Birmingham Dog Show Society Ltd

Pleased to submit my critique for the Birmingham National Dog Show 2022.

In June 2019 the invitation to judge at this very highly regarded dog show society arrived at my door and I remember to this day reading it several times, my first invitation to award CC’s in a breed I hold dear to my heart, what an absolute honour!

On arrival, after check in, first thoughts were to check over the ring, amazed to see the new setup with Crufts (esq) green carpets everywhere and white picket fencing encompassing the rings; very smart i thought. On walking the ring I noticed that the carpets were covering many grids or divots and my instant concern was this affecting the whippet movement so it restricted how the ring could be run and with this in mind, those that did suffer from the unknown movement underfoot during the ‘up & back’, I gave the time to move again in a differing line. The tannoy system and the general noise in the hall were quite loud but in the main all exhibits seemed quite acceptable of this with only a few of the younger exhibits being noticeably affected.

I would like to thank my steward for the day, who although had been reduced from two to one due to a sudden illness of her assistant steward, did a good job keeping the ring running and everything in order. Then the huge thanks and upmost appreciation to the exhibitors for entering their lovely whippets under me, as I’ve said before, it is a real honour that should never be taken for granted.

In the main the quality on show was excellent and in several classes the top positions could have been filled several times over.

SBB: (7:1a)

1 - Maxwells Maccus Rosa Gallica Daphne. 15mth red/fawn with white socks, Feminine in every way, good for size and unexaggerated angulations front and rear however I would have preferred slightly more return of upper arm but she is sound all round and displays balanced movement with good drive. Pleased to see her go onto to take SB Group 1st.

2 – Jones, Silvergarth Andromeda. 20mth blue fawn/white, feminine expression, a bitch of super size handled well and showed herself comfortably. Just preferred the front infill of 1 but no doubting she is in super condition an attribute to her all round activities which is full credit to her owner

3 – Graham, Keep a Knocking of Ohoka.

MPB: (12:4a)

1 – Howgate and Hull, Palmik Chasing Rainbows. Top quality young 7mth old fawn bitch who commands your attention from first glance. The prettiest of heads, well laid shoulders, Good front infill and spring of pastern into perfect feet, correct rise over loin and a noticeable underline, strong rear quarters which she used to her advantage on the move. As always from this handler she was presented in first class order. A very bright future awaits.

2 – Mason, Veredon Laurent Perrier. 7mth old fawn bitch with the most beautiful, pretty face/expression. Good all round construction, presented well on the stack, slightly unsettled on the move. Slightly taller than 1 but by no means oversized, far from it and another promising bitch from this experienced kennel to watch for in the future.

 3 – Wheeler, Ranveli Glowtini

PB: (15:4a)

1 – Short & Short, Collooney Tommy Girl. 11mth Dark brindle bitch with white socks, took this class scoring with her hard to ignore feminine expression, good ear set, length of neck, front and rear assembly, front infill and upon settling into her stride her movement was top draw away / back and around the ring to take this class over 2.

2 – Tyson, Starceylon She’s a Mover. 10mth Black/white socks bitch with a lovely head, good neck into equally good shoulders and front assembly, your hands appear to glide over this smaller set bitch, taking in her smooth gentle rising top line into her sound rear angulations matched with a correct underline and depth of body, presented in gleaming coat and handled with ease around the ring.

 3 – Richards-Healion, Fortune Teller For Clynecourt.

JB: (14:1a)

A class I noted as strong in quality on the day that was headed by the following three bitches.

1 – Smith and Coulter, Collooney at Last. 11.5mths old age, this black bitch grabs your attentions from every angle. Feminine head, long reach of neck into correct front assembly reaching down to her white feet. Topline/Underline, front/rear angulations are all as they should be at this young age with room to settle as she matures on. Stacked and on the move she is very close to a perfect silhouette. Run your hands over her and they flow from her nose to her tail effortlessly as is her movement around the ring whilst displaying true footfall coming/going. For one so young she never placed a foot wrong all day, never stopped showing and was a joy to watch.BPB/BCC/BPiB.

2 – Fryer, Osterfen Lakota at Stonefox. 15mth Pretty, petite, feminine fawn bitch. Dark eye for one with such light coat, excels in most parts and shows promise to develop into something very special as she matures on. Not quite the return of upper arm angulations off 1 and this showed in the movement comparisons today. Scores well on topline, underline, length of body and rear angulations which she used well on the drive round.

3 – Bowers, Saraquele Smooth as Silk. It’s never a good critique thing to say but so unfortunate to meet 1 and 2 in this top quality class today. A bitch i have admired from the ringside in the past and she doesn’t disappoint when going over her. A bitch very befitting of her name.

YB: (6:1a)

1 – Ellis, Railfield Quatrain. 19mth fawn bitch, Beautiful head, darker eye, nice ear set, good length of neck into very good shoulders. Moved well to take this smaller class today.

2 – Whitaker-Crosby, Mulcair Dun and Dusted JW. 16mth red fawn petite bitch with striking white blaze down her correct front. Different setup to 1 being longer in body affecting the required rise over topline but a bitch i can see flourishing as she matures into her settled adult frame.

 3 – Blake, Silkridge in a Moment

MB: (5:2a)

 1 – Howgate and Hull, Palmik Chasing Rainbows – see MPB write up

2 – Graham, Keep a Knocking of Ohoka. 24mth red fawn bitch with white trim. A bitch with a nice head, lovely neck into her shoulders with the required return of upper arm. Moved well but would have preferred less width in the front movement.

3 – Salkeld, Crosscop a Dream Come True

NB (8:0a)

1- Bowers, Saraquele Smooth as Silk. 14mth fawn bitch fawn/white another showing typical breed outline that shouts whippet at you. Feminine head, darker eyes, correct ear set, correct length of neck, I would prefer more return of upper arm, nicely angulated rear quarters and correct feet. No doubting her quality and another that promises a very bright future.

2- Richards-Healion, Fortune Teller For Clynecourt. 11mth light fawn bitch off a more petite frame to 1. Pretty feminine head, expression, good length of neck into a good front assembly, but would look for more depth of body as she matures on into her adult frame.

3- Hooper, Veredon Veuve Cliquot

GB (12:1a)

1- Johnston, Drag on a Dime. 15mth red brindle bitch off a size that catches my eye. Dark eye, lovely length of neck into a shoulders, good front infill and correct right down to a good spring of pastern ending on perfect white feet. Flows from the front to back across a good topline and matching underline leading into her rear drive unit that she put to good use around the ring.

2- Glaholm, Gazenorth Tean. 33mth fawn bitch of a larger build than one but by no means over size. She oozes elegance and again that true whippet silhouette on the stack. Beautiful head, lighter eye colour to match the coat colour, good ear set, good front and rear angulation, correct topline and under line.

3- Newsham-Brown, Zilphas Lady of the Wood.

PGB (10:3a)

1- Yacoby Wright, Cobyco City Lights. Top drawer for her quality, this light fawn 27mth elegant bitch flows under hand from nose to tail. Beautiful feminine head, lighter eye to match the fawn coat, excels in front assembly, correct top and under line into her equally correct rear assembly. Moved true coming and going was just looking for her to settle on the move to give me her best performance.

2- Rees and Jones, Kierpark Dancing Queen. This 17mth brindle and white trim girl had just about everything you could wish for, elegance, size and lovely movement away/back and around. I scored her under 1 only on neck/shoulder placement but I really could have had two firsts here if possible. A bitch i will endeavour to watch as she matures fully.

3- William, Marston-Pollock, Gloves are Off at Wyndsmoor

MdLB (4:1a)

1- Wilkinson, Citycroft Starfall JW. Almost 4yr old fawn bitch that has done equally well under me in the past albeit some time ago and again presented in superb condition, full of breed quality, good length of neck into correct lay of shoulder and return of upper arm, nice spring of pastern. Correct in top line and tuck up, flowing into her rear bend of stifle good second thigh and low hock set. Moved true coming, going and on the move around the ring. Winning this good class and pushing for top honours on the day.

2- Turner & Halliday, Brochinbelle a wee Floosie 1yr 7mth light fawn girl who gives you the look as you approach and you’re hooked, beautiful head and dark eye, shapely topline and underline. Would prefer slightly more spring of pastern to this girl who none the less as what it takes to go all the way I’m sure.

3- Leathart, Ringmore Hecate

LB (12:3a)

1- Short&Short, Collooney Bit on the Side JW. Light brindle 3yr 10mth old super quality bitch, liked her head, correct front, showing enough depth to her body, flowing topline that she held on the move and shapely underline, she is a natural effortless mover, placing each paw perfectly, another that was definitely up there when it came to the final challenge placings today.

2- Wilton-Clarke, Shalfleet Bridget Jones. Red brindle 2yr 10mth mth old red brindle bitch with white socks that caught my eye on entering the ring, just my type. Presented and moved well to take this 2nd place, looked a picture on the table and stacked standing over a lot of ground.

3- Lawley&Lawley, Crosscop its Magic for Lawleymoon

OB (12:3a) A stunning class

1- Short & Short) Collooney Dita Von Tease. 2yr 10mth dark brindle bitch with white blaze and socks, of perfect size that brought everything into the ring today and gave a truly faultless performance being pushed all the way down to the final challenge with 2. Feminine head, dark eye, lovely ear set, correct jaw, good length of neck into correct shoulders, good front infill and a super spring of pastern. Flowing topline with the correct rise over loin and shapely underline. Completely un-exaggerated rear end that she used to drive her around the ring effortlessly. RCC

2- Ch Veredon Another Rose. A 3yr whippet of the highest quality for sure and was pushing right down to the final second to be squeezed into 2nd place by a truly on form bitch. A brindle bitch i have long admired and will continue to do so. What can you say about her head other than exquisite, pure feminine beauty, arching neck into a good shoulder set, good spring of pastern, perfect underline helping to form the ‘s’ shapes we seem to be losing as a breed but shown here for all to see, low set rear hocks and standing on perfect feet.

3- Yacoby Wright, Cobyco Cover Girl. Another bitch that has done very well under me before as a young minor puppy, so pleased to see she has matured onto a very elegant bitch. A beautiful feminine head, good long arched neck into a correct layback of shoulder and return of upper arm, correct pasterns, perfect feet. Moving out and back foot perfect although a tad unruly in her profile movement today and in these top quality classes it makes all the difference in placing.

VB (3:1a) both these veteran girls were a credit to the breed and their owners today.

1- Whitaker-Crosby, Mulcair Meerkat Marble JW ShCM. Fawn classical veteran lady, one i have admired in the past and she continues to impress in her later years. Elegant head, darker eye, strong neck into correct front, S shapes to top and underlines into unexaggerated rear end. Still continues to move well up/back and around and a pleasure to go over today. BVB Pleased to watch her go well in the group.

2- Handley, Lawleymoon First Love. Darker brindle girl who like 1 is in very good condition. Good expressive face, good front assembly and topline into nice turn of pastern and low set hocks. Moved out well coming and going and enjoyed her move around the ring.

Mark Smith (Elequal)