It is unlikely any trainer has made a more remarkable start to his career than Bathurst's John Buttsworth, who has been enjoying recent success on the TAB circuit with Screen Legend and Kokinakas Valley.
As a 14-year-old Buttsworth, now 68, was entrusted with the training of Snowy Louvre, a greyhound owned by his father Dick.
"Because dad was a baker and started work daily at 4am I had to walk and feed his greyhounds before I went to school,'' Buttsworth recalled.
"As a reward he gave me the unraced Snowy Louvre to look after and while he had to be in dad's name all the training duties, including where he raced, were left up to me.
"When I felt Snowy Louvre was ready, to increase his chances of gaining a draw, I entered him for a maiden at Bathurst on a Saturday afternoon and for a mixed stakes at ORANGE that night.
"He was drawn at both meetings but Snowy Louvre not only won at Bathurst but a few hours later won again at ORANGE!''
Dick Buttsworth was the western districts director of the Greyhound Breeders, Owners and Trainers Association for 18 years and after moving from Kurrajong to Bathurst in the early 1940s, trained over 2000 winners.
"He died aged 91 in 1999 and was still training greyhounds two years before his death,'' Buttsworth said.
"My favourite tracks are Bathurst, and of course, Grafton, considering I have taken dogs to the July carnival there for the past 42 years.
"I've been lucky enough to win trainer of the carnival twice while one of my dogs, Academy Award, took out the 2014 greyhound of the carnival title."
A trip to this year's carnival has also proved fruitful for Buttsworth.
"This year Des Winters, who has long been the carnival's major sponsor through his company, Clarence Valley Sheds, asked me to take one of his greyhounds, Kokinakas Valley, home with me," he said.
"Kokinakas Valley is a smart short courser and has won six of 11 starts.
"The best of my four dog team is Screen Legend, who has won his past two starts at Bulli in 26.20 and 26.38.
"Screen Legend is a son of Sad Movies, who won five races at Wentworth Park for me and who has been a good producer.
"I bought Sad Movies for $5000 after she won two races and the owner indicated he would like to train her himself.
"Because I didn't want Sad Movies to leave my kennels I offered to buy her and the owner accepted."
Buttsworth said Bathurst and Grafton are his favourite tracks but travels across the state in search of victories.
"I'll go anywhere my greyhounds are suited but because Screen Legend is partial to Bulli, I have made a couple of seven-hour round trips there recently," he said.
"I also love attending non-TAB bush courses like Temora and MUDGEE, where the crowds often outnumber Wentworth Park attendances.
"I don't think I have had a greyhound with more potential than Seven Oscars, who was runner-up at his Wentworth Park debut early last year and rung up seven wins and six seconds from 23 starts before breaking down.
"He was a son of Sad Movies, as was Academy Award, who won seven from 20 races.''
Buttsworth said he has always enjoyed the ups and down of the sport over the last half-century.
"While I have never been fortunate enough to train a champion, I've had some handy dogs and a lot of fun along the way," he said.
"I've managed to survive for many years with only a small team, although I couldn't have done that without my wife Irene and son Richard helping out with the dogs, especially when I've been away at places like Grafton.
"Of all the great trainers I've competed against over the past 50 years, Paul Cauchi, still training a few on the Gold Coast, stands out.
"Brett Lee is the best sprinter and Travel Rev the best stayer I've seen.''
