Weekend rains failed to dampen the enthusiasm of NGA Spring Meet attendees as the Track Stake finals and Auction finished the week-long activities on a high note.

The Spring Meet was staged Apr. 25-30 in Abilene, Ks.

Many were predicting auction figures dipping into the $800,000 or even the $700,000 range. But final totals found the pup sale tallying $911,900. Brood auction totals were at a modest $21,750.

Top sale was $50,000 paid by Tom Ferris for PJS Shut It Down (Djays Octane-SR Midnight Moon), a December 2014 pup owned by Shelby Rangel, Jay Rangel and Paul Bitterman. PJS Shut It Down ran third in a main-stake final on Thursday morning.

All auction sales will be posted soon on the NGA website.

The Rangel-Bitterman team won seven of the 13 main stake finals at the meet. Their winning main-stake pups were PJ Razor Edge (Djays Octane-KB’s College Cat) in the February Stake, PJ Wizzard (Barcelona Boss-Tina Bo Beana) in the August/September Three, PJ Get It Poppin (Djays Octane-Ucme Mini Me) in the October One, PJ Brett Favre (Pat C Clement-Canttellmenothin) in the October Two, littermate PJ John Elway in the October Three, PJ Recognize (Djays Octane-Ucme Star Struck) in the November One, and littermate PJ Jumpman in the November Two. The PJ team won the last six main-stakes of the Meet.

Winning the first four main-stakes in the Track Stake finals on Thursday was Vince Berland. His winners were Kiowa No Work (Flyin Man Of God-Flying Berea) in the December One, littermate Kiowa Never Fail in the December Two, Flying Halo (Kiowa Myth-Flying Assassin) in the January One, and littermate Flying Duck Hunt in the January Two.

Other main-stake winners were Steve Ward’s SE’s Racin Rage (Kiowa Sweet Trey-SE’s Racen Rainy) in the August/September One and Jeff Cole’s Super C Dani (Last Outlaw-Super C Domina) in the August/September Two.

The Hall Of Fame Auction/Dinner on Tuesday raised more than $25,000 for the museum. Sales will be posted on-line soon and will be carried in the next Review issue.

More than 140 friends and family attended the Wednesday night Banquet honoring Bob and Luetta Rider, from Vinton, Ia. Congratulatory plaques were presented to the Riders from both the NGA and the Iowa Greyhound Association.

Thursday’s awards ceremony at the Hall Of Fame paid tribute to 2015’s top canine stars, as well as two young scholarship winners and a veteran who’s dedicated his life to the sport. Plaques were presented to representatives of the eight members on AGTOA’s 2015 All-America team and to recipients of the NGA’s 45th Rural Rube and Flashy Sir Awards. Scholarships of $1,000 each were presented to Ashley Collete and Brendon Dalton. Don Ryan received the NGA’s sixth annual Lifetime Achievement Award.

Complete Spring Meet results will appear in the Summer issue of the Greyhound Review. Fall Meet dates are set for Oct. 10-15. Pre-stake schooling will begin on Sunday, Oct. 2.