Greyhound racing is a sport that is widely followed not only by Australians but also by people from other countries around the world, such as the United States, Ireland, New Zealand, and Great Britain. Other countries that practice this sport are Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, among others. In Australia, greyhound racing is more popular with working-class men.
Across Australia, the governing body that regulates the welfare and living conditions of greyhounds is the Australian Greyhound Racing Association or AGRA. In addition to ensuring that the greyhounds are healthy and in good condition before entering the race, it is also your task to facilitate general examinations on the greyhounds to ensure that they are free of any medical conditions, malnutrition or parasite growth.
In the state of New South Wales, The Gardens Greyhound Sporting Complex is considered one of the most popular venues for greyhound racing. It is located on Sandgate Road, Birmingham Gardens in Newcastle, and has a capacity of up to 2000 people. Other sports played here besides greyhound racing include rugby league, rugby union, and soccer.
Before taking its current name The Gardens, it used to be known as Breakers Stadium and Topper Stadium. The stadium was first known to many as the home of the Newcastle Breakers, a football team that played in the former National Football League before being expelled from the league due to financial problems in 1990.
Breakers Stadium was later named Topper Stadium when it went through its rugby league phase, when the Hunter Mariners established in 1997 claimed the stadium as their home. It was then that it began to be officially called Topper Stadium. Eventually, the team and the Super League itself lost their strong support from the crowd. The stadium was later transformed into Newcastle’s main greyhound racing venue. The remodel was finally completed in 2005, then renamed The Gardens Greyhound Sporting Complex.
The Gardens Greyhound sports complex has a maximum of 1,100 seats. Since it used to be a football and rugby sports stadium, it is capable of hosting games with up to 2,000 attendees. The sports complex has a total of 186 parking spaces on the premises. Race meetings are held every Wednesday and Friday night of the week.
As a football stadium, the place had a main grandstand with capacity for a thousand people as well as corporate boxes. At the other end, opposite, there is another grandstand, which had transmission facilities on top. It also had excellent lighting fixtures that were perfect for games that were held in the evening.