Maureen Blanks's Dog Critique

I would like to thank the officers and committee of the EAWC for inviting me to judge dogs at this very well run show, also for their generous hospitality They do seem, through their extremely hard work to be taking their shows from strength to strength and all credit to them for it.

Many times when judging outside, and the weather is less than charitable to Whippets, or in wet weather accommodation, I have thought how much easier it would be to assess them in warmer, drier surroundings.  I was therefore quite amazed that for some reason there were still many dogs that did not show a soft flowing continuous line from nose to tail, which is what I am looking for in a Whippet.  I can only think that the noise in the hall was an unsettling influence on them and listening to my taped notes, I can well understand it.  It was quite deafening most of the time.

Mouths continue to be a problem in many forms, not just overshot, but wry with some very strange teeth placements that didn’t sit squarely in the jaw, certainly not a good sign for a hunting dog. The standard calls for a Whippet to be free of exaggerations there are many elongated hindquarters, with sickle hocks that would only lead to injury in the field as it is a serious weakness, on the move they have a very uneconomic action with hocks waving in the wind viewed from the rear as they try to dissipate the energy that can’t be used as their back feet are continually underneath them, neither are they able to track up. You don’t even have to wait to see them move, it can be seen while they are free standing waiting to be judged. They should stand within their frame, with hocks perpendicular to the ground.  I have seen many a Whippet put up with this fault and given top honours, which doesn’t bode well for the future of our breed.  That said my winners were free from these faults and well deserved their places.

MINOR PUPPY DOG (8) 1 abs

1. Chamberlain’s BUEBEZI FRENCH CONNECTION TO ALACRITY – 8mth brin/wht trim very together puppy for age, pleasing head into long lean neck and good front assembly, well filled front, nice balanced outline, won this class on his very accurate and free flowing movement.

2. Snelgrove’s HUNTINHILL THE ZAZZ MAN - 6mth brin/white parti, as one might expect less mature, lovely outline, longer cast than 1, pleasing head, strong jaw, long lean neck, well filled front, good bone and feet, lovely length of ribbing and well angled hindquarters, not so free in movement as 1, sure his time will come.

3. Smeath’s HUNTINGHILL THE JAZZ SINGER AT WILLINGWISP

PUPPY DOG (13) 1 abs

1.Howgate’s PALMIK MIDNIGHT MISSION – 9 1/2mths f/brin, hard class as the winner did not go with anything else, too big and heavy for me, but could not be denied his sound construction and movement.  Head, neck and shoulder placement all good, depth to elbow, good length of ribbing, bone and feet.  Looking a bit short in loin and not showing a lot of second thigh at the moment, both of which I am sure will improve with age. BPD

2. Andrew’s CHIBUKA POLITICAL AGENDA AT SHARMUS 9mths pale/f, although not much younger than winner, was far less mature.  Very attractive head, long lean neck into well placed shoulders, good bone and feet. Shapley pleasing outline, good 1^st and 2^nd thigh, a little weak in hind movement at the moment, needs time to mature.

3.  Bennett & Walsh’s SHALFLEET SCIPIO

JUNIOR DOG (9) 1 abs

1. Wilton-Clark’s SHALFLEET SABATINI 13mths pale f/w, lovely size, attractive head, strong jaw into long lean neck, well filled front, correct shoulder placement, good depth and length of ribbing and loin, strong h/quarters.  Hard to assess stacked, but moved well to show his virtues.

2. Cronin’s PEPERONE PATTERSON  14mths shaded f/w, another one of correct size, perhaps a little overdone on body and muscular condition for his size and my liking.  Pleasing head, correct ears, long lean neck, a little heavy in front for size, good bone and feet.  Nice overall shape when he was relaxed.  Strong h/quarters, moved very fluently.

3.Home & Fisher-Home’s JAZARAT JACOBUS

YEARLING DOG (13) 1abs

1. Price’s SAVILEPARK SEA PRINCE AT SILKDANCE - f/brin just over 12mths, well made dog, quite strong in head, strong jaw, long neck into good front assembly, good bone and feet, correct spring of pastern, deep brisket, good turn of stifle.  Well bodied, very sound on the move, which won him the class.

2. Warner & Heatherington’s COURTHILL CAST IN STONE - 20mths b/brin, correct sized dog, lighter boned and framed than 1, yet to come into his own.  Good head, strong jaw, long neck into good front, a little straighter in upper arm than 1. Adequate bone for his size, correct feet.  Good spring of pastern.  Racy outline, lovely free movement, just needs time to body up.

3. Keenan’s STORMBURST SPARKLING WATER AT CITYCROFT

MAIDEN DOG (8)

1. Andrew’s CHIBUKA POLITICAL AGENDA AT SHARMUS

2. Bennett & Walsh’s SHALFLEET SCIPIO – pale f/w dog, 3^rd in puppy, same stamp as winner, attractive head, long neck into well placed shoulders.  Deep brisket, good front fill, nice outline, not quite as much second thigh as winner. Pasterns well sprung, moved well.

3. Lain’s WINDFLY GOLDEN PRINCE.

NOVICE DOG (9) 2 abs

1. Aldrich-Blake’s ASTROPHEL MEADOW BROWN – fawn dog, res in puppy lovely flowing outline, attractive head, good strong muzzle, correct ears, quite a strong front, good bone and feet.  Lovely deep brisket, length of ribbing, loin and h/quarters. Correct spring in pastern, moved well.

2. Van Raalte’s SHIROTAE SILVER SONG – blue/brin dog, vhc in puppy.  Nice outline, would like a little more stop and strength in muzzle, but I’m sure that will develop in an otherwise pleasing head. Good depth of brisket, strong h/quarters, moved well.

3. Bennwith’s EDWARD SHELBOURNE

GRADUATE DOG (13) 3 abs

1. Sykes’ FALCONCRAG VALENTE AT VEREDON – Fawn w/trim racy outline, pleasing head, good strong jaw, long neck into fine shoulder placement, good depth of brisket, well filled front, nice overall shape, strong h/quarters with good second thigh, won this class on movement.

2. Cox’s REASBYLEA RECRUIT – f/wh dog, res in Junior.  Well put together strongly made youngster, Masculine head, good strong jaw, good bone and feet. Deep brisket, strong h/qrts, movement not as positive as 1. Looks as though he could do a day’s work.

3. Price’s SAVILEPARK SEA PRINCE AT SILKDANCE.

POST GRADUATE DOG (20) 2 abs

1.  Candler-Smith’s BARMOLL BARRISTER – Fawn dog, very much my type, lovely outline and of the right size, masculine head, strong punishing jaw, long neck into good shoulder placement, well filled front, good bone and feet.  Nice length and spring of ribbing, good length of loin into strong h/qtrs, moved out well.  Masculine dog without being course.       

2. Thomas’ FARACRE FINALE – pale fawn dog, another of the type I like, not quite as balanced in outline as 1.  Pleasing head, not as strong in jaw as 1. Long lean neck into very good shoulders.  Well filled front, good bone and feet.  Good depth, ribbed well back, strong h/qtrs, moved well.

3.  Martin’s MOSSBAWNHILL CAST NO SHADOW.

LIMIT DOG (19) 2 abs

1.  Bell’s CRISPAN CROWN OF GOLD FOR WINDSDREAM – Pale f/w dog, who has been a long time coming together, just coming into his own now at turned 2 yrs. Masculine head with really strong under jaw, long neck into correct shoulder placement, deep brisket, well ribbed back, good length of loin, strong h/qrts with well defined second thigh, up to size, but a lovely flowing outline of soft curves, lovely short fine single coat.  Not at his happiest on the move, but I was able to see glimpses of his lovely long low front movement, matched by his strong drive from behind to win this class.

2.  Smith’s STEVEILA PATRICK FOLLEY – br/white parti dog, another I have watched grow from a leggy teenager to a very together young man now.  Masculine head with strong under jaw, lean neck into good shoulders, a lovely balanced outline in proportion, nice size, just didn’t quite have the reach of movement as 1 today.

3. Cronin’s PEPERONE PASCAL

OPEN DOG (18) 5 abs

1.  Lempereur’s INT/VDH-B-D CH BLUE SPRINGS TIBERE – Pale fawn dog, a very elegant picture he made, equisite head, correct ears, long lean neck into very fine shoulders, a beautiful flowing outline that he kept on the move.  Well filled front, good bone and feet, ribbed well back into a good length of loin, strong h/qtrs.  Looked a picture floating round the ring, expertly handled, a very well deserved CC.

2. Newton’s NEVEDITH LFA LORD OF THE RING – lemon br/wh parti dog, have only previously seen photos of this dog and was longing to get my hands on him. Had thought he was on the large side from photos, but not at all.  Masculine head, strong under jaw, lovely long lean neck into correct shoulder placement, well filled front, good bone and feet.  Lovely flowing outline, with strong h/qtrs, moved with verve and very true.  Not trying to make the best of himself stacked, was easier to judge him on the move to a justly deserved Res CC.  I’m sure his day will come.

3.  Kennett’s OSTERFEN DIAMOND AT SELINKO

VETERAN DOG (17) 1 abs

1.  Minns’ MULTI CH AIRSCOT RUBY RASCAL – Lemon br/wh, well documented champion belying his 7 years. Lovely shapely dog in outline, masculine head, long lean neck into correct front assembly, well filled front , good depth of brisket,  bone and feet. Well proportioned body with hind angulation balanced with his front, which powered him round the ring effortlessly holding a good outline.  Still well able to hold his own with younger dogs for top honours. BVIS 

2. Candler’s CH MAIDENBOWER KITTIWAKE – Fawn dog, another well known champion, in fine form.  Masculine head, strong jaw, long neck into correct shoulder placement, good bone and feet.  Deep brisket, well filled front, strong h/qtrs. Nice for size, moved well, just didn’t quite hold his topline today.

3. Hall’s FARACRE FANFARE TO ARLANE

RACING OR COURSING DOG (9)

1.  Third’s BRUNTFIELD BEETLE – blk dog, very shapely flowing outline, who would have held his own in Limit or Open. Pleasing head, long neck, correct front assembly, good bone and feet. Well filled front, strong h/qtrs, which he used well, very sound on the move, as his construction dictated.

2.  Fletcher’s SHULEAH SINGING IN THE RAIN AT WHISTERFIELD – Fawn dog, placed res in a strong Limit Class, another shapely dog of good proportions, masculine head, well bodied, strong h/qtrs, moved well.  

3.  Noel-Smith’s SPIDERS ‘N’ SPOONS

Photo's courtesy of Louise Tope, Dewerstone Photography www.dewerstonephotography.co.uk