Monmore Green Stadium facts for kids
The entrance to the stadium in 2007
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| Location | Wolverhampton, England |
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| Coordinates | 52°34′37.71″N 2°6′6.73″W / 52.5771417°N 2.1018694°W |
| Operator | Entain (Ladbrokes Coral) |
| Opened | 1928 |
Monmore Green Stadium is a famous place in Wolverhampton, England. It's mainly known for greyhound racing, where fast dogs compete. For many years, it was also a popular spot for motorcycle speedway races.
The stadium has special rooms, a restaurant, and several bars for visitors. It is owned and run by the Ladbrokes Coral group, which is part of a bigger company called Entain.
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What is Greyhound Racing?
Greyhound racing is a sport where specially bred dogs, called greyhounds, race around a track. They chase a mechanical lure, which looks like a rabbit, to the finish line. It's all about speed and agility!
At Monmore Green, you can watch greyhound races on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons. There are also exciting evening races on Thursday and Saturday nights.
The track hosts several important races each year. These include the Ladbrokes Gold Cup, the Ladbrokes Puppy Derby (for young dogs), the Ladbrokes Festival 630's, and the Ladbrokes Summer Cup. Since 2015, it has also hosted the well-known Trafalgar Cup for puppies.
Monmore Green Stadium is even mentioned in a song! The band Half Man Half Biscuit included it in their 1997 album Voyage to the Bottom of the Road with the song "Monmore, Hare's Running."
Speedway Racing at Monmore Green
For a long time, Monmore Green was also home to Motorcycle speedway. This is a thrilling sport where motorcycles race on an oval dirt track. The Wolverhampton Wolves were the local speedway team, and they competed in the top league.
The speedway track at Monmore Green was about 264 meters (289 yards) long. Sadly, speedway races at the stadium came to an end after the 2023 season.
A Look Back: History of Monmore Green
How it All Began
Monmore Green Stadium first opened its doors in 1928. It was built in the southeast part of Wolverhampton, near a large park called East Park. The official opening day was Wednesday, January 11, 1928. A company called the Midland Greyhound Racing Association organized the event.
About 10,000 people came to watch the first seven races. The very first greyhound to win a race was named Arrow Tranby. It won a 500-yard race in 32.08 seconds!
Growing Through the Years
In 1935, the large kennels (where the racing dogs lived) at Monmore were divided into two parts. They also looked after dogs for another stadium nearby. Unlike many other places, Monmore Green stayed open for most of World War II.
In 1943, a new race called the Midland Puppy Championship started here. This race later became known as the Ladbrokes Puppy Derby. Over the years, more exciting competitions were added, such as the Midland St Leger and the Pride of the Midlands.
Challenges and Changes
In 1963, a big fire damaged the main grandstand. The stadium had to close for a while for repairs. This led to major improvements, including a modern restaurant with glass windows and great views.
In the 1970s, a company called Totalisators and Greyhound Holdings (TGH) bought Monmore Green. A few years later, in 1974, Ladbrokes bought TGH, adding Monmore Green to their list of stadiums.
By the late 1980s, the old kennels at the stadium were removed. Instead, trainers brought their dogs to the track for races. In 1994, a historic race called the Midland Gold Cup returned to Monmore Green.
Modern Times
The 2010s were a successful time for the stadium. In 2011, Monmore Green won the BAGS National Track Championship, which is a big award for greyhound tracks. In 2015, the important Trafalgar Cup competition was held there for the first time.
In 2018, the stadium made a deal with SIS to have races almost every day. This meant more opportunities for people to watch the exciting sport. A top trainer named Kevin Hutton also joined the track in August 2018.
In 2022, the stadium's owners, Entain, signed a new long-term agreement for media rights, starting in 2024. As mentioned earlier, the stadium announced in 2023 that speedway racing would stop after the 2023 season.
Major Greyhound Competitions
Monmore Green Stadium hosts several important greyhound races:
Images for kids
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Monmore Green Stadium around 1970
