Crufts

CRUFTS 2016 JUDGES CRITIQUE FOR WHIPPET DOGS

It was a great honour to be asked to officiate at Crufts - the World’s Greatest Dog Show. A wonderful entry, just one less than the bitches and some exciting dogs for me to go over. Many thanks to my stewards Brian Attwood and Judy Manley for their competence , leaving me completely enabled to get on with the judging. Thanks too, go to the exhibitors for their sporting acceptance of my decisions and for the wonderful atmosphere around the ring. A delight to witness the whippet BOB go on to win Reserve Best in Show. What great ambassadors they are for our wonderful breed. Many Congratulations!

Veteran - Dog

Entries: 19 Abs: 0

1st AHRENS & PRIMAVERA CH/INT/ITL CH WHIPROSE IRISH COFFEE AT SOBERS

9 years young red brindle. Looking almost as good as he did when I gave him the CC 4 years ago. Balanced, masculine, sound. Qualities which still shine through despite a few grey hairs. He still has that lovely free, easy action when moving, that I loved about him before. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to see him again. A worthy winner.

2nd WILKINSON ‘S CH FLETCHGATE STAR WALKER SHCM

7 years, Black. Lovely classic whippet outline. Very curvy all through. Super head and ears. With strong underjaw. Great depth and underline. Feet and pasterns correct. Moved with drive and purpose. Sound as a bell.

3rd STRONG & CLINTON’S MARLEBEN MAGIQ MARQUIS AT MACKJAMA SHCM

7 years fawn brindle. In lovely condition. Well balanced. Good head and neck well set on. Straight front. Good bone, but no trace of coarseness. Broad thighs. Good length of loin. Moved well and very sound.

Minor Puppy - Dog

Entries: 1 Abs: 0

1st CROXFORD & DONALDSON’S CROSSCOP BRING ME SUNSHINE

8 months fawn baby who stood alone. I see from the catalogue that his sisters won the Bitch CC AND Reserve CC here today! Goodness! That said he is still very raw but some qualities are already shining through. Good front angulation and rear quarters. Broad thighs. Excellent feet and pasterns. Good length through the loin and well ribbed back. Topline needs to tighten but he already has a lovely free action and just needs time.

Puppy - Dog

Entries: 7 Abs: 2

All five placed in this class have bright futures ahead of them I’m certain. I would have been happy to take any of them home and I will be watching them all with interest!

1st & BPD DILLON’S KIERPARK SMOOTH CRIMINAL AT RUNFOREST JW

10 months particolour. Well balanced, typey puppy. Long lean masculine head, beautifully arched neck. He combined substance with elegance in a nice size. The best of fronts and feet. Good fill in, in front. Good rear angulation and very curvy underline. Good topline. Moved very sound and with excellent drive from the rear quarters. In super coat and condition.

2nd DENNIS-SMITH’S KARADHRAS CHERUBINEK (IMP POL)

11 months cream. Lovely flowing outline and very curvy underline. Masculine but no trace of coarseness. Lovely neck let into well laid shoulders. Good length of loin. Stood over his ground. Excellent feet. Another smashing mover. Sound coming and going and with good reach and drive. No disgrace to come 2nd in this class!

3rd SUTTON’S PALMIK HEARTS ON FIRE

11 months brindle with white trim. Well modeled throughout with no exaggerations. Good long neck let into well placed shoulders. I particularly liked the way his neck is set into the body. Excellent depth of chest and spring of rib. Broad thighs. Another sound mover who looked just as good coming and going as he did in profile.

Junior – Dog

Entries: 19 Abs: 1

What a lovely class this was, with very little to choose between those placed. These boys are future winners and it will be great to watch them all in the coming years.

1st ALLISSTONE’S HERGEHILL SILVER CRUSADER

Parti colour male with a great deal to like about him. Gorgeous balance. Lovely flowing outline with super topline (which won him this class over another top drawer boy). Attractive head and expression with well shaped eye. Curvy underline with good tuck up. Strong broad thighs, nice short hocks. Good feet and pasterns. Had a lovely low reaching movement in profile and was as sound coming as he was going. Loved the little heart at the top of his hip! Top quality boy!

2nd WHITEHEAD’S CITYCROFT HIGH SOCIETY JW

Fawn with white trim. Very typey whippet boy. Good head with great expression and ear carriage. Slightly longer lines than my winner. Well laid shoulder with good upper arm angulation. Well filled in in front. Good pasterns. Good rear angulation. Sound. Lovely free action when viewed in profile. Good muscle condition. Moved true.

3rd TRIPP’S SUPETA'S POLAR EXPRESS

Brindle and white. Elegant boy with flowing lines. Lovely long neck, flowing into well laid shoulders and on into his lovely topline. Curving down to the rear, well angulated quarters. Good upper arm angulation and well balanced throughout. Good pasterns and feet, short hocks. Sound as a bell and with good profile action.

Yearling - Dog

Entries: 25 Abs: 3

This was a tough class with some really nice dogs going home cardless. Their time will come!

1st & Reserve CC JOHNSTON’S DANLUKE LORD OF THE DANCE JW

This pale bridle with white trim boy just could not be denied! A real thoroughbred through to the core. Masculine without coarseness Lovely expression. Good neck let into the best of shoulders. Super upper arm. Good topline. Excellent depth of chest with plenty of heart and lung room. Well ribbed back with good length to his loin. Broad thighs, well let down hocks. Excellent condition. Fine coat and skin.

Add all this together and what have you got? – A hound who is fit for function, moves soundly and effortlessly and looks like he could do so all day long. His performance was captivating and I LOVED him! Watching him going round with my dog CC winner was a truly great moment for me. Thank you!

2nd AKERBOOM & VAN DER SCHAAF ‘S CREME ANGLAISE'S PANNA COTTA DUTCH J CH

I really liked this brindle with white trim too! He was so unlucky to meet the winner today! Built on similar lines just a shade stronger throughout. Clearly a male but still very elegant. Good underjaw. Attractive head and expression. Good topline. Slightly shorted coupled than the winner. Broad thighs. Good nails & feet and strong pasterns. Good depth. Moved with good rear drive and excellent reach in front. Sound as they come.

3rd LAWRENCE & WOODWARD’S BRYNTREIA FIRST GLANCE

Particolour boy built on a shorter frame than the previous 2. Loved his head and expression. Fine ears. Long neck which was well set into the body. Good depth of chest and spring of rib. Classic topline. Good front angulation. Broad thighs. Moved so soundly and with good extension front and rear. A real typey whippet.

Undergraduate - Dog

Entries: 20 Abs: 0

1st MEAKIN’S OAKBARK MAIN PLAYER

Brindle with white trim. Gorgeous, elegant, curvy boy with a beautiful classic outline. Loved his topline. Long neck let into well laid back shoulder. Correct upper arm. Straight front. Good feet and pasterns. Good rear quarters and low hocks and a super sound mover. Very well handled.

2nd GLITHERO & PHILO’S LAYWAYS COURT JESTER AT COPPERSHELL

Dark brindle and white. Another very curvy boy who was masculine but elegant. Great depth of chest and well sprung through the ribcage. Well ribbed back with excellent length of loin. Broad thighs and well let down hocks. Long tail. Lovely quality boy. Moved with drive and excellent front action.

3rd DENNIS-SMITH’S CROSSCOP DON'T STOP ME NOW

Solid brindle with a lovely typey shape but not quite so grown on as the 2 in front of him. That said he had a long neck and well set shoulders going into a lovely classic topline. Good upper arm angulation and super tight feet. Very curvy underline. Strong rear quarters. Lovely skin and coat. Moved really well both in profile and coming and going.

Graduate - Dog

Entries: 21 Abs: 1

1st SCHOLES’S CRAIGAVAD ONCE IN A LIFETIME

Brindle with white trim. Masculine and well angulated throughout. Attractive head with good ears. Moderate neck. Good forechest. Great depth with a lovely underline. Good feet and pasterns. Moved very soundly and with a lovely flowing side action. I would just like to see him a little more animated on the move.

2nd GRISOLI’S LOROLI LET'S GET IT ON

.Attractive dark brindle with white trim of a nice size. A little overawed by the occasion but well balanced with flowing lines. Masculine with a little more bone than the winner but in no way coarse. Loved his neck set and topline. Straight front. Parallel in his movement to and fro and balanced in profile. Very sound.

3rd SMEATH’S ALMAWHIP WELCOME TO MY WORLD FOR WILLINGWISP (IMP ITA)

This black with white trim was a little larger than the previous 2 but lovely balanced quality nonetheless. Masculine, well balanced with good angulation in front and behind. Good neck and well placed shoulders. Good depth of chest and well filled in in front. Short hocks. Moved soundly, with good reach in front and drive from behind. Very well handled. In lovely condition.

Post Graduate - Dog

Entries: 24 Abs: 2

1st BOUGHTON’S DANLUKE DOUBLE TANGO WITH IPANEMA

Red fawn with white trim. I see from the catalogue that this dog is the litter brother to the Res CC winner from the yearling class! Clearly he has many of the same attributes but without the stripes! You don’t need to ‘look underneath’ to be sure that he is a male but he retains the elegance and grace that his brother also has. Well angulated throughout with curves everywhere! Unexaggerated, sound, free movement and true whippet type of a nice size. Super dog.

2nd HALL’S BLANDINGS FORTUNE COOKIE

Fawn brindle and white. With a lot to like about him. Very attractive head and expression with fine ears and well shaped skull. Good underjaw. Long neck let into well laid shoulders. Lovey topline. Well balanced. Lovely curvy underline with good tuck up. Strong well angulated rear quarters. Nice feet and pasterns. Good nails. Moved sound and true with excellent front extension. Lovely condition.

3rd RISHWORTH’S COLLOONEY TAYLOR MADE

This brindle boy was well put together throughout. Lovely balance with no exaggerations but good sound quality. Moderate neck let into well laid shoulders. Lovely arch over the loin which was of good length. Straight front. Good rear angulation. Sound true mover with good extension when viewed in profile.

Mid Limit - Dog

Entries: 19 Abs: 3

1st WAYMAN’S SPEYMALT NORTHERN STAR

I first judged this particolour boy a little over 18 months ago. He was just six months old and won his class on the day! Little has changed – he is still full of quality, correct conformation and good breed type. He has gained composure and maturity (much needed!) and has developed into the promise he showed then. Still handsome. Still sound. Now he uses all those lovely curves and angles correctly and with the help of his handler, shows himself to much better advantage than he did that last time. Delighted to have been able to have the chance to go over him again. Well done!

2nd WHITAKER-CROSBY’S MULCAIR MAY CONTAIN NUTZ JW SHCM

Pale fawn brindle I have also judged before and he too has matured and developed into a very nice adult. Elegant and well balanced. Super depth of chest, good fill in in front and excellent length of loin. Good layback of shoulder and upper arm angulation. Sound mover with good reach in front when viewed from the side.

3rd ANDERSON’S BECSCOTT OXFORD PIONEER

Pale fawn brindle. Although he was a little taller than the previous 2 he was a beautifully balanced, masculine boy with elegance and grace. Lovely outline with real curvey underline. Long neck, well set on and correct topline with good arch over the loin. Broad well angulated rear quarters. Excellent feet and pasterns. Long tail. Moved soundly when viewed from front and rear and had an easy reachy stride when viewed in profile.

Limit - Dog

Entries: 25 Abs: 3

Fabulous class with many having to leave empty handed. So disappointing not to have been able to give out more 1st prizes or even a few CC’s!

1st SMITH’S COLLOONEY JAYHAWK

Particolour. Both 1st and 2nd were really similar boys. Both were balanced, masculine and had stunning heads and expressions with good underjaws, long necks and well laid shoulders. Their toplines were excellent, and both had good depth of chest and spring of rib. Both stood over their ground. And they were both great movers. Sound and with good extension. It was such a struggle to decide between these two as I really loved them both. In the end I just preferred the neck set-on of the winner, but they could change places in a whisker! Real quality!

2nd WILTON-CLARK’S SHALFLEET SIMPLY ROYAL

Brindle with white trim. See above.

3rd ALLEN’S ZORADEN GINGERBREAD LATTE JW

Shaded fawn and white trim. This boy was of a much more compact type. Moderate length of neck let into excellent shoulders. Good topline and correct arch over the loin. Superb depth of chest and spring of rib. Strong rear quarters. Lovely feet and pasterns. Moved as I knew he would, with drive from behind and good reach in front.

Open - Dog

Entries: 27 Abs: 2

What a fabulous class and such an honour to judge these wonderful whippets. 18 champions from around the world, several multiple CC winners, the breed record holder for males but I could only give 5 of them a prize card – how unfair!!! I needed at least another 5 CC’s!! But in company such as this it was not enough to be a worthy champion or a good dog; there had to be an exceptional performance. I believe that the 5 dogs placed delivered that, and I felt very privileged. Thanks must also go to the exhibitors in this class for their patience as we waited for the handlers in the open bitch class to return to us.

1st Dog CC & Reserve BOB COURTBORNE LIEN & HOFF’S NO/SE/DK/NORD CH COURTBORNE SHELDON

I judged this boy in Norway, on his first (I believe) outing a couple of years ago and gave him BOB from the yearling class. He has matured into a spectacular adult who oozes quality from every pore. He has incredible ring presence and that, along with his beautiful lines, condition and quiet handling makes him a force to be reckoned with. Beautiful head and expression. Long well arched neck let into the very best of shoulders. Excellent upper arm angulation. Good depth to his chest with correct fill in to his front. Smooth lines through the topline into the rear quarters and on to excellent rear angulation. Lovely curvy underline. His movement was effortless and I could watch him all day long as he just floated around the ring. A truly stunning dog and a privilege for me to have the opportunity to give him the dog CC here at Crufts!

2nd WILTON-CLARK’S CH SHALFLEET SIMPLY A LORD

This beautifully balanced boy will always be a great favourite of mine, he is a worthy male breed record holder. I still love his head and expression and his gorgeous outline. Quality conformation and breed type throughout. In excellent condition. He put on his usual superb performance. An honour to have hands on him again. Thank you!

3rd COULTER & FLETCHER’S IR CH COLLOONEY SWINGS BOTH WAYS

This red brindle dog with white trim has improved and matured into a really good, sound male. His quality shines through, with his excellent conformation and condition. He has a beautiful set on to his neck, and correct shoulders. Lovely depth of chest and good spring to his rib. Straight front with great feet and correct pasterns. He has a lovely easy free action when moving, which can only come from being made so right. He is a joy to watch on the move.

Special Racing/Lure Coursing - Dog

Entries: 10 Abs: 0

1st WEBBER’S DARK WING

Black. Masculine head with correct underjaw. Moderate neck let into well laid shoulders. Good topline and curvy underline. Straight front and good rear angulation. Moved well. Sound coming and going. Certainly looked fit for purpose.

2nd PRICE’S ELMANASH MAJESTIC GOLD AMONG SILKDANCE JW

Fawn dog built on similar lines to the winner. Well angulated throughout. Great depth of chest and spring of rib. Moved with drive from behind. Nice profile action. Just preferred the topline on the winner.

3rd DOHERTY’S CREME ANGLAISE'S URBAN DANCER FOR LITTLEBRITON (IMP NLD)

Fawn and white. Quite a shapely boy with a super neck set on. Pleasing topline. Broad, well angulated thighs. Nice feet and pasterns. Moved well and sound.

Good Citizen Dog Scheme - Dog

Entries: 16 Abs: 2

1st SHEPHERD’S NATTAH IN SYNC WITH OXANA JW SHCM

Blue brindle and white. Lovely head and expression. Lovely ear carriage. Good neck let into excellent shoulder. Curvy topline and underline. Excellent depth of chest and spring of rib. Moved well and with good reach.

2nd PRICE’S ELMANASH MAJESTIC GOLD AMONG SILKDANCE JW

3rd MULLIGAN’S ASHKYEM BIG STAR

Brindle with white trim. Elegant dog with long lines. Lovely neck set into the body. Good topline. Nice feet with correct pasterns. Well angulated both in front and rear quarters. Long tail. Moved well.

JUDGE ANN BECKETT-BRADSHAW