Boston & District Canine Society

Boston DCS Championship Show 5 January 2019 – Whippets

Judge: Dr Jim Scholes (Craigavad)

I enjoyed judging at this well organised show. I thank the exhibitors for providing a good entry in terms of numbers and overall quality, especially in the higher classes; and I thank my excellent stewards for their cheerfulness and efficiency in keeping proceedings moving at a good pace throughout the day.

The general standard of presentation was excellent with coats well groomed, nails trimmed and teeth clean. Whippets are easy to prepare so I was disappointed that one or two weren’t so tidy and a few lacked muscle tone.

I was delighted with my winners and there was plenty of strength in depth in the entry. That said I am concerned that some exaggerations are becoming more prevalent and translating to faults, which mitigate against the breed’s basic functionality of being “built for speed and work”. It isn’t enough for a show whippet to catch the eye, it should display a potential functionality that combines power, strength and elegance in a balanced way.

My three main concerns were: some upright pasterns (which can lead to lameness in a running hound); over-angulation and poorly developed second thigh (affecting the ability to drive correctly from behind); and too much bone relative to the size and purpose of the whippet (it is a running hound and should be more akin to a racehorse than a shire horse).

Profile movement has improved significantly but there were some disappointments watching the exhibits coming and going. Problems ranged from plaiting, flicking wrists or going wide in front; through to really not driving from behind. In many, but not all, such cases these movement problems could be associated with the faults and exaggerations in conformation mentioned above.

My main winners were:

BOB and DCC Whitehead’s Ch Citycroft High Society JW

RDCC Yacoby-Wright’s Cobyco Standing Ovation

BCC Yacoby-Wright’s Cobyco Candy Crème

RBCC Howgate and Hull’s Palmik Misty Eve JW

BP Hawker’s Jothryn Future Legend With Mollytop

BSB Wignall’s Crosscop The Wonder Of You At Starswift

Minor Puppy Dog (9,0)

1. Head’s Demerlay Handsome Harry. Lovely fawn baby of 6 months who took a little while to settle but showed enough good movement to win the class. Nice size and very well balanced without exaggeration. Correct spring in pastern and enough muscle tone for this age. Beautifully presented.

2. Cuthbert’s Marvidara Be My Baby at Lunaire. A well balanced 7 month old fawn and white standing on good tight feet. A bit more of him than the winner so I hope he doesn’t grow on too much. Well shown and presented in good condition. Moved well.

3. Mycroft and Brown’s Shiny Sensations Wish Upon A Star With Supeta’s (Imp NLD).

Puppy Dog (9,3)

1. Hawker’s Jothryn Future Legend With Mollytop. Fawn with white points. A very well balanced youngster of 11 months with no exaggerations. Attractive head and expression, good reach of neck leading into well laid shoulders. A good bend of stifle and he used his hindquarters to effect as the best mover in the class. Shown well to be BPD and went on to BPIB. I understand he also achieved Hound Puppy Group 3. Well done.

2. Head’s Demerlay Handsome Harry.

3. Cuthbert’s Marvidara Be My Baby at Lunaire.

Junior Dog (7, 0)

1. Neale’s Runaround Starman At Stormalong JW. A well balanced 17 month fawn of correct proportions. Correct size with no exaggerations. Good feet and well let down hocks which helped him move true coming and going.

2. Howgate and Hull’s Palmik King Of Clubs JW. An eye catching white and dark brindle of 13 months. Very well-presented. Nice size and moved with good extension in front

3. Russell’s Lawrence Von Anluna’s To Arjuna (Imp DEU).

Yearling Dog (7,0)

1. Place’s Aarminias Luv The Way You Lie JW. Very well presented brindle with white points. Correct size and nicely balanced with no exaggerations. Well let down hocks and good muscle tone. Moved well to win this class.

2. Price’s Wheelspin Silver Shadow Among Silkdance JW. Fawn. Up to size but lovely quality and balance. Typical head and expression. Good bend of stifle.

3. Dennis-Smith’s Nuit D’ete Des Plaines Des Bruyeres At Brynnsimeion (Imp FRA)

Graduate Dog (6,1)

1. Hawker’s Jothryn Future Legend With Mollytop.

2. Shaw’s Supeta’s Speciality. A well proportioned fawn. Attractive head and expression. Good arch over loin. Shown to advantage and moved well.

3. Webber’s Zoraden Paint It Black.

Post Graduate Dog (7, 0)

1. Cox’s Elmanash Express. Pale fawn and white points. Correct size and well balanced without exaggerations. Attractive head, good neck leading to well laid shoulders. Correct arch over loin. Moved and presented well.

2. Rishworth’s Kierpark With Or Without You. Well presented dark fawn with white points. Seemed a little unsettled on the day but nice size and moved well.

3. Leathart and Skelley’s Ringmore Dalrymple.

Limit Dog (23,6)

1. Hawker’s Mollytop Dream Maker JW. Quality fawn of correct size with classic head and expression. Well balanced with no exaggeration. Well laid shoulders and a pleasing topline but would benefit from a little less weight in order to show off his muscle tone and underline to better advantage. Moved well to win a strong class.

2. Ellis’s Railfield Lone Ranger JW. Another quality fawn, just a shade taller and scopier than the winner. Good reach of neck leading to well laid shoulders and correct spring of pastern completing a good front assembly. Showed well.

3. Head’s Demerlay Snowy Owl.

Open Dog (13,2)

1. Whitehead’s Ch Citycroft High Society JW. A pleasure to go over this lovely fawn with white markings. Unmistakably masculine without being coarse he has an appealing head and expression with good ears. Correct size and well balanced with good bone, length and depth to a well sprung ribcage. Expertly presented and moved effortlessly with drive and reach to win a really good class. Delighted to award him DCC, his 10th I later learned, and BOB. I was pleased to hear he was also shortlisted in the Hound Group.

2. Yacoby-Wright’s Cobyco Standing Ovation. Pale brindle with white points, a different type to winner this was another well-balanced hound which is correctly proportioned without exaggeration. Good neck and nice outline with correct arch over loin. Well presented in top condition and excellent movement which earned him RDCC.

3. Russell’s Palmik Depeche Mode At Arjuna.

Veteran Dog (3,1)

1. Russell’s Glantam Shooting Star. Fawn with white points this 7 ½ year old quality dog looked and performed younger than his years. Pleasing topline with correct arch over loin. Well balanced with correct bone. In excellent condition, moved and presented well.

2. Grisoli and Bowyer’s Loroli Jump To The Beat. Brindle with white markings another 7 ½ year old who belies his years. Attractive head and expression. Well bodied with depth and good spring of ribs. Good feet. Presented and showed very well.

Special Beginners Dog (7,2)

1. Allansson Runesson and MacDonald’s Nattah Echo In The Mist Over Macalldon. Lovely unexaggerated dark fawn with white points. Presented in excellent coat. Good outline and correct size he moved and showed very well.

2. Anderson’s Gazenorth Secret Service. Quality fawn with lovely head and expression. Well laid shoulders and good muscle tone. Not quite as settled as the winner on the move.

3. Royle and Fricke’s Chiendetom Andante.

Good Citizen Dog/Bitch (3,2)

1. Leathart and Skelley’s Ringmore Dalrymple. Quality fawn dog who was 3rd in Postgraduate. Correct size and well balanced with no exaggerations. He was more settled on the move in this class and although he stood alone well deserved his card.

Minor Puppy Bitch (10,3)

1. Green’s Supeta’s Tell The World. Fawn brindle with white points. Her relative maturity at 9 months helped her win this class of very nice babies. She has a lovely feminine head leading to good reach of neck. Well balanced with just enough length and depth of brisket at this stage. Expertly handled, she moved steadily and well. Delighted to award her BPB.

2. Head’s Demerlay Magical Mitzi. Fawn with white points. Very much a baby at 6 months she stood well, showing a nice outline with good depth and enough bone. Pleasing head, neck and shoulders but not quite as settled as winner on the move.

3. Wilson’s Edenwhip Grange Fell At Willowash.

Puppy Bitch (9, 0)

1. Jones’s Jothryn Blondes Av More Fun. Red fawn with white points. Well balanced and quite mature at 11 months. Pleasing outline with good spring of rib and correct arch over loin. Well knuckled feet and enough spring in pastern. Nicely handled and moved well.

2. Bird’s Blandings Eyes On The Prize. Pale brindle of 9 months. A promising youngster with lovely make and shape. Attractive head and expression. Good depth of brisket and nice feet. Showed and moved well.

3. Hawker’s Rosedale Lady At Mollytop.

Junior Bitch (12,2)

1. Howgate and Hull’s Palmik Queen Of Diamonds JW. Beautifully presented brindle and white of 13 months. Nice size and well laid shoulders. Good topline and well knuckled feet. Showed good extension on the move.

2. Osborne’s Florancy Above And Beyond Derohan. Brindle and white of 16 months. Pushed the winner hard. Well balanced and pleasing outline without exaggeration. Well laid shoulders. Showed very well.

3. Wignall’s Crosscop The Wonder Of You At Starswift.

Yearling Bitch (9,3)

1. Morris, Waddell, and Mycroft’s Crosscop Let It Shine for Supeta JW. Well presented in top condition, a quality fawn with white points. Correct size and very well balanced with pleasing outline, just enough spring of pastern and well ribbed. Moved with purpose and drive to win this tough class.

2. Osborne’s Florancy Above And Beyond Derohan.

3. Lain and Alexander’s Lolani Tennessee Honey.

Graduate Bitch (9,1)

1. Osborne’s Florancy Above And Beyond Derohan.

2. Jones’s Jothryn Blondes Av More Fun.

3. Johnston and Wilson’s Cyangrange My Cuppa Tea.

Post Graduate Bitch (10,1)

1. Brown’s Ardencote Sweet Destiny For Bluestreak. Fawn and white. Correct size and well balanced. Standing true without exaggerations and just the right amount of bone. Lovely feminine head and expression. Well presented and moved with purpose.

2. Wilkinson’s Citycroft Starfall JW. A beautifully conditioned fawn. More scopey than the winner. Correct spring of pastern and good muscle tone. Moved well.

3. Meakin’s Oakbark Little Mix.

Limit Bitch (20,6)

1. Green and Place’s Collooney Hells Angel of Brochinbelle JW ShCM. Beautifully presented, a free moving brindle with a nice outline, super neck and correctly muscled second thigh which helped her drive around the ring. Caught the eye and pressed hard in the challenge.

2. Julian’s Blondessa Be Happy JW. Quality fawn with lovely head and expression. More compact type than winner. Very well balanced without exaggeration. On the day she didn’t quite extend as well as the winner on the move but she is a super bitch.

3. Home and Fisher-Home’s Citycroft My Fair Lady Of Jasarat JW ShCM.

Open Bitch (10, 3)

1. Yacoby-Wright’s Cobyco Candy Crème. Pale fawn expertly presented in lovely condition to win this top quality class. Pleasing outline and well-balanced proportions without exaggeration. Typical head and expression leading to good neck and well laid shoulders. Good bend of stifle leading to nice low hocks used to advantage as she moved flawlessly around the ring. Pleased to award her the BCC.

2. Howgate and Hull’s Palmik Misty Eve JW. Another well presented pale fawn that pressed the winner hard. Lovely feminine head and expression, good reach of neck and well laid shoulders. Moved very well with good extension which earned her the RBCC against strong competition.

3. Green and Place’s Ch Collooney Queen of Dragons With Brochinbelle JW ShCM.

Veteran Bitch (4,0)

1. Grisoli’s Ch Loroli Let’s Boogie. Lovely brindle and white of 8 ½ years. Nice size with pleasing outline, good spring of pastern and well knuckled feet. Presented in lovely condition and her excellent movement belies her age. A worthy champion.

2. Chappell’s Blueflight Rainbows Quest. Brindle and white also 8 ½ years like the winner. Good neck and depth, nice feet. Immaculately presented and moved very well.

3. Wilson’s Demerlay First Kiss For Hamiltonhill.

Special Beginners Bitch (3,0)

1. Wignall’s Crosscop The Wonder Of You At Starswift. Well balanced fawn with pleasing head, neck and arch over loin. Third in Junior. Well handled and presented in good condition she moved very well to win the class and later BSB.

2. Richardson’s Lewcher Take A Bow. Fawn and white immaculately presented. Nice outline and sufficient spring in pastern. Good head and neck. A pity she was a bit unsettled on the move.

3. Goff’s Pagarni’s Imitation Game.