1993 - Lyle Gillette - and other California sighthound fanciers who hunted jackrabbits in the open field invented lure coursing In the early 70's as a safer, more controlled sport for sighthounds that would recreate the physical requirements of open field coursing. This allowed them to continue to test the functional abilities of their hounds without the risk of harming the dogs due to barbed wire fencing in the field. The hounds chase plastic bags on a course laid out to simulate escaping game.

In 1972, they started the American Sighthound Field Association (ASFA) and invited other sighthound fanciers from across the nation to join the organization with its democratic structure and centralized method of keeping hound records.

1994 - Betz Leone -Betz was very involved in the world of whippets and lure coursing. Without her involvement there probably would not have been lure coursing and ASFA. Many people, like Lyle Gillette worked long and hard to establish lure coursing, it was Betz who took the important step of encouraging people to "do" something about it.

"The first "lure course" meeting was held in Betz's living room, where she demonstrated one of her most important skills--her ability to bring diverse people together to get the job done…Betz quietly encouraged new people and got them involved".

"If Betz judged for you, you could count on her assistance with everything from setting up the field to taking it down. No one ever asked, Betz just saw what needed to be done and did it."

She was active in planning and executing the first ASFA field trial in 1972 and continued to be active in ASFA for more than 20 years.

1996 - Rick Brown- One of Gary Forrester's goals was for ASFA to have a computer-generated record keeping system. Rick, as the program's designer, spent a great deal of time, effort and many phone calls (without reimbursement, to keep the Records Coordinator happy, Without a second thought he added function to the program.

Rick has Afghan Hounds and is involved in Afghan rescue, active in the local club activities in Texas, has developed lure equipment, and is an ASFA judge.

1998 - Camille Mendicino - Camille and her husband, Pete, have attended nearly every ACoD for the past two decades and are perfect examples of why ASFA has offered so many people so much enjoyment for so many years. They are fun! They are funny. They know the sport. They care about the sport and they work to uphold the highest standards of integrity.

To many coursing fanciers, Camille is merely "Records" - a congenial voice on the phone, or an e-mail address but the most important role she has played for ASFA and for all of us in the fancy has been "quality control." In large part because of her, ASFA has been a level playing field. She doesn't make up things as she goes along. She remembers the rules and has tried to apply them evenly and fairly to all.

Due to growing physical limitations that made it difficult to spend long hours at the keyboard, Camille retired as ASFA Records Coordinator. To meet her you'll have to attend a lure trial in Region 8 or where she is judging, or, better yet, attend an ACoD.

1999 - Leigh Littleton - Leigh has been a major supporter, worker and leader and has enjoyed a long a important history with the American Sighthound Field Association. Since 1978 when he first applied for his judge's license he has been involved with the ASFA serving as judge, delegate, officer and I.I. trial chairman. Despite all of Leigh’s personal accomplishments and contributions to the ASFA,he is probably best known as “Locket’s chauffeur.” He escorted her to trials across the country allowing her to become the # 1 all-time ASFA sighthound. With the record of Lure Courser of Merit 17, Borzoi, Zaraya of the Wild Hunt, TT: remains the sighthound all other competitors will aspire to catch.
ASFA is stronger and better because Leigh’s dedicated involvement over the past 20+ years and this award could go to no one more deserving of recognition of outstanding service to the sport.

Marilyn is a notorious picture of efficiency. She has been Field Trial Secretary for local and regional trials and has been a driving force at I.I.s as well. She steps in and helps with the paper work whenever she sees a need. She serves with a sense of humor that not only makes you laugh, but also lets you know that there is business to take care of NOW!

2006 - Denis Seeley - Denis Seeley has been involved in lure coursing from before the beginning. Back when the Michigan Gazehound Association was a local club in the early 70s, prior to ASFA, Denis began to learn lure operation and the range of responsibilities entailed in being involved in and leading a club. In his native England, ...Over his 30 years of involvement with MGA, he has served several terms as president, and he and his wife Helen have done just about everything for MGA,, always involved on the Board of Directors. When MGA began doing demonstrations of lure coursing indoors at the huge Cobo Hall dog show in Detroit, as well as a popular Parade of Sighthounds, Denis led the effort.

Over his many years in lure coursing, Denis has been recognized as one of the very best, lure operators, and has often operated the lure for many clubs other than MGA, as well as being invited to operate the lure many times at the International Invitational.

If every club in ASFA had a Denis Seeley, the ASFA Board would find its work quite easy, clubs would never lapse, every trial would end in good time, and no one would every complain about bad lure operation.

2007 - Les Pekarski - Les has been an active, enthusiastic supporter of ASFA lure coursing since 1978. His original breed was Afghan Hounds, and he was the owner of Lil' Man, the first #1 sighthound hailing from Region 7. Les dedicated a perpetual trophy, the Florida Classic Cup, in Lil' Man's memory, and today that trophy is one of lure coursing's oldest trophies.

He has been an all-breed judge since 1981. He was on the ASFA Board of Directors as Regional Director from Region 7. He is a talented lure operator and equipment guru. He has served as Field Trial Chairman for several Regional Invitationals, and was co-Field Trial Chairman of the 2002 ASFA International Invitationals, widely considered to be one of the most successful I.I.'s in the history of the event.

A talented breeder of top flight Whippets, he travels the country, judging, lure operating, and running his Whippets. Like Joshua Deets in Lonesome Dove, he is "cheerful in all weathers, and never shirked a task." Few people have dedicated as much of their lives or as many years to ASFA lure coursing as has Les.

2007 - Tom Bianchi - Tom attended his first lure field trial in Canada in 1977 watching a coursing demo of Salukis and Afghan Hounds.

He has contributed many ideas and innovations to the sport. The pulley designs he came up with has been used and copied. He has developed many pieces of equipment that helped train young dogs to get keen on the lure. He also came up with the reversible machine. Another big introduction of an old idea was the reintroduction of the continuous loop wheel.

Tom was very active in Region 8 and started American/Canadian Border Runners Association in Vermont, so that some of us easterners could see what the winters were like up north. We ran trials in Stowe, VT at the Von Trapp family lodge & in Burlington, VT.

Tom was Region 8 Director from 1983 thru 1985.

Tom was an ASFA Judge from about 1979 until 1990's. Even though he has found it necessary to retire from coursing he still remains active in consulting with the fancy and in developing new and safer equipment.

Because of Tom's inventions and refinements we would not have been able to put on some the large trials or run our hounds as safely.