The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy all of the requirements of the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge and the range statement of this unit and include evidence of the following:

knowledge of the requirements, procedures and processes that are to apply when determining a greyhound's suitability for racing

preparation and timely application of criteria for the safe, effective and efficient selection of greyhounds for racing or alternative future options

working with others to select greyhounds for racing that meet required outcomes.

Evidence should be collected over a period of time and be focused on selection and decision making processes applying to a range of greyhounds of different ages and sexes, at different stages of their racing career. Theoretical components can be assessed in a simulated situation but must be related to racing industry conditions and contexts.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Competency may be assessed in an actual workplace or simulated environment that provides access to the required resources. Assessment is to occur under standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints. It is to comply with relevant regulatory requirements or Australian Standards requirements.

This unit includes practical aspects as well as the research, interpretation and evaluation of data. Assessment of the practical components of this unit will be by observation of relevant skills.

The following resources must be available:

a variety of greyhounds

breeding or commercial racing kennels

materials and equipment relevant to assessing candidate's ability to assess conformation, pedigree and race type features of greyhounds for racing

work instructions and related documentation.

Method of assessment

Assessment methods must satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the Racing Training Package.

The suggested strategies for the assessment of this unit are:

written and/or oral assessment of candidate's required knowledge

observed, documented and firsthand testimonial evidence of candidate's application of practical tasks

inspection of completed work

simulation exercises.

Evidence is required to be demonstrated over a period of time, therefore where performance is not directly observed any evidence should be authenticated by supervisors or other appropriate persons.

This unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other units of competency relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role.

Guidance information for assessment

Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands (e.g. literacy and numeracy demands) and the needs of particular target groups (e.g. people with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people with a language background other than English, youth and people from low socioeconomic backgrounds).

Required skills

communicating with greyhound health and exercise specialists and others using assertive communication techniques to gather and relay information related to selecting greyhounds for racing

determining desired extent of participating in racing and how this may influence type of greyhound selected

evaluating conformation features of nominated greyhounds

evaluating racing breeding theories and rationalising influence of pedigree and other factors to potential performance

evaluating potential influence of ancestors to characteristics and potential of nominated greyhounds

identifying current popular sires

identifying current prominent racing greyhounds

identifying prominent racing family lines

interpreting basic genetic terminology

interpreting statistical racing information, including breeding performance, track times, race sectional times and winners

listing track records for major feature races

rationalising greyhound's future in racing, based on performance, health and injury status

reading and interpreting racing pedigrees and breeding theories

reading and interpreting workplace documentation, including relevant rules of racing and animal welfare regulations

relating greyhound temperament to racing potential

relating pedigree and conformation to potential performance in various race distances and types

relating to people from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and with varying physical and mental abilities

written communication skills to complete workplace documentation and reports.

Required knowledge

basic genetic theory of inheritance of traits

characteristics of successful greyhounds of various racing types

common greyhound behaviour, social traits and vices

features of healthy and fit racing greyhounds

features of conformation of racing greyhounds

illnesses and injuries that may impact on greyhound's potential in racing

industry terminology related to breeding and racing greyhounds

life span of greyhounds and likely length of racing career

popular racing breeding theories

racing industry animal welfare requirements

relevant rules of racing

role of greyhound temperament in racing potential

statistical information related to breeding performance

track records for prominent races

types of pedigree layout.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording in the performance criteria is detailed below.

The range statement provides details of how this competency can be used in the workplaces of the racing industry to select greyhounds for racing. Workplaces include greyhound kennels and racecourses, training tracks and public areas.

Profiling a greyhound may include:

assessment of pedigree and performance of close relatives

conformation evaluation

health and injury status

performance if any of nominated greyhound.

Characteristics of greyhound types include:

climate adaptability

greyhounds that prefer to lead versus those who prefer to cover

race greyhound types include:

all weather runners versus particular weather specialists

distance versus sprinting types

track direction preferences

track type preferences

temperament and ability to settle into training and racing

variations in behaviour and management requirements based on sex and age.

Features of conformation may include:

balance and proportion of body

conformational faults that may affect racing performance

front leg structural features

hind leg structural features

structural features of feet and toes.

Racing program aims may include:

longer term performance in feature races

race class

race distance

race location, including:

country

metropolitan

provincial.

Pedigree information may include:

dam line pedigree styles

methods used in pedigrees to identify race performance, such as black type

sire line pedigree styles

suffix details commonly used in pedigrees for greyhounds, for example import country

terminology used in describing the relationship between ancestors and other relations for greyhounds.

Racing breeding theories may include:

dangers of close or inbreeding, or breeding from animals with known inherited faults

line breeding and outcrossing

influence of dam on progeny performance

influence of environment on performance potential

influence of sire on progeny performance

race records and statistical information.

Features of prominent racing lines may include:

consistency of type within progeny of nominated sire or dam

consistency of race performance of nominated sire or dam, for example producers of early winners

current successful dams based on:

dam's race record

number of pups to race

number of winners to starters

prize money earned by progeny

current successful sires based on:

number of runners for winners

number of winners to starters

prize money earned by progeny

sire's race record

sale price of pups

race performance of related progeny within a three generation pedigree

reputation of dog as producer of successful brood bitches.

Options for racing greyhounds may include:

racing as an owner-trainer

leasing greyhounds to race

syndicating greyhounds to race

purchasing a share in a greyhound

purchasing a greyhound and engaging a trainer

selecting a greyhound with racing performance versus selecting a pup

breeding a greyhound to race.

Health and fitness priorities may include:

free of inherited abnormalities that may affect performance or general health

respiratory soundness

structural soundness

metabolic efficiency

seeking specialist advice, including:

veterinary advice and testing, such as:

blood test

endoscope

racing fitness testing

suitability for racing assessment

x-ray

trainer advice.

Options for greyhound's future may include:

changing racing location to change:

climate

quality of competition

racing direction

changing trainer

retiring greyhound from racing

selecting appropriate race distance

selecting appropriate race type, such as country versus metropolitan start

spelling greyhound.

Greyhound's future may include:

ensuring adequate provision is made for feed, water, shelter, exercise and companionship if greyhound is to be retired

euthanasing greyhound with serious injuries or poor prognosis

identifying potential other uses for greyhound that is retired from racing, such as:

companion animals

re-homing program

pets as therapy

leasing greyhound to other racing team

selling greyhound to other racing home

sending greyhound to stud.