll be tearing up the track at Sunderland

30/11/2022

We had three winners at Sunderland tonight

Third winner tonight
Flemish Prince - 450m Trap 3

30/11/2022

We had three winners at Sunderland tonight

Second winner tonight
Derrytagh Razzy - 450m Trap 1

30/11/2022

We had three winners at Sunderland tonight

First winner tonight
Ballygur Best - 450m Trap 4

26/11/2022

Bumblebee Patsy likes racing at Sunderland

27/09/2022

The 15 saplings we have here will get to know this uphill gallop very soon

12/09/2022

2 of our 11 month old saplings stretching out in our wide paddock

Once they’re confident here we’ll work on the chase - showing them the uphill gallop in preparation for hand slipping behind lure

They’re all comfortable now on the lead and have settled in well as pairs in the schooling kennels