The Pharaoh hound is a very fast dog that participates in many active events. They do very well in lure coursing and excel in racing events. They were born with the love of running and chasing so this comes naturally to them. The racing events for the Pharaoh dog are held throughout the United States.

There are two different racing categories for the amateur Pharaoh. One is called LGRA, which stands for the Large Gazehound Racing Association. This race is a straight race where the dog sprints for 200 yards on a straight track, which is flat. The second kind of race is NOTRA racing, which stands for National Oval Track Racing Association. This race takes place on an oval track that goes for a set distance. The distances for each track will vary from group to group, depending on their individual specifications. They do range anywhere from 241-440 yards.

There are certain eligibility requirements the Pharaoh must meet before they can enter these racing events. They have to be at least one year old on the day of the race. They also have to be a purebred Pharaoh. Many dogs that are one year old are not physically mature enough to race, so each dog should be treated individually.

There are three different programs in the racing events. The Pharaoh, or any dog that races, has to race three times in each individual race for a total of nine races. The hound dogs are divided into groups depending on their breed. They only race against dogs of their own breed (Pharaohs against other Pharaohs, greyhounds vs. greyhounds, etc.). They next criterion is the racing experience they each possess. Beginners only compete against beginners, faster dogs vs. faster dogs, etc. The racing experience they have is called a "grade" and each dog is given a grade, based on their experience level in that particular type of race. If the dog has never raced, he is called a "FTE" or First Time Entered house, and is put in the group for the slower hounds, until he proves himself otherwise.

In order for the dog to compete, there must be someone for him to race against; so many friends come together with their dogs, so they are eligible. You can't just bring one dog and expect to race. The dogs must be muzzled and wear blankets with their number.

The dogs are let out of racing box, much like you see in horseracing. They have to chase a drag lure, which is a white plastic bag on a line that is hooked to a motorized wheel. They chase this lure the entire race. The dogs that are the fastest at this event get the highest scores. When they all have their scores, they are regrouped into their prospective categories (fast vs. fast, etc.). The highest goal is for the dog to get a Racing Champion title.

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