Birmingham Dog Show Society Ltd

Birmimgham National Dog Show 8th May 2025

             Whippet Dogs

Always a pleasure to judge one of my favourite breeds, one I was bought with as a child and it really is always a thrill to see a lovely ,typy elegant hound moving effortlessly around the ring. Very pleased with the lovely entry of 87 from 71 dogs with very few absentees .

Last time I judged the males was 2019 and I noticed today several flat toplines and a few suspect movers but on the whole the overall quality was very good and even. As usual the exhibitors were very generous with their support and patience and as always excellent handlers. I was particularly pleased with all my winners and very happy with my final line-up for the Challenge.

Special Beginners Dog 9 [3 abs ]

1st :Blackburn & Blackburn`s MAZARGO WHOLE LOTTA TROUBLE,

11 months brindle who at first glance was my winner and he did not put a foot wrong for such a youngster amongst the more mature competition. Handsome head and dark eye, good neck into easy flowing lines throughout. Good fore-chest and width in front, well bodied with good ribbing. Smooth, easy mover which won him the class. Pleased to see him win Best Special Beginners awarded by our referee Mrs. Stewart-Richie.

2nd:Brooks & Brook`s COLLOONEY FOR YOUR EYES ONLY JW,

More mature 22 months brindle, not dissimilar in style to above, excellent overall balance and correct outline. Good feet , not quite the reach in front of winner but has good type and size.

3rd : Bonser-Hadfield`s BROCHINBELLE A WEE DREAM AT HELGAN.

Minor Puppy Dog : 2

1st: Morland, Yeates & Winter`s ZORADEN MIDLIFE CRISIS,

Gorgeous 8 months red, Masculine, elegant head and dark eye, looked lovely standing with great front and hind angulation, good depth and length of rib, nice tuck up. Excellent outline and he kept his topline well on the move. Mature when stacked but still showed his age a little on the move which is great at this stage. Liked him a lot. Best Puppy Dog.

2nd: Leverett`s WHIPPINESS EYES DOWN.

Only just 6 months and very immature compared to above. Dark blue parti-colour who is finer throughout, nice head and eye he has a nice outline and moved well when he eventually settled. Just needs to fill his frame but a very sweet baby. Outmoved today but he did seem to enjoy his first show.

Puppy Dog : 7 Quite a mixture of different styles

1st : Howgate & Hull`s PALMIK NEVER TOO LATE,

11 months fawn, quite refined and still very immature but I like his overall balance and excellent overall conformation, stands nicely over a lot of ground and was the soundest mover in this class. Shows a lot of promise for the future.

2nd : Lloyd`s PENWINCOED MR. MAGOO.

10 months blue brindle, more mature than above, I liked his head and dark eye, good length of neck into well laid shoulders, good fore-chest and front angulation, preferred the pasterns and front reach of winner today but another nice youngster who has a lot of style. Good hind angulation and drive behind.

3rd : Craig & Coulter`s COLLOONEY HUCKLEBERRY.

Junior Dog : 5 [ 2 abs ]

1st : Perkins & Van der Schaaf`s SILKRIDGE BLACK CAVIAR,

13 ½ months black/white trim, tall masculine hound with dark eye, well bodied and well constructed throughout, a real showman who made the best of himself at all times. Sound front and rear with excellent front reach and drive behind, easily outmoved his classmates today.

2nd : Birch`s BETHWILL SHINE ON RUPERT,

Less mature than above .12 months fawn, I did prefer his head to above, Excellent overall balance and type , good size and well bodied, a stylish hound who is nice to go over but just let himself down on the move due to lack of experience. Great going away, sound with drive and he is sound in front but tended to really lean to one side, even with several attempts to correct it he just needs patience and practise.

3rd : Perkin`s ZEGLYNN CHRISTMAS PRESENT.

Yearling Dog : 7 [ 1 abs ] First 3 difficult to separate.

1st : Rodger`s WENTVALLEY PIED PIPER,

21 months fawn brindle/white parti-colour. Lovely head, dark eye and ears , quality youngster who is well constructed throughout with an excellent topline which he kept at all times and a super mover. Good feet, less mature than 2nd who pressed him hard in this nice class.

2nd : Wilton-Clark`s SHALFLEET OLIVER TWIST JW.

 21 months fawn brindle/white trim. Same age but more mature than winner, impressive youngster with a classic head and bright eyes. Excellent overall type and substance and correct size, he is a sound powerful mover and a very close decision between these two. Just preferred side-movement of winner on the final run.

Maiden Dog :1

1st : Lloyd`s PENWINCOED MR.MAGOO ,as before.

Novice Dog :9

1st : Spicer & Spicer`s JOTHRYN PARTI TIME,

20 months very handsome red brindle/white trim, masculine head , dark eye, well bodied striking hound who has excellent front and hind co-ordination, easy sound mover , won this class with ease and kept topline well at all times.

2nd : Graham`s OHOKA TIP TOP,

15 months red/white trim, slightly taller boy and not the flowing angles or maturity of winner but he moves with style and I did slightly prefer his lovely head and eye.

3rd : Booker`s LONGMIRE BRING ME SUNSHINE.

Graduate Dog : 9 Another mixed class

1st : Allansson & MacDonald`s ZORADEN SIMPLY THE BEST OF MACALLDON JW,

20 months red fawn, another handsomely marked hound who looked good both standing and moving. He is mature with an elegant head and dark eye, excellent depth and length, well bodied with good feet. Interested to see he is half brother to my Res CC winner. Sympathetically handled, out-moved and out-matured by my puppy winner in this very nice class.

2nd : Howgate & Hull`s PALMIK NEVER TOO LATE

As before.

3rd : Powell, Mycroft & Spademan`s SUPETA`S JAMMIE DODGER FOR ALMAKAELA JW

Post Graduate Dog :5 [ 1 abs ]

1st : Price`s KIERPARK MOONLIGHT SHADOW AMONG SILKDANCE JW,

3 yrs fawn brindle/white. Handsome ,well balanced head with correct eyes and ears . Looked lovely standing with correct topline and outline, nice feet with good front and hind co-ordination, he was sound but a little unsettled on the move today but still did enough to win this class with his excellent type and qualities.

2nd : Arkell`s HIJACKED OF SURIYA AT SLINGKET,

Just 2 years blue brindle/white, masculine elegant hound, not dissimilar in style and type to winner. Not as strong in pastern standing but he has a lot to like about him with sound easy movement.

3rd : Hope`s DEMERLAY ON A PROMISE.

 Mid-Limit Dog :4

1st :Morland`s ZORADEN MASTER BAKER JW,

Super fawn/white, gorgeous at 23 months and one I have placed well as a puppy and thrilled to see he really has made the top grade! I like everything about him, he immediately catches one`s eye as he enters the ring and today he was on top form. Challenged the Open winner hard but had to give way to maturity and finish but I was pleased to award him the Res CC amongst really hot competition. I have no doubt he is one for top honours. I see this consistent breeder had several class winners today and all were of excellent type and style.

2nd : Higginbottom`s ROYAL DUKE OF DAWNSAFON JW.

2 ½ year fawn, another quality hound who was unlucky to meet above today, I just preferred the slightly more elegant head of winner but he was sound front and rear with correct body, size and topline.

3rd : Brew`s BOXING HELENA`S VICTOR ENA [IMP BEL ],

Limit Dog : 14 [ 3 abs ] Another strongly contested class

1st : Jones & jones` JOTHRYN JOHNNY BE GOOD,

Nearly 2 years very elegant , handsome fawn brindle/white trim. Still a youngster but he is mature and is impressive standing and moving, liked him as he entered the ring and he did not let me down. Great head and dark eye, lovely flowing lines with excellent front and hind co-ordination. He has great reach and drive covering the ground well. Sound, easy mover , excellent topline and size. Interested to see he is litter brother to my Res Bitch CC from last year and he is so similar in all good ways.

2nd : Poole, Morris & Waddell`s FALCONCRAG MATCH MAKER AT CROSSCOP,

Very stylish 2 ½ years fawn, I did slightly prefer the more elegant head of winner but liked everything else about him, he was sound coming and going and lovely side-movement with correct topline and outline.

3rd :Searle & Rawlinson`s REFFTON TIBALT AT WHIPSEARLE JW [ IMP SPA ]

Open Dog : 11 [ 2 abs ]

1st :Yacoby-Wright`s CH.COBYCO CATCH YOUR EYE.

Only 2 ½ years fawn, very aptly named. I have handled him previously when I judged bitches at The Whippet Club last year and I agreed with my co-judge for him to win BOB over my excellent Bitch CC winner. I did not really appreciate just how lovely this young dog was at the time. Not a flashy, over glamourous boy he just has all the essentials for me and he is more mature now, oozes type and quality. Masculine and still elegant . I love his head and eye and he is a super size, absolutely sound and with no over exaggeration, in great body and condition. Flowing movement and lines with great reach and drive. Won this strong class and the CC with ease and I was thrilled that the referee agreed to award him BOB. Apparently this is hiss eleventh CC and I sure he will have more to come.

2nd : Winkley-Balmer`s CH. EDENWHIP CAN I BE HIM ,

4 ½ years red/white trim, my favourite colour . He really is a super male, slightly smaller than above but superbly made with excellent overall balance, well bodied with correct front and hind co-ordination. Sound, easy mover, I liked him a lot and it was a very close decision for the Res CC challenge ,just out pizzazzed by the younger Mid Limit winner who is just more similar in style to the CC winner. I see he beat his excellent young son today into 3rd. Father and son both lovely hounds and so similar in every way.

3rd : Winkley-Balmer & Winkley`s EDENWHIP CALL ME AT NIGHT.

Veteran Dog : 5

1st : Wilton- Clark`s SHALFLEET HEATWAVE.

7 ½ years fawn brindle parti-colour. Classic head and eye, very nice hound to go over and he is fine body and hard muscular condition. Excellent front and hind angulation with good depth and length with pleasing topline whish he kept well at all times. Sound, powerful mover with great front reach and drive behind. Rather outmoved his classmates but in the challenge for Best Veteran I agreed with my co-judge that the bitch CH.CROSSCOP LET IT SHINE FOR SUPETA JW OSW was just a bit tighter overall on the move today and was pleased to see that she won the Veteran Group and Best Veteran In Show. Well done.

2nd : Shepherd`s CH.CITYCROFT SUNDAE WITH OXANA JW CM Sh.CEx VW

Older at just 9 years he is fawn/white and looked the part standing with excellent topline and outline, stood over plenty of ground. Lovely masculine, elegant head and eye, well bodied with good depth, ribbing and tuck up. Nice feet. Just outreached by the younger male today on side-movement.

3rd: Price`s CH. WHEELSPIN SILVER SHADOW AMONG SILKDANCE JW VW

7 ½ years.

Jenny Dove [ Judge }