Midland Whippet Club

A big Thank You to the Club, its officers and committee and my two stewards, Di and Carol Ann, for making this a very special day for me, and also to the exhibitors for allowing me the privilege of assessing your hounds. It was an honour to be met with a lovely entry after a few years away from the whippet ring, but my initial delight was tempered with some disappointment at the movement of many exhibits. Heavy, loaded shoulders and not enough return of upper arm led to a number of dogs lacking the forward reach and daisy-cutting stride which gives whippets their effortless and economical movement, and a number had insufficient bend of stifle and did not flex their hocks, resulting in lack of drive. Size was also rather problematic - as long as the dog is balanced and typey, I can forgive a little oversize, but many had lost the essential graceful and elegant “whippety-ness” I have always looked for. That said, there were many beautiful specimens to make my selection easier. I found only one less-than-perfect mouth, and a couple of monorchids, and overall muscular condition was good, but several dogs could have had cleaner teeth and shorter nails.

Veteran (7-9 years) (6, 1 abs)

1. Price’s Ch Wheelspin Silver Shadow Among Silkdance JW

7 year-old in super condition. Typical head with lovely expression, long neck leading into well-laid shoulders. Nice depth of chest and good fill across the front, with a broad back running into a strong loin. His correct hind angulation, with good bend of stifle allowed for drive, but he was a little close moving away from me. Best VD

2. Shepherd’s Ch Citycroft Sundae with Oxana JW, ShCM, ShCEx, VW

Another in excellent condition, well constructed with correct balanced angulation front and rear. Moved with drive and reach, but he didn’t hold quite such a good topline on the move.

3. Royle & Fricker’s Chiendetom Andante

Veteran (10 yrs +) (6, 3)

1. Leathart’s Ringmore Dalrymple VW

10 year old presenting a lovely outline, with nice depth of chest, ribs carried well back and good length of loin. Well laid shoulder with good return of upper arm, but his pasterns were a little soft, resulting in rather untidy front movement. His correct hind construction gave him drive on the move. Shown in beautiful condition, with fine coat and skin, and good muscle tone.

2. Kenyon’s Reubicia Billy Blue

Another shapely old gentleman, belying his 13 years, lovely head with nice ears, dark eye giving a lovely expression. Good length of neck leading into well laid shoulders, held his topline standing and on the move. He moved with more reach in front than the winner, but again, weak pasterns affected the precision of his foot placement.

3. Searle’s Quick Silver He’s The One for Whipsearle VW

Minor Puppy D (16, 3)

1. Poole, Winkley-Balmer & Winkley’s Shulune Thrills N Spills

Topped a class of very promising babies, thanks to his lovely outline and condition. Head developing very nicely, with flat skull, dark, oval eyes and neat ears. Good length of neck, well placed shoulders with flat muscle, already a good depth of chest with decent fill across the front, carrying his ribs well back, and with a lovely length of loin. His excellent hind angulation gave him drive from behind, to match his low, reachy stride in front, presenting a lovely shape standing and on the move.

2. Perkins’ Silkridge Black Caviar

Bigger cast puppy, handsome youngster with a lovely head and expression. His correct angulation both ends, good length and beautiful curves along both his topline and underline, gave him a very pleasing outline, complemented by a gleaming jacket. No exaggeration anywhere, and he moved true from all directions. Very close decision, and should have a promising future.

3. Gibbins, Fryer & Fryer’s Stonefox Pathfinder at Osterfen

Puppy D (9, 2)

1. Wheeler’s First Class Soulad by Ranveli

Striking youngster with a lovely head, flat skull, well placed eyes and fine ears, with good length of neck. Well laid shoulders, deep chest with good infill across the front, with a nice length of loin. He held his topline standing and on the move. Well made and firmly muscled, his size, construction and outline earned him the class and Best PD, but sadly, he appeared unsound in the challenge for BPIS, and had to concede to the bitch puppy. Best PD

2. Beattie-Nash’s Railfield Rainstorm

A lighter built puppy, and not as mature as some, but he has a lot to like. He was well constructed and with good muscle tone, nice front with good depth of chest and decent hind angulation, but at times he tended to fall away a little over the croup. Time and maturity will hopefully help with this, nevertheless, he moved true from all directions.

3. Williams’ Starceylon Bella Notte at Tigsisle

Junior D (9, 0)

1. Wilton-Clark’s Shalfleet Oliver Twist JW

I judged this boy early this year, and gave him BPIS and RBIS, and I was delighted to see he has fulfilled all the potential he showed as a baby. Ideal size, oozing quality and type, and shown in tiptop condition. He has a handsome head, carried well on a long, arched and well-muscled neck, running into correctly angulated front. Excellent depth of chest, well-filled across the front and carries his ribs well back. Broad across the back, well muscled giving a graceful arch over the loin. Correctly angulated hindquarters, with good turn of stifle and well let-down hocks gave super drive to complement his long, low stride in front, and he held his topline at all times. He is not completely finished as yet, and I feel full maturity will result in a stunning dog, but, after some consideration, I concluded he was well deserving of the DCC, and, on the referee’s decision, he was awarded BIS.

2. Jones’ Jothryn Johnny Be Good JW

Bigger boy than the winner, but again, correctly put together. Good head, with typical expression, good length of neck into well-constructed shoulders, he held a nice topline, but didn’t quite have the underline of the winner. He was well muscled, with excellent hindquarters, good bend of stifle and strong second thigh, resulting in lovely, driving movement.

3. Grisoli’s Loroli Devil’s Stone

Yearling D (4, 2)

1. Mulligan’s Kierpark Love Me Tender at Ashkyem

Much more settled in this class, and moved more freely. His overall construction is OK, but he is heavier through the shoulder than I like, not helped when he tightened up which made his neck appear short. Held his topline better on the move and moved well enough to win this class.

2. Gore’s Woodmill Finian’s Rainbow over Helsim

Better in shoulder than the winner, but a little short in loin, with good hind angulation. Another who took a few minutes to settle, but his front movement was rather untidy.

Maiden D (6, 1)

1. Kenyon’s Doddridge It Wasn’t Me

Quite a curvy young man, and shorter in loin than ideal. Nice head properties, good length of neck, shoulders OK and lovely quarters. He was rather erratic on the move.

2. Graham’s Ohoka Tip Top

Still a baby, (8 months) and needs to strengthen all through, which will help him hold a better topline on the move. Another who lacked the shoulder placement and flat muscle, but decent hindquarters.

3. Severn’s Back to the Future

Special Beginners D (10, 1)

1. Beattie-Nash’s Railfield Rainstorm

2. Severn’s Boland Baloo for Nattah

Nicely made and well muscled, he presented a nice outline standing and on the move, holding his topline well. His movement was precise, and his well muscled quarters, strong second thigh and flexing hocks resulted in good drive behind.

3. Kenyon’s Doddridge It Wasn’t Me

Graduate D (10, 2, 1W/D)

1. Gibbins, Fryer & Fryer’s Deroonpark Rafferty at Stonefox

Nicely balanced boy, masculine head, decent length of neck leading into good shoulders with nice return of upper arm. Good length to his ribcage, and a strong loin kept a good topine standing and on the move. He moved true coming and going, with reach and drive in profile.

2. Poole, Morris & Waddell Falconcrag Matchmaker at Crosscop

Built on classic lines, he was elegant and graceful. Strong pasterns with spring, but slightly more upright in shoulder, with a dip behind the withers which spoiled his topline. Nice hind angulation, but on the move lacked the reach in front which I was looking for.

3. Rankine & Levell’s Reffton Kiri

Post Graduate D (7, 1)

1. Chaytor’s Starceylon Re Di Quadri at Ramita

Lovely for size, lighter framed but still showed muscular power and strength. Masculine head, carried well on neck of excellent length and nicely arched, leading into well-laid shoulders, good spring to his pasterns and lovely feet. He was well balanced and presented a typical outline with nice arch over the loin and smoothly curved underline. Good hind angulation resulted in driving movement.

2. Beattie-Nash’s Railfield Rainstorm

3. Candler’s Maidenbower Maserati

Mid Limit D (16, 2)

1. Price’s Kierpark Moonlight Shadow among Silkdance JW

Nice for size, and no exaggeration anywhere. Typical head, good length of neck, well-laid shoulder but return of upper arm could be better, which restricted the reach of his front movement. Hind movement was good, with drive due to his well muscled quarters.

2. Head’s Demerlay Eye of the Tiger

A more upstanding dog, lovely head, neat ears and alert expression, good length of neck, shoulder angulation OK. Nice length overall, with arch over the loin, and good hindquarters . Moved well coming and going and in profile

3. Lolani Ride A Wild Trail JW

Limit D (13, 3)

1. Shepherd’s Kidaruka It’s Showtime at Oxana JW, ShEx, OSW

Bigger than I like, but he is balanced and still ‘whippety’, with type and quality. Lovely head, sweet expression and neat ears, good length of neck. Well placed shoulders, and good fill to his front, with excellent depth of chest. He carries his ribs well back, and a muscular loin holds its arch, giving him a lovely topline standing and on the move. Moved true, with drive

2. Holland’s Elmanash Grecian King

Smaller built dog of beautiful proportions, he has lovely flat muscles down his shoulders, strength across his back and muscular loin, with good depth of brisket, giving a lovely topline and underline. Correct bladed bone down to pasterns of good spring and strength, coupled with powerful quarters resulted in lovely driving movement

3. Wilton-Clark’s Shalfleet Chasing the Wind JW

Open D (8, 4)

1. Wheeler’s Ch Ranveli Diki Diki

Correct size, full of quality, graceful and well put together, resulting in a typical outline, elegant but showing muscular power, and no exaggerations anywhere. Handsome head with lovely expression, neat, well-placed ears, neck of good length and well muscled. Good shoulder angulation, with elbows held close and nice spring to pasterns. Good length to ribcage and well muscled loin giving a beautiful topline. He moved well in front, with a low daisy-cutting stride, but, to be hypercritical, he could flex his hocks slightly more, and he just lost out to the CC winner on hind movement. A very worthy champion, had to settle for RCC today.

2. Perkin’s & van der Schaaf’s Ch Crème Anglaise’s Just Julian with Silkridge

Beautiful dog, excellent construction all through, and another of correct size. Super front, well boned down to his neat feet, good length and well muscled loin gave a correct topline, well-muscled hindquarters, correct bend of stifle and good second thigh. Very close decision, but on the move, he just lacked a fraction of the front reach of the winner.

3. Yacoby-Wright’s Ch Cobyco Catch Your Eye

DOG CC & BIS Wilton-Clark’s Shalfleet Oliver Twist JW

RESERVE DOG CC Wheeler’s Ch Ranveli Diki Diki

BEST PUPPY DOG Wheeler’s First Class Soulad by Ranveli

BEST VETERAN DOG Price’s Ch Wheelspin Silver Shadow among Silkdance JW

Viv Rainsbury (Judge)