Darlington Dog Show Society Ltd

Darlington Dog Show Society. 15/9/2024 – Whippets

Thank you to the society for their kind invitation to judge a breed very dear to my heart having owned my first whippets over 43 years ago. This was my first time awarding CCs in the breed although my first CCs in dachshunds was 22 years ago and deerhounds 6 years ago, having been fortunate enough to judge these breeds in Australia, Finland, France and Sweden.

I was lucky enough to have 2 very professional and competent stewards who kept the ring running smoothly.

I was so looking forward to this appointment, and I do thank the exhibitors very much for giving me the opportunity to assess some super whippets, however, I was quite disappointed to find some untypical heads and expressions, some with dirty teeth, many flat toplines, upright shoulders and pasterns often accompanied with over long second thighs producing an unbalanced outline.

I was looking for a whippet with the beautiful ‘curvy’ outline which, importantly, was held on the move, true parallel steps and the quality head and expression which makes them quintessentially ‘whippet’.

V.D. 1st Crouch & Defaye. Cobyco One Fine Day at Fedaye.

2nd Barkas. Jimanica Just Dreaming.

Of similar type and nicely constructed. Both moved soundly but first had a better front assembly with nice

return of upper arm. This gave him the better reach with lower, ground covering steps. Moved out

actively and although both were carrying a little too much weight, overall coat, skin and condition was good.

3rd Webb. Crosscop Somebody To Love.

M.P.D. 1st Wheeler. First Class Souled by Ranveli (Cze Imp). RCC. Still a baby but quite advanced for his age. Ticks all the important boxes.

So well put together with matching angulation fore and aft which he used

so well to move with accurate steps keeping his balance admirably for one so young. Masculine with no

coarseness, he had a lovely head and expression, lovely outline with tuck up and split carried well

back. Strong rear with broad second thighs and broad croup. Would not want him to grow on much more. Quite precocious in the challenge asking for the RCC.

2nd Robson. Silvergarth Hyperion. A real raw baby but all quality. Unlucky to meet first on such great

form. He had a good front and everything where it should be at this age. Handled sympathetically to show good movement with nice forward reach.

3rd. Lindsay. Celticmoon Shadow Spell.

P.D. 1st Beattie-Nash. Railfield Rainstorm. Nice head with lovely dark eye but could have more ‘fill’ and a stronger under jaw. Correct size with a nice balanced outline. Moved soundly showing positive steps and just a little more powerful than 2nd. Well handled.

2nd. Robson. Silvergarth Hyperion.

3rd. Hutchinson. Zenobia Just An Illusion With Sweetaurora.

J.D. 1st. Poole, Morris & Waddell. Falconcrag Match Maker at Crosscop. At that ‘in between’ stage. Nice breed type. Neck a little low set to shoulders but good layback and return of upper arm. Correct bone for size with nice slope to pasterns. Topline could have a stronger rise to loin but moved very well out and back and in profile.

2nd. Short, Short & Fletcher. Collooney We’ve Got This. A dog I admired as a puppy but today was being really unco-operative for his owner. Made his movement erratic and hard to assess. Very nice masculine head with no coarseness and lovely expression. Strongly made and very mature with nicely angled rear and well let down hocks matching his correctly made front. Clean outline and in superb condition.

3rd. Brooks & Brooks. Collooney For Your Eyes Only JW.

Y.D. 1st. Tyson & Tyson. Starceylon Dancing Master JW. Stood out in this class for his super quality and lovely size with correct bone. In gleaming condition, his outline was so pleasing standing over a decent amount of ground and curves in all the right places. Lovely top and underlines with good front and rear angulation. Very stylish and the best of movers with long, low forward reach propelled by a strong rear. Nothing exaggerated. One to watch.

2nd. Darque & Halliday. Bowdonia Feet of Flames at Jalwhipp. Bigger framed dog who was very masculine but would benefit from having a little less muscle definition which would present a cleaner outline. Balanced angulation and moved well from all directions. Good ribbing with correct tuck up and good fill.

3rd. Russell. Longmire Atlantic Starman With Arjuna.

P.G.D. 1st. Searle & Rawlinson. Reffton Tibalt at Whipsearle (Sp. imp) JW. A nice size with good topline which he held on the move. Could have a better return of upper arm and better fill of brisket. Nicely handled.

2nd. Furniss. Jazzellie Reach For The Sky. I tad on the large side for me but had a nice outline with balanced angulation fore and aft, strong rear with well let down hocks.

3rd. Hutchinson. Zenobia Just An Illusion with Sweetaurora.

L.D. 1st Dargue & Halliday. Brochinbelle Wee Dancer With Jalwhipp JW. Well up to height and carrying a little too much condition today. A masculine quality hound with good flat bone and a pleasing outline. Could have better fill of brisket and split could be carried further back. Good topline with correct croup and good tail set. Moved with enthusiasm but was pinning in a little coming. Sound movement in profile and strong quarters giving good drive.

2nd. Tyson & Tyson. Starceylon Summer Bran. Correctly sized boy of quality. Topline a little ‘untidy’ today and croup was a little steep. Underline could have a smoother sweep if split was carried further back. Still a very nice dog who moved soundly with good reach and his drive coming from well let down hocks.

3rd. Webb. Crosscop Shadow Dancing.

O.D. 1st Winkley-Balmer & Poole. Ch. Edenwhip Can I Be Him. CC. BOB. Group 4. What a super class of quality males right out of the top drawer. This male epitomised what I was looking for. Commanded the ring with presence and confidence. In the best of coat and condition, his flowing lines from nose to tail portrayed a lovely picture in stance with an excellent outline and free from exaggeration. Of correct size with complimentary bone and substance with no coarseness. Very good forehand angles matching his well muscled rear. Well let down hocks and broad second thigh. Well co-ordinated movement with accurate steps covering the ground with ease. Was delighted when he was 4th in a strong hound group.

2nd. Wheeler. Ch. Ranveli Diki Diki. Another beautiful dog close on the heels of the winner and a very worthy champion. Many of the same attributes apply. In the final decision, I just thought 1st held his topline better on the move today.

3rd. Dillon. Ch. Collooney Eat My Shorts At Runforest JW.

V.B. 1st. Place & Halliday. Ch. Collooney Queen of Dragons With Brochinbelle JW. B.V.I.B. Veteran group 2.

2nd. Mitchell, Morris & Waddell. Ch. Crosscop Glittering Prize.

What lovely girls. Both well balanced with super shapes. Can easily see why they hold their titles. Both had good front assembly and toplines but 1st just held hers better on the move. In fact 1st was one of the best movers on the day. With their good muscle tone, they could still very much hold their own with younger girls.

3rd. Swain. Kirchill Sweet Harmony.

M.P.B. 1st. Bowers. Saraquele Snow Over It. Such a pretty baby with a beautiful head and expression. Lots still to develop as it should be at this age, but time is one her side. Moved well enough but still needs maturity to help her keep her balance. However, with her good construction and her correct rear, the future looks promising.

2nd. Gordon. Starceylon So This Is Love. Another sweet puppy who moved well for one so young. Shapely outline with good bone for size. Nice topline and broad second thighs. Well handled.

3rd. Naunton. Starceylon Under The Sea at Trenzalore.

P.B. 1st. Morris, Waddell & Spademan. Crosscop Tiny Dancer. B.P.I.B. Puppy Group 4. What promise this girl has. The most beautiful feminine head that just screams ‘whippet’. Stands over a decent amount of ground. Balanced angulation. A curvy outline with strong, deep loin and correct croup and tail set. She held this outline as she moved so accurately in all directions. Long, low, forward reaching strides covering the ground with ease.

2nd. Uggeri. Bohosail Bewitched. Unlucky to meet 1st today, nevertheless a lot to like about this lovely puppy. Just a little upright in pasterns but shapely body proportions. Nice movement in profile but not as accurate going away.

3rd. Green & Ratcliffe. Crosscop Take Me On Arrodare.

J.B. 1st. Spademan, Mycroft, Morris & Waddell. Crosscop California Barbie From Supeta. Another very nice bitch from this kennel. Beautiful head and expression with well placed ears. Shapely with good length to height ratio. Lovely topline and underline with clean sweep to tuck up. Super limbs and feet. True on the move. Would just prefer a little more length and better return to her upper arm to complete the picture.

2nd. Short. Collooney Celeste. A little shorter cast than 1st but very feminine with a lovely head. Correct top and underlines with good croup and tail set. Moving very well in profile but was pinning in a little coming. Still another very promising and eyecatching girl.

3rd. Turner & Turner. Gilnockie Kinda Cool.

Y.B. 1st.Salkeld. Dalerafenn Follow A Dream. Shapely and feminine. Quality head with pleasing expression. Was the best mover in this class which won her her place. Good angulation and with a curvy outline. Shown in good condition and well handled.

2nd. Short. Collooney Bellissima Bloom. A gleaming black girl standing over a decent amount of ground. A little longer in second thigh which unbalanced her slightly and a tad steep in croup. Nevertheless a quality and feminine girl who, today, was not quite as positive on the move as 1st.

3rd. Davis. Crosscop Hometown Glory At Marivon.

P.G.B. 1st. Brough. Crosscop Call Me Maybe At Limubox. Quality, feminine fawn. Presented a lovely picture with her correct and curvy outline. Balanced angulation which was apparent in her sound, positive movement from all directions. Held her topline well. Good muscle tone without being overdone. In good condtition and coat.

2nd. Winup, Paiipala & Furness. Pagarni It’s Snow Joke Cum Rogansrock. Not really the type I was looking for as was a little unblanced having a better front assembly than rear. However, moved well and held her topline. In nice condition ad well handled.

3rd. Swan. Crosscop Fly Me To The Moon at Cygnetsnest.

L.B. 1st. Salkeld. Crosscop A Dream Come True at Dalerafenn. C.C. Quintessentially whippet, this quality bitch showed all the attributes required to define the breed for me. Commanded attention for her understated presence which was free from exaggeration. No ‘flash & dash’ to catch your eye, but when examined, everything was in the right place and the correct proportions. This enabled her to move so well from all directions and with accurate footfall. Today, she so deserved the BCC.

2nd. Spademan, Morris & Waddell. Crosscop True Love. Another very nice bitch unlucky today to meet first on such good form. All quality and very feminine with lovely head and expression. A touch steep in upper arm but still moved well out and back and held her topline in profile. In very good coat and condition.

3rd. Wheeler. Ranveli Glowtini.

O.B. 1st. Short. Ch. Collooney Dita Von Tease. RCC.

2nd. Green & Ratcliffe. Ch. Bumble Bee By Arrodare.

 A close decision between these two bitches. Both had beautiful feminine heads and expressions. Both full of quality and excellent breed type although quite different ‘kennel type’. Preferred the front assembly on the winner who had a better return of upper arm but the topline on 2nd which she held better on the move. Both were a correct size and had good proportions. First won her place with her accurate and enthusiastic movement that was controlled and powerful. Both in the best of hard condition.

3rd. Mason. Ch. Veredon Laurent Perrier For Aphrael. Mentioning this bitch also as this was another girl who just missed out, but all three are very much worthy of their titles.

Ali Morton (Judge)