South Yorkshire Whippet Club

I would like to start by thanking the hard working committee of South Yorkshire Whippet Club for inviting me to judge dogs at their Ruby Anniversary show. This club has and will always hold a very special place in my heart being my home club and also due to two particular people who were greatly missed at this year’s show, Nev and Edith Newton – I owe so much to these two amazing people. They took me under their wing from a very young age, encouraged me and taught me so much about this beautiful breed and moulded me into the person I am today, as a breeder, a handler and a judge. I know they were both there watching in spirit. The committee held a fantastic day with cake, wine, tea & coffee for all and the show ran perfectly. Thank you to my wonderful stewards for keeping my ring running smoothly and finally thank you to the exhibitors for entering under me – without you there is no show!

I was very pleased with my entry and the quality of the exhibits which turned up. We've still got a long way to go in correcting and eradicating some faults within the breed however I think the breed is in a pretty good place right now!

Veteran Dog (7, 0) What a lovely class of old boys! 1st: Hooper's Ch Freehamlet Perfick Piers. 8 year old silver brindle dog who still looks absolutely cracking for his age. He has the most handsome of heads, dark eye, correct bite and tight rose ears. Strong neck in good lay of shoulder and correct front angles, good depth and fill with straight front and good feet. Body flows under hand into his strong and powerful rear. He is so shapely and just floats around the ring. He featured highly for the RCC today – just love him. BVD & on the referee's decision BVIS. Well done! 2nd: Wayman's Cobyco Chasing Stars At Scarletfair JW. Fawn and white parti boy of 8 years, another of my favourites. Gorgeous head and expression, dark eye, correct bite and good ears. Long elegant neck into well laid shoulders. Good depth of chest just not quite the fill of 1, correct front angles, good feet and well sprung pasterns. Curvy topline and underline flowing into his rear quarters. Another who floats around the ring with ease, but standing was really giving his handler a tough time today! However I do love a naughty veteran! 3rd: Winup's Dalzeah's Winter Melody Cum Rogansrock.

Minor Puppy Dog (4, 0) All these puppies were lovely but all at different development stages which made this class difficult to judge! 1st: Ellis's Railfield Rainon My Parade. Deep red fawn and white parti boy just 6 months old who appealed to the eye very much for his overall shape and make. He has the most handsome head, beautiful expression with the darkest of pigment and eye. Correct bite and lovely rose ears which he held tight (quite rare in a baby puppy). Elegant yet strong neck into good shoulders, correct front angles and good depth and fill in front for his age. Straight legs with correct bladed bone, and good feet and well sprung pasterns. Covers the ground well when stood with a flowing curvy topline into well angulated rear quarters and strong hocks. His muscle needs time to develop to strengthen his rear but it is as expected for his age. His movement astounded me as he is so sound for one so young! Even when he was being difficult he placed his feet so accurately and with purpose. Sound from all angles, I could not deny him BPD! In the challenge for BP he just lost out of maturity to the bitch to win RBPIS. 2nd: Allen's Zoraden A Question Answered. Lovely fawn and white parti boy of almost 7 months. Another puppy full of promise, many of the same attributes apply as 1st. Handsome head with sweet expression, however I would prefer a slightly darker eye. Correct bite and tight rose ear. Long

neck into good shoulders, correct front angles, enough depth and fill in front for his age, straight front, sprung pasterns and good feet. Curvy topline flowing into his rear, but at this stage in his growth he is lacking a little in rear angulation which at times makes him appear high over his rear especially on the move, however I did see him relax into his knee as the class went on which was apparent on the final move round. A very sound puppy nonetheless and I predict he will be a force to be reckoned with in time. 3rd: Livsey's Bryntreia Sea Of Love.

Puppy Dog (4, 0) 1st: Dillon & Bailey's Stonfox Ice Pick Willy At Runforest. 8 month old red brindle with white trim. Built on a bigger frame but still a stylish and eye catching puppy. He has the handsomest of heads, the darkest of pigment and eyes, correct bite and the most melting expression. He has a strong neck into good shoulders, good front angles, good depth and fill and a pleasing front with sprung pasterns. He has a good top and underline into strong rear quarters allowing him to power around the ring. Sound from all angles with good reach and drive, handler needs to stop over stretching him as it spoils his topline. When it came to the challenge for BPD I just preferred the flow from croup to rear on my MPD winner. 2nd: Rankine's Collooney Drag Queen For Chapleigh. Nearly 12 month old red brindle boy, he has a masculine head, dark pigment and eye, correct bite and good ears. Strong neck into good shoulders, good front angles with well filled front and great depth. Legs straight with bladed bone, good feet and well sprung pasterns. Good topline flowing into strong rear quarters, he is a little longer cast than 1 in body so not quite the curves and a little more exagerated than I would like behind, however he does move sound and freely in all directions. 3rd: Webb's Crosscop Shadow Dancing.

Junior Dog (9, 0) 1st: Wilton-Clark's Shalfleet Heatwave. Almost 16 month old fawn brindle and white parti boy. He has the most stunning of heads, dark pigment and eyes, correct bite, melting expression and perfect rose ears. Long flowing neck into the best of shoulders, correct front angles, pleasing depth and fill in forechest and ribs are well sprung. Straight front with beautifully bladed bone, well sprung pasterns and good feet. His topline and underline flow under hand into his strong rear quarters, with good 2nd thigh and strong hocks. He moves effortlessy around the ring and is sound from all angles. His coat is like silk! I have watched him grow from a puppy and it is great to see him finally meeting his potential. Considered highly for the RCC. 2nd: Ainscough’s Kidaruka Mother Of Mercy. 13 month old fawn boy built on a larger frame than 1 however still impressive. He has a handsome head and expression, correct bite and good ears. Strong neck into good shoulders with correct front angles. Well filled front, straight legs and good feet and pasterns, flowing topline into strong rear angles, moved sound from all angles however did not meet the reach and drive of 1 today. 3rd: Neale's Runaround Jazz Singer At Stromalong.

Yearling Dog (6, 1a) 1st: Howgate & Hull's Palmik King Of Clubs JW. Black brindle and white parti boy of 22 months. Handsome head, lovely dark pigment and eyes, correct bite and tight rose ears. Good neck into good shoulders, personally I would prefer a better return of upper arm, pleasing depth and fill in front into straight front, good feet and well sprung pasterns. He has the correct bladed bone, a flowing topline into strong rear quarters and strong hocks and presents a balanced picture when stood. He is very sound from all angles I would just prefer a little more reach in front and drive from behind in profile. 2nd: Halbert's Marimay Harry's Game. Red brindle boy of 19 months, built on a bigger frame than 1. The most handsome of heads, dark pigment and eye, correct bite and good ears. Strong neck into good shoulders, again I would prefer a better return of upper arm, pleasing depth and fill, straight

front with bladed bone, good feet, I would prefer more spring of pastern. Pleasing outline which fills the eye, curvy top and underline into strong rear quarters. He moves soundly with accurate footfall but when moved too quickly he can tend to high step in front which was the case today. 3rd: Richard's Richclass Run For Cover.

Graduate Dog (3, 0) 1st: Wood's Ardencote What A Rogue. The most attractive fawn and white parti dog of 13 months. Appealing outline and very balanced, handled very well by his handler as he was giving her a hard time. The most attractive of heads, dark eye and pigment, melting expression, correct bite and rose shape ears. Strong neck into good shoulders, good return of upper arm, well filled in front with good depth and ribs well sprung. Straight front and neat feet, would prefer a little more spring in his pasterns. Shapely boy both in top and underline into super rear quarters which allows him to drive around the ring. He is sound to and from but had a tendancy to pull his handler making him look a little erratic in front. In time once he has found his own pace this will settle for sure. 2nd: Daniel's & Bridgman-Lewis's Elmanash Glenburgie. Fawn boy of 2 years, a taller boy than 1st, nice head, dark eye, correct bite, and OK ears. Long elegant neck, steeper shoulder than I would like and in turn lacking in return of upper arm. Needs more depth and fill for me, straight front, neat feet and well sprung pasterns. He is ultra curvy in top and underline and covers good ground. His body flows into lovely rear angulation and good hocks. Moved well coming and going and sound in profile. 3rd: Cottrell's Blackstem Be True To Me.

Post Graduate Dog (9, 0) 1st: Wilton-Clark's Aaniston Celelbrity News At Shalfleet (Swed Imp). 21 month old fawn dog. He has a very handsome and attractive head, the darkest of eyes and pigment, correct bite and good ears. Strong long neck into well laid shoulders. Correct front angles with good return of upperarm. Very well filled front and plenty of depth in forechest, ribs wells sprung, elbows tucked well in, straight front and good feet with well sprung pasterns. His body just flows into his rear creating the perfect balanced picture, strong in loin and holds his topline well on the move. Sound from all angles. 2nd: Cahill & Timberlake's Enolacans Antonio Banderas at Chipperlake (Imp) JW. Another lovely boy, pale fawn of 2 years. This dog is really attractive and takes your eye immediately, handsome head, eye a little lighter than I would like, correct bite and tight rose ears. Long elegant neck, good shoulders but I would prefer a better return of upperarm and more depth and fill in front. Well sprung ribs, straight front, neat feet and well sprung pasterns, curvy top and underline, flowing into his super rear quarters. Moves so soundly from all angles, I just preferred the front angles and depth of 1st today. 3rd: Wood's Ardencote Dating Destiny.

Mid Limit Dog (11, 2a) 1st: Neale's Runaround Starman At Stormalong JW. What an attractive boy this is. Fawn and white trim, with the most beautiful head, dark eye and sweet expression, correct bite and tight rose ears. His long elegant neck flows into beautiful shoulders, correct front angles and well sprung ribs. Good depth and fill, straight in front with correct bladed bone, well sprung pasterns and good feet. He is ultra curvy in top and underline, strong loin, well tucked up and flows into his rear quarters. He is very sound from all angles, I would just prefer more reach and drive. However he is what I call an honest whippet. 2nd: Place & Halliday's Aarminias Luv The Way You Lie JW. This brindle and a white trim boy is so pleasing to the eye when stood. He is the perfect blend of elegance and masculinity. He has the most beautiful head, with the darkest of eyes and sweet expression. Correct bite and tight rose ears. Strong elegant neck into well laid shoulders, I would prefer a better return of upper arm. He has good depth and is well filled in front and his ribs are well sprung. Straight front, neat feet and well

sprung pasterns. His topline and underline just flow into his rear and he covers good ground. Strong rear quarters with good strong hocks. He is very sound from all angles but the same as 1st he was lacking reach and drive for me today, when it came to deciding between 1st and 2nd I just preferred the front angles of 1st. 3rd: Creme Anglaise's One More Knight At Scarletfair (Imp NLD).

Limit Dog (6, 0)) 1st: Wayman's Speymalt Northern Star JW. Fawn and white parti dog who I judged as a baby puppy at my first club show appointment and now at 5 years old he still knows how to strut his stuff. The handsomest of heads, dark eyes, correct bite and good ears. Long flowing neck into the best of shoulders and superb front angles, straight front with correct bladed bone, well sprung pasterns and neat feet. 'Curvy' is the word I wrote in my notes and that he is! You really have got to look past his markings when asessing his body as they are very deceiving. Under hand he flows beautifully into his rear angles and strong hocks. However, moving is where he impresses. Although steadier now an older boy he is so free and easy from all angles with accurate footfall, he just floats around the ring. He is a joy to watch. Thank you for bringing him back under me. 2nd: Clewe's Cyangrange Latino Lustre At Shardbeck. Beautiful red fawn boy, stronger frame than 1st, Lovely head, dark eye and pigment, correct bite with tight rose ears, neck could be longer, good shoulders with correct front angles, super front fill and depth, elbows tucked well under, straight front and neat feet although I would like more spring of pastern. Good topline and underline with strong loin, covers the ground well, body flows into his rear quarters. Moved soundly from all angles. 3rd: Ellis's Railfield Rainmaster JW.

Open Dog (8, 0) WOW – What a class. I really wish I’d got more red cards to give out as this class blew me away. Some super dogs in here went unplaced but thank you for bringing them under me. 1st: Poole's Crosscop No Matter What. This dog is the epitome of a Whippet male for me. He is so curvy and oozes quality. You only have to look in his direction and he screams quality! He has the most beautful head, darkest of eyes and pigment (especially for a fawn), melting expression, correct bite and tight rose ears held beautifully when alert. Strong, long elegant neck into beautful shoulders and front angles. He has a well filled front with plenty of depth, good spring of rib and tightly tucked elbows. Straight front, with neat feet and sprung pasterns. His body curves and flows both in top and underline and covers plenty of ground creating a balanced picture. He has a strong loin and croup which flows under hand into his strong rear angles which are in no way exagurated with good strong hocks. His coat is like silk. His movement is text book, he has great freedom of action with long and easy strides, throwing his forelegs forward and low over the groud and his rear giving him great propelling power, enabling him to float effortlessly around the ring. I could not deny him the class and later I awarded him my first CC and to my delight his 3rd and crowning CC – congratulations! He was later BIS under the referee's decision. 2nd: Marston-Pollock's Ch Falconcrag Another Class. Another beautiful pale fawn male who just screams Whippet when you see him. He oozes quality and type and many of the same attributes I have written for 1st applies to this boy. Right up my street! Stunning head, darkest of pigment and eye, correct bite and tight rose ears, long strong elegant neck into well laid shoulders and correct front angles. Well filled front with good depth, straight front with good feet and sprung pasterns, curvy all through into his strong rear angles and good hocks. Your hands just glide over him. He is in tip top condition and is so sound on the move from all angles, again throwing his forelegs forwards and propelling from behind allowing him to float around the ring. When it came to deciding between these two boys I just preferred the length in body of my CC winner. Delighted to award him the RCC, and later he was RBIS under the referee! Well done! 3rd: Tope's Ch Falconcrag Class Act For Dewerstone JW ShCM. Brother to 2nd and another beautiful male, making up a stunning trio.