National Whippet Association

National Whippet Association (morning show) 1 February 2020 

Many thanks to the Committee of this friendly society for the invitation to judge this super show which ran like clockwork; and especially to the exhibitors for the honour of allowing me to go over your hounds, and for accepting my decisions with universal good grace. 

It was a good entry numerically and there was much quality present. I was looking for a curvy, elegant but scopy Whippet with correct forehand construction and balanced angulation, and I found many such hounds;  one thing that concerned me a little was the (small) number of hounds with a straight upper arm, front set too far forward and with insufficient fill.  These were by no means in the majority but it is something to be watched, likewise the free low stride in profile was not universal, though movement as a whole was quite good and my winners were excellent. Presentation and temperament were extremely good. 

MPD (3) 1 Shalfleet Toy Story, striking 6 months br/w; lean masculine head, forward for his age with excellent depth and fill, well-balanced forehand with tight feet and good spring of pastern, curvy underline, strong loin of good length, well muscled rear and he moved with freedom and soundness, very impressive for one so young; most promising; RBD, BPD & BPIS. 2, Collooney the Big Tease, brindle, another very promising baby with a very appealing scopy outline; well-balanced angulation, plenty of fill for age,  tight feet, well let-down hocks, lovely feet, topped off with a pleasing masculine head, not quite as mature in body as 1 but a lovely type; 3, Back to the Future. 

PD (5, 1 absent) 1, Railfield Rainomen for Silkdance, red fawn, in excellent show condiiton, fit but not muscle-bound; good front and shoulder, firm topline kept on the move, clean coming at me and plenty of drive behind, looks as if he could do a day’s work; 2, Jasarat Gucci, w/f, good length of neck into correct shoulder, strong rear with good muscle tone, stands over plenty of ground. 3,  Stonefox Mean Mr Mustard. 

JD (2, 1) 1, Ronchanelli Dazling Deni, brindle, up to size, nice strong rear with correct fallaway, held topline well, tight feet. Rather narrow in front as yet, and untidy coming at me 

YD (6,1) 1, Dejare Follow That Dream, very appealing fawn with excellent all-round conformation, matching angles front and rear, good feet and spring of pastern, curvy topline, moving very well when settled; could carry a little more flesh; 2, Maidenbower Maverick at Copperhawk, fawn with moderate well-balanced angulation, good topline and fallaway, tight feet and springy pasterns, moved OK, would like a touch more depth of brisket; 3, Westwood Prince Liam. 

ND (1), J Gucci. 

Spec Beg D (3) 1, Jasarat Salted Caramel at Macalldon JW, b/f/w, this fellow is maturing into a very handsome Whippet, masculine but still elegant, well constructed both ends, plenty of depth and well ribbed up, strong loin and well-muscled, he moves cleanly going away and a nice low stride in profile. Just wouldn’t want him any bigger; 2, Courtbirch Wind of Change for Nattah, fawn with white trim, not being very co-operative today, dropping into his front; but he has a very pleasing outline with plenty of scope and curves, lean musculature, a nice type who should have better days; 3, Evaluna Black Orchid. 

PGD (3) 1, Nattah Echo in the Mist over Macalldon, blue, standard size with a very attractive head and expression, fine rose ear, very curvy and elegant with a strong rear, good front and feet, very nice in profile with easy free stride and lots of drive behind, just flicking his near fore pastern; 2, Dejare Would You Believe at Zeglynn ShCM, fawn, very nice head, long neck, good topline, broad well-muscled thigh, good feet and pasterns, a touch straight in upper arm; 3, Huntinghill Jazz Magician at Chrispan. 

LD (4) 1, Wheelspin Silver Shadow among Silkdance JW, this very correct fawn really needs hands on to appreciate as he is not flashy and is rather keen on hiding his light under a bushel. Pleasing head, well-balanced front to rear, good depth and spring of brisket, pleasing curves to both topline and underline, really sound and clean out and back, moving well enough in profile;  2, Dejare Dutch Coin, f/w, substantial masculine dog standing over a lot of ground, good neck and shoulder placement, well ribbed-up, in fit condition, moves nicely, would just like his tail set in a tad lower. 3, Gazenorth Secret Service. 

OD (8,2) 1, Citycroft Sundae with Oxana JW ShCM ShCEx, I have watched this boy mature from promising puppy through to titled adult and have been privileged to go over him several times. Now fully mature, he has such an eye-filling outline, stands over a lot of ground with his excellent balanced angulation and good length of ribbing, strong loin, gentle expression, very elegant all through without losing masculinity, clean daisycutting action, one to be proud of. BD, BOS & RBIS; 2, Shalfleet Heatwave JW, br/w with a great deal to like, lovely head and expression, very good front and fill, well ribbed back and with a good strong wide thigh and well let-down hocks, strong clean rear action, neat in front, just flattening out his topline a little on the move; 3, Richclass King of Kings. 

Racing/Coursing D (5) 1, Derohan Viking Flagship, silver brindle of 8 years,  very nice head,  good return of upper arm with plenty of forechest and well-placed elbows, good depth of chest and spring of rib, curvy well-muscled rear, moved very well; 2, Zoraden Paint it Black, red brindle, good topline and fallaway, strong loin, stands over good ground behind with good width of second thigh, would like a touch more forehand angulation to match his rear; 3, Nattah Silver Lining. 

VD ( 4) 1, D Viking Flagship; 2, Veredon Vanilla Sunset, fawn in excellent shape for his age, well constructed all through and plenty of scope, nicely balanced and smooth action; 3, Lelaps Expelliarmus. 

VB (5,1)  Lovely class. 1, Blandings Treacle Tart ShCM, silver brindle, what a lovely mature lady, beautiful head and expression with lovely little ears, long neck into excellent front, so very elegant, feminine and stylish, beautifully balanced and stands over a lot of ground, the lightest of clean free movement, well deserved RBB & BVIS; 2, Derohan Pour Moi JW, another very typy girl, lots of quality, sound with a super front and fill, plenty of scope and with topline kept well on the move; 3, Deljorhea Dream Racer at Nattah. 

MPB (4,1) 1, Shalfleet Bridget Jones, red brindle, delightful feminine baby with a super head and front, very good for size yet with plenty of scope resulting from her correct angles and strong loin, not as mature physically or mentally as her brother but full of promise; I liked her a great deal. BPB; 2, Brochinbelle Joyride at Hinxwood, brindle, sound all through with balanced angles, clean free mover. Pretty head and enough fill for age. Just needs to firm up in topline which should come as she matures and muscles up in loin; 3, Sweet Destiny. 

PB (2) 1, Bryntreia Whispered Love at Palmik, w/f of excellent type with lots of scope, ample substance without losing femininity, pleasing head with flat skull, somewhat prone to posting when stacked but she moved very well all round especially in profile, lovely long low stride;  2, Veredon Voyage Voyage at Chrispan, pretty brindle, rangier type who may take a bit longer to come to herself, good conformation with plenty of scope and she moved OK but just needs to fill and tighten in front a bit. 

JB (5,2) 1, Runaround Amazin’ Grace with Sandspring, red fawn, a lovely type with lots of feminine curves, really good front and feet, strong loin and well-muscled rear, eye-filling outline and she was sound and clean all round, quality bitch; 2, B Whispered Love at P; 3, Ringmore Hecate. 

YB (8) Quality class. 1, Zoraden Fifty Shades Darker, quite superb outline on this black bitch, perfect front, strong curvy topline and underline, powerful well-muscled quarters which she made the most of on the move, and presented in gleaming show condition, not quite the refined head of some but she was close up in the challenge; 2, Blandings Eyes on the Prize JW, feminine light brindle with a better head than 1, another cracker of excellent type and so well balanced, well ribbed up, balanced angles and sound in all directions if not quite with the freedom of 1; 3, Cobyco Cover Queen. 

NB (2,1) 1, Shimmeree Cool Calico, pretty 10 months blue with a feminine head, sound all through and well made, movement light and clean, just a bit of daylight under her at the moment and needs a bit of time to drop and fill. 

SpecBeg B (5,1) It shows the strength in depth of this breed that such quality bitches are eligible for this class! 1, B Treacle Tart, Bes SpecBeg in show; 2, R Amazin’ Grace with S; 3, C Cover Queen. 

PGB (6) 1, B Eyes on the Prize; 2, Mollytop Lady Babu, br/w, lots to like, decent front, good depth and length of rib, tight feet, curvy underline, good muscle behind; 3, Shimmeree Black Liberty. 

LB (5,2) , Florancy Above and Beyond Derohan JW, elegant, feminine silver brindle with a curvy outline, matching angles, good depth and fill, correct fallaway and strong rear, lovely free action in profile; 2, Aarminias Princess of China at Bowdonia, another quality bitch of a slightly different type, more substantial but still feminine, well-balanced and standing over plenty of ground, clean out and back, very nice; 3, Welstar Airs and Graces at Cryhavoc. 

OB (4) 1, Palmik Queen of Diamonds JW, when this beautiful young w/br bitch came into the ring she immediately took my eye, with her lovely clean, lean-muscled front, sweep of topline from neat head through well-laid shoulder and on over strong loin to sweeping powerful rear; such impressive scope in a bitch of correct size; but the best was yet to come because, good though she is stacked, on the move she is absolute poetry in motion. Out and back she has precise footfall, plenty of drive behind and clean as a whistle in front; her profile movement is quite lovely to watch, with effortless long free daisy-cutting strides. She is still not fully mature but not surprised to learn she has a CC already, a lovely Whippet. BB & BIS; 2, Mossbawnhill You Got the Look from Chaseover, upstanding bl/br/w mature bitch who has excellent conformation all round, plenty of scope, in fit condition, moved cleanly out and back, nice curvy underline; 3, Shimmeree Black Satin JW. 

Racing/coursing B (5) 1, D Pour Moi JW, best Racing/Coursing; 2, Zoraden Darkest Wings, black with an excellent Whippety outline, plenty of scope, fit and well muscled, sound both ends and moved accordingly; 3, Kenaiteen Blizzard at Silvergarth. 

Lisa Tyler-Jackson