Jack Wright

Career

Initially employed as a stonemason in a local sandstone quarry he moved to Ditton, Cheshire and started to establish his kennels for training greyhounds for coursing. Foreign a number of years he was trainer for Mr William Paterson. of Broomlands, Maxwelltown and Watchhall, Annan, Dumfries and Galloway, and on the death of Mr Paterson he took over the kennels at Watchhall, and until 1927, when he retired following an illness, he had acted in the capacity of public trainer. Jack Wright had a wide knowledge and experience of dogs, and many animals, mainly greyhounds, were placed in his charge.

He was a frequent attender at all the principal meetings in the country, where his abilities earned for him many friends by whom he was much respected.

Achievements

• By 1891 he moved to Scotland and for many years he acted as dog trainer to Mr Leonard Pilkington of Cavens, Kirkbean (founder of the Pilkington glass firm). On seven occasions he trained winners of the Tenants’ Cup at Kinmount coursing, and also the winner of the Corrie Cup during the time of the meetings at Corrie. He had a dog in the last four at Waterloo Cup meetings on three occasions, and while acting as trainer for the late Mr Pilkington he trained "Phoebus," the winner of the £1000 championship at Kempton Park, London. He died in 1929 aged 79, at Watchhall, Annan, Dumfries and Galloway his youngest son Hardy Wright took over management of the kennels and subsequently won the Waterloo Cup on two occasions.