Blackpool & District Canine Society

Blackpool Championship Dog Show

21st June 2025

Whippet (Bitches)

Thank you to Steve Hall and his team for inviting me to judge at this consistently well run show, one on my favourites on the circuit. It is always a pleasure to judge an entry of Whippet bitches where there is consistent quality right through the classes. This was another lovely opportunity to judge alongside my mother and once again, we were able to agree on all joint decisions and indeed, delighted that our male BOB, Ch Ranveli Diki Diki, went on to win the Hound group under one of the country’s most senior Hound judges, Mrs Anne Macdonald. Not only that, my RCC winning bitch, Crème Anglaise’s Entourage with Silkridge, became Best Junior in Breed and went all the way to Best Junior in Show under the hugely respected Mr Derek Smith. Interestingly, both my CC and RCC winners – as too was the case at my last bitch appointment in 2023 – were sired by Ch Silkridge Just Joey, himself a RCC winner of mine in 2021. I genuinely felt that my CC and RCC winners were of a very similar stamp, so kudos to ‘Just Joey’.

Minor Puppy Bitch (4,1)

1. Marston-Pollock’s Good M Starshine Soulad at Falconcrag (Imp Cze). A well proportioned puppy with super angulation fore and aft. She has a very smooth and flowing outline, even if she still needs to develop a touch more rise over the loin. Typey head and expression, ears are fine but don’t need to be any bigger. Long neck set smoothly into shoulder. Particularly pleased for width of second thigh. An easy profile mover with a fairly long stride, but just needs to settle down coming towards.

2. Chippendale’s Chippwhipp Both Sides Now. A feminine bitch with quite a curvy and well proportioned outline. Sweet head and lovely dark eyes and pigment. Not the neck of 1 but she too is very well angulated fore and aft. Would like a touch more spring of pastern. Quite well developed through the body. Could be much tidier up and down but won her place over 3 for her freedom in profile.

3. Lowe & Wilcox’s Barnsmore Lamour Dune Mere of Jevobhn.

Puppy Bitch (7,1)

1. Howgate & Hull’s Tervanty Dragon Song at Palmik. A very nice bitch full of quality. She is all of a piece and totally unexaggerated yet stands over plenty of ground. Well-balanced head and pleasing expression. Long neck and excels in front angulation. Very good depth and length of ribcage, with just enough topline, though it can flatten on the move. She has a very collected stride in profile with excellent footfall and balance, though could be slightly more true coming towards. In excellent condition. BPB, and lost out for BPIB to her lovely litter brother.

2. Place & Halliday’s Aarminias Pillow Talk. Super for size and elegance throughout. More racy and up on the leg than 1, but not as balanced front and back, I’d like some more front angulation. Feminine head and small ears. She has pleasing curves throughout with a particularly good underline. She scored on the move where her natural carriage really impressed, very clean and sound in all directions.

3. Blake’s Crème Anglaise’s Too Hot to Handle for Mazargo (Imp NLD).

Junior Bitch (8,1)

1. Perkins & Van Der Schaaf’s Crème Anglaise’s Entourage with Silkridge. An exciting and eye-catching young bitch without being exaggerated. Really loved her proportions, leg length and upstanding carriage. Balanced and feminine head with very good strength of underjaw and alert expression. Beautiful long neck, of the perfect strength and flows very smoothly into her front. Her shoulders are smooth and well laid, coupled with her long upper arm and neat elbows, make her very pleasing indeed to go over. She has curves throughout with a super underline, and whilst she is ever so slightly steep in croup stacked, her outline is nigh on perfect on the move. She covers a lot of ground on the move with great activity and power, and particularly impressive accuracy on the up and down. She is so alike my CC winner and pushed all the way, it was only the suppleness in front reach of the CC winner that swung it. She was awarded the RCC, followed by Best Junior and I was delighted to see her go all the way to Best Junior in Show.

2. Bowers’ Saraquele Snow over It. Admired this bitch’s femininity and raciness, she has plenty leg and stands over good ground, though I would prefer some more front angulation for balance. She has quality in her head, coat and skin. Correct spring of pastern and feet. Not the curves of 1 but still quite smooth to go over. Moved particularly well in profile.

3. Seddon’s Edenwhip Moon Dance.

Yearling Bitch (5,1)

1. Morland’s Zoraden Gossip Girl JW. Absolutely super bitch, so full of type and quality. Her construction and balance throughout are exceptional. Totally feminine head with such an appealing expression. Her movement is so free, easy and ground covering, and yet her footfall is very accurate too. My notes say “so much to like and so little to fault” and that is really true, I liked her a lot! She was right up there and shortlisted to my final 3 in the challenge, I just ever so slightly preferred the proportions of my two winners. Without doubt, champion quality.

2. Lister & Swarbrick’s Edenwhip Ima Bright Star. Another lovely typey bitch, even if not quite the shape and absolute balance of 1. She has a very pleasing and balanced head, and excels in neck, which is of ideal length and strength. Ribbed well back and strong in loin, she stands over plenty ground. Well angulated rear and well off for width of thigh, lovely low hocks. Quality coat and skin. Has a very good side gait.

3. Courtney & Wallace’s Wolfscastle Sky of Jules for Courtbirch.

Graduate Bitch (13,0) Mixed class but thought the first two quite similar and typey.

1. Yacoby-Wright’s Zobyco Cobyco Paranoia (Imp POL). A classic bitch, she is of a lovely size and balance with smooth and curvy outline. It was her balance and smoothness of outline that secured the win. Lovely head with small, fine ears. Smooth neck into shoulder and enough return of upper arm. Good depth and spring of rib. Excellent hindquarters which she uses on the move. A purposeful and balanced stride and clean coming and going.

2. Marston-Pollock’s Falconcrag On It. Liked the look of this bitch, very elegant, racy and scopey. Totally feminine in head, lovely expression from her dark eyes. I would have liked some more layback to her front, but she stands on sound legs and feet, with quality bladed bone. Stands over super ground without being overdone, her rear has excellent width of thigh, and strong hocks. Can be cleaner in front but otherwise a pleasing and easy mover.

3. Spademan, Mycroft & Higginbottom’s Crosscop Seduction.

Post Graduate Bitch (7,0)

1. Finch’s Zenobia Love Actually JW. A really pleasing quality and type in this bitch, very elegant. Beautiful head and expression, small fine ears. Long neck and whilst her shoulders and upper arm are very well angulated, I’d like to see some more width and fill in front. In good body with excellent ribbing, short loin and a pleasing underline, though she could have had a touch more rise over the loin. She won this class based on her ground covering, effortless profile movement.

2. Parkinson’s Groomsville Hologem Heavens Dream. A bitch I have judged before and always liked, I thought she may have been the class winner but she could have put more into it today, certainly not fully relaxed into her stride. She is well angulated fore and aft with a curvy and scopey outline, she naturally stands over good ground. I’d prefer a cleaner tailset. Moved quite well, if not as well as I have seen her previously.

3. Salkeld & Graham’s Dalerafenn Follow A Dream JW.

Mid-Limit Bitch (9,0)

1. Thomas’ Bowdonia Sky Full of Stars JW. This bitch is unquestionably attractive for her ideal outline, balance and proportions. There really is so much to admire here, none less than her movement, which in this entry, you could not find anything more true on the up and down and in profile, she has a totally balanced, free and easy stride. She is, however, unfortunately just a little too strong throughout for my taste, which stopped her from going any further. A lot to give away, I would think.

2. Higginbottom’s Ranveli Royal Touch. A more refined and elegant bitch, with a flowing and ground-covering outline. Quite beautiful in head and expression, with lovely dark pigment and eyes. Lovely quality of coat and skin. She could be more true coming towards and today, I felt she wasn’t quite giving as much as she could in profile.

3. Finch’s Starceylon Queen of Dorne and Zenobia JW.

Limit Bitch (7,1)

1. Turner’s Gilnockie Kinda Cool. For me, this bitch was instantly attractive for her overall look of elegance, raciness and athleticism, combined with just the ideal amount of strength. Spot on for her proportions, I admired her leg length and upstanding presence. Her outline flowed from nose to tail with a superb underline accompanied by pleasing rise over the loin. Totally balanced and needless to say, well constructed throughout. I have never seen her look better moving, particularly in the challenge; super power from her rear and her strides were so easy, scopey and ground covering. Just my cup of tea, loved her and was delighted to award her 1st CC.

2. Whitehead & Smith’s Crème Anglaise’s Lady Bridgerton of Citycroft (Imp NLD). My notes were rather brief for this bitch and that is simply because, stacked, there is very little you would want to change. She excels in outline which is so flowing and full of typical curves. Feminine head with dark pigment and alert expression, she is so balanced and well angulated fore and aft, and I particularly admired her width of second thigh. I would just like more fluidity and freedom in her movement and this is where 1 triumphed.

3. Jones’ Jothryn Manhattan Blonde JW.

Open Bitch (6,1)

1. Green & Ratcliffe’s Ch Crosscop Bumble Bee by Arrodare. There is no question of this bitch’s quality and type. She has a beautiful head with an excellent balance of strength and femininity, enhanced by her correct expression and ears. Long neck and well laid shoulder, would like a touch more return of upper arm. Her whole topline is curvy and so smooth, but I would have preferred a touch more tuck up on the day. Textbook hindquarters with super width of thigh and great strength. She really does stand over plenty ground without being overdone. Accurate and sound on the move, but I have seen her give a lot more than she did on the day.

2. Wheeler’s Ranveli Glowtini. One I judged as a youngster and she has matured into a lovely bitch. Whilst she is strong enough, her proportions, long crested neck and excellent curves throughout give her a lovely elegance. Unfortunately, on the move, she could not have thrown her chances away any harder if she tried! A great pity as her conformation and curves stacked suggest she would make quite the picture going around the ring.

3. Howgate & Hull’s Ch Palmik Truth About Love JW.

Veteran Bitch (5,0)

1. Wilkinson’s Citycroft Starfall JW VW OSW. Up to size but of very good proportions and she is a lovely type. Pleasing head which is feminine and of good length, with flat skull and neat ears. Smooth in outline, if not with the curves she once had, that being said, she is still has a youthful look. Won the class on her accurate footfall and sound stride, moving very well generally.

2. Holland’s Crosscop Brown Eyed Girl VW. An old favourite of mine who was really impressive for 10 year old. Whilst she may not have the same outline she used to, her overall balance, proportions and construction are still there for all to see. Carries herself so well on the move with a balanced stride, if not with the drive and purpose of 1.

3. Norman’s Wheelspin Lily of The Valley at Jarmane.

Mr L A Johnston