The "Oban" Prefix

OUR RACING PREFIX: "OBAN"

The West Highland town of Oban lies in a very pretty position on the Firth of Lorn with the green islands of Lismore and Kerrera offshore and the bulk of Mull rising behind. The spot has long been appreciated as a safe anchorage and usually bristles with yacht masts; it is also the terminal for ferries to Mull and other islands. Oban’s antiquity as a place of settlement is vividly expressed by its being the type-site in world archaeology of the Mesolithic Obanian culture. Worked stone implements, perhaps from as long ago as 4500 BC, were found here and indeed part of the discovery was made in a rock-shelter that was exposed during extension work in the Oban distillery yard. The Colosseum-like McCaig’s Tower sits on a cliff above the town like a giant tiara. It is an excellent reference point for anyone seeking the distillery which lies immediately below.

Boswell and Johnson found a ‘tolerable inn’ when they visited Oban during their 1773 Highland jaunt; perhaps they were luckier than they realised, considering it was still no more than a fishing hamlet at the time. Sir Walter Scott passed through in 1814 and Mendelssohn in 1829 on his way to see Fingal’s Cave on Staffa.

The distillery at Oban was founded in 1794 by the local Stevenson brothers who had been involved to some degree in the creation of the fishing port of Tobermory on Mull. The date makes Oban one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland, and it pre-dates the town which came to take shape around it. The first licence dates from 1797 but expired the following year despite a House of Commons report describing the distillery as one of the best equipped in the Highlands. For the next 20 years, the industrious Stevensons turned their attention to other matters. They were in the throes of developing Oban from the small fishing village it had been, and owned ship-building, slate-quarrying and house-building businesses.

The distillery was revived in 1818 and run by the Stevensons until the 1850s. A later owner rebuilt it in 1884, no doubt planning to capitalise on the faster transport to Glasgow and other large markets afforded by the railway, which had come to Oban town in 1880. It was during blasting operations in the cliff bounding the yard at the rear that a cave was revealed that had been used by Mesolithic settlers. Bones and stone tools were found, which are now in the National Antiquities Museum in Edinburgh. The site was sealed up following excavation. DCL bought the distillery in 1930 and had two periods of non-production – 1931 to 1937 and 1969 to 1972. During the latter closure the still house was rebuilt.

The distillery is set back from the harbour promenade in the heart of Oban town. The sea used to come right up to the door. What was originally the Stevensons’ family house was eventually converted into offices. The sitting room had a peep-hole door which enabled checks to be made at any time on work in progress in the adjacent still house. At the start of World War II, the distillery men signed up to go to sea in the room that is now the manager’s office; some of them were only 14 years old. The floor maltings closed in 1968 although it is still in place and listed as a historic building.

The still house was rebuilt in 1972 but the single pair of stills was not added to, although the heating method was converted from coal to steam. The stills are rather broad-necked in comparison to the longer, slimmer-necked stills seen in many other distilleries. Worm condensers are now quite rare in Scottish distilleries and the rectangular double worm-tub at Oban may well be unique. Oban’s style is not over-robust but it is certainly long-lived. A Manchester merchant opened a bottle distilled at the end of the 19th century and reported the whisky as having a ‘soft and fragrant nose’. Despite the belief that own-label whiskies are the creation of modern supermarket chains, the idea has long been in place in Scotland. Licensed grocers all over the country liked the cachet of having their very own brands and McKercher’s of Oban sold single malt from the distillery under the Glenforsa brand name when it was hardly obtainable anywhere else.

Kennel History

Both     Wendy & Gardner Hamilton have extensive experience in greyhound racing     and breeding. Gardner was born in Scotland and has been raised racing     greyhounds at the Scottish tracks. His grandfather and father both "flapped"     the dogs in Scotland. (Another term for handicapped racing with 'staggered'     starting boxes).  

   

Together, they have visited several National Greyhound Association auctions in Abilene,     Kansas and decided to enter the American greyhound industry by purchasing     their first greyhound, D's Black Magic with Buddy Scitern from C&C Greyhound Farm  in Texas.

   

 

Stonehaven Racing Greyhounds, Inc. was formed to manage the     greyhound investments. They have both had a fantastic time racing greyhounds, and by winning numerous races in Ireland, US and Scotland  including the Christmas Handicap (Corbiewood), Armadale Track Championship and the Pitman's Derby. (plus a few opens) 

 

  

Stonehaven Racing Greyhounds, Inc. only breeds 2-3 litters per year, and chooses quality over quantity.

 

   

       

Wendy's other  involvements include web development for several greyhound-related websites  through Stonehaven and Co-Founder of GlobalGreyhounds.com (the world's largest online greyhound racing   community). She also developed the greyhound pedigree database for TesioPower 2000 for Greyhounds. This is an advanced pedigree research tool that utilizes the theories of Federico Tesio's line-breeding guidelines. Wendy has been a member of the National Greyhound Association since 1998 and is co-founder ofthe Greyhound Racing  Association of America where she serves as Secretary and Treasurer.

       

Greyhound welfare is of utmost importance to Stonehaven Racing Greyhounds, Inc. The greyhounds  are adopted into loving homes upon retirement and financing is ensured for the adoption groups. Stonehaven Racing Greyhounds, Inc. encourages all other owners in greyhound racing to be as responsible as they are -- to ensure that their greyhounds are placed into loving homes by utilizing the GRA/America Adoption Directory.

       

   

 

           

       

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    OUR RACING PREFIX: "OBAN"

The West Highland town of Oban lies in a very     pretty position on the Firth of Lorn with the green islands of Lismore and     Kerrera offshore and the bulk of Mull rising behind. The spot has long been     appreciated as a safe anchorage and usually bristles with yacht masts; it is     also the terminal for ferries to Mull and other islands. Oban’s antiquity as     a place of settlement is vividly expressed by its being the type-site in     world archaeology of the Mesolithic Obanian culture. Worked stone     implements, perhaps from as long ago as 4500 BC, were found here and indeed     part of the discovery was made in a rock-shelter that was exposed during     extension work in the Oban distillery yard. The Colosseum-like McCaig’s     Tower sits on a cliff above the town like a giant tiara. It is an excellent     reference point for anyone seeking the distillery which lies immediately     below.

Boswell and Johnson found a ‘tolerable inn’     when they visited Oban during their 1773 Highland jaunt; perhaps they were     luckier than they realised, considering it was still no more than a fishing     hamlet at the time. Sir Walter Scott passed through in 1814 and Mendelssohn     in 1829 on his way to see Fingal’s Cave on Staffa.

       

The distillery at Oban was founded in 1794 by     the local Stevenson brothers who had been involved to some degree in the     creation of the fishing port of Tobermory on Mull. The date makes Oban one     of the oldest distilleries in Scotland, and it pre-dates the town which came     to take shape around it. The first licence dates from 1797 but expired the     following year despite a House of Commons report describing the distillery     as one of the best equipped in the Highlands. For the next 20 years, the     industrious Stevensons turned their attention to other matters. They were in     the throes of developing Oban from the small fishing village it had been,     and owned ship-building, slate-quarrying and house-building businesses.

The distillery was revived in 1818 and run by     the Stevensons until the 1850s. A later owner rebuilt it in 1884, no doubt     planning to capitalise on the faster transport to Glasgow and other large     markets afforded by the railway, which had come to Oban town in 1880. It was     during blasting operations in the cliff bounding the yard at the rear that a     cave was revealed that had been used by Mesolithic settlers. Bones and stone     tools were found, which are now in the National Antiquities Museum in     Edinburgh. The site was sealed up following excavation. DCL bought the     distillery in 1930 and had two periods of non-production – 1931 to 1937 and     1969 to 1972. During the latter closure the still house was rebuilt.

The distillery is set back from the harbour     promenade in the heart of Oban town. The sea used to come right up to the     door. What was originally the Stevensons’ family house was eventually     converted into offices. The sitting room had a peep-hole door which enabled     checks to be made at any time on work in progress in the adjacent still     house. At the start of World War II, the distillery men signed up to go to     sea in the room that is now the manager’s office; some of them were only 14     years old. The floor maltings closed in 1968 although it is still in place     and listed as a historic building.

The still house was rebuilt in 1972 but the     single pair of stills was not added to, although the heating method was     converted from coal to steam. The stills are rather broad-necked in     comparison to the longer, slimmer-necked stills seen in many other     distilleries. Worm condensers are     now quite rare in Scottish distilleries and the rectangular double     worm-tub at Oban may well be     unique. Oban’s style is not over-robust but it is certainly long-lived. A     Manchester merchant opened a bottle distilled at the end of the 19th century     and reported the whisky as having a ‘soft and fragrant nose’. Despite the     belief that own-label whiskies are the creation of modern supermarket     chains, the idea has long been in place in Scotland. Licensed grocers all     over the country liked the cachet of having their very own brands and     McKercher’s of Oban sold single malt from the distillery under the Glenforsa     brand name when it was hardly obtainable anywhere else.