Italian Greyhound Club

Italian Greyhound Club championship show 2025

It was indeed an honour to be invited to judge the 125th anniversary show of the Italian Greyhound Club.

While preparing for the appointment by reading through the different standards of the breed around the world. While obviously judging to the UK standard when in the UK, it is quite apparent that the standards vary quite a lot. I would like to point out that the UK standard is not very specific about certain traits that are considered very import in the breed elsewhere – and I presume also in the UK, such as the rather characteristic sharp neck-set and the quite sloping croup of the breed. The UK standard also fails to describe the body proportions, otherwise considered to be square or even shorter than square.

As usual in the breed worldwide, type, quality and movement varied a lot. I was however very really impressed with all the main winners, and with 12 champions in attendance, there were quite a few excellent dogs to choose from.

Baby Puppy Dog (1)

1. Lamoye Magnificent Matteo

At five months old, this elegant, still masculine dog has come a long way, but does not need to grow any bigger. He scores in elegance. Beautiful head with lovely expression. Well shaped ears, on the larger side. Correctly set neck. Balanced angulation both ends. Curvy underline, pleasing topline on the stack, but tended to flatten out quite a bit on the move. Lovely coat and red colour. Nice and easy on the move, as well as quite sound coming and going for one so young.

Veteran Dog (2)

1. Ch. Tamiskene Rumba JW

A well made and well proportioned dog with excellent body curves. He is masculine if slightly on the strong side. Attractive head and typical expression, if not the darkest of eyes. Excellent ears. Well set neck of moderate length. Well angulated in front. Shapely topline and underline which he retained on the move. Well angulated behind. Could do with a shorter, smoother coat. Very in his parallel movement, at all times keeping his shape and balance from the side.

2. Blue Lagoon of Bytheiad

A very elegant dog, scoring in quality, but not as masculine as the winner. Well proportioned. Attractive head, ears a bit flighty. Well set neck with pleasing length. Curvy topline when standing and balanced angulation both ends. Lost a bit of his topline on the move, but strode out very well. Could be more accurate in his front movement coming towards me.

Minor Puppy Dog (1)

1. Alura Bandito at Loweroak

Attractive puppy, ten months old. Masculine, just a little longer than square. Still very puppyish in his head and expression. One well shaped rose ear, the other one awaiting shaping up. Long neck, well set into withers. Very well angulated in front. Shapely underline, OK topline. Moderately angulated behind. He moved very well from the side, if somewhat proud of his tail. Lovely coat and fawn and white colour.

Junior Dog (2)

1. Littlebriton Smokey Sings

Blue and white dog, a little over a year who truly impressed in his side movement. He is a very elegant dog, just masculine enough. Excellent ears. Long neck, well set, excellent body proportions and very shapely. He kept his lovely curves on the move and strode out really well, but needs to stabilize in his front movement. Lovely coat and colour.

2. Kenleap Coastal Grey

A larger fawn dog with a lovely temperament and much enjoying his day out. Attractive head with excellent flat skull and length. Very good ears. Long neck. Longer and flatter in his back than the winner. Deep chest. Very pleasing underline. Proud of his tail in movement. Excellent coat and colour.

Novice Dog (3)

1. Rilloby Touch of Frost

A very attractive dog for type and outline. He needs more self-confidence, but I was able to go over him on the table. Masculine head with pleasing length, excellent small and thin ears. Good rise of neck. Very pleasing curves to his body. Well angulated behind. He retained his shape on the move, even if a bit crunching. Lovely coat and colour.

2. Alura Bandito at Loweroak

3. Bytheiad’s Brave Lionheart

Post Graduate Dog (5,1)

1. Crystaldrift Caerillion

A very typey dog, very elegant and well balanced and well proportioned. Very attractive head that fits the rest of him very well. Well folded rose ears. Long neck, typically set. Excellent underline and a smooth, curvy topline as well. He needs to drop in his chest with maturity. Kept most of his outline on the move and moved out really well. Lovely coat and colour. Champion quality.

2. Salatini Dakota Gold

Another very attractive dog, well balanced and very well proportioned. Masculine head, a little anxious in his expression. Well folded rose ears. Shapely neck, well set, very good front, he stood very well over his front legs. Smooth topline standing, but tended to flatten out when moving. Well angulated behind. A sound mover from all angles, at all times retaining his balance, more so than his outline.

3. Crystaldrift Neo Lythix

Minor Limit Dog (3,1)

1. Ackra’s Gondolero among Jocenro

black dog of very pleasing type and quality. Not small, but definitely elegant, and still masculine. Excellent head and ears. Long neck, well set. Moderate angulation in front, balanced behind. Smooth and curvy silhouette on the stack and retained most of this on the move. Lovely coat and colour. A happy mover, using his tail actively, but not carried too high.

2. Skylar’s Chico

Another attractive dog, fawn and white. Just enough length of leg. Very good front. Deep chest with curvy underline. Just enough topline on the stack and less than enough on the move. Well angulated behind. Would like him to be stronger in his hocks. Balanced mover from the side, but could be somewhat more shapely.

Limit Dog (8,1)

1. Alura Prince to Minitopo

A very instantly attractive dog, scoring heavily in elegance, shape of outline and proportions. Just masculine enough, but he is a piece of art and has the future ahead of him. Well shaped head with good length, flat skull, excellent ears which he made very good use of. Typically alert in his temperament, which was lacking in many today. Long neck, correctly sharply set. Lovely topline and underline. He moved out exceptionally well from the side and with good lift, keeping his shape and outline at all times. Balanced angulation both ends. Lovely coat and black and white colour. Should be made up in a heartbeat. ResCC.

2. Artmeis Wild Card of Regallust

A strong and masculine male, another with excellent size. His shape gives him the required elegance. A bit strong in his head and his rose ears could be smaller. Very well proportioned in his body, shapely on the stack and retained most of it on the move. Balanced angulation both ends. Blue and white colour, rich coat, but on the rougher side. A very sound mover from the side and in front.

3. Miwell Alex Mcqueen

Open Dog (8)

1. Ch.Am.Gr.Ch. Jaros Ferazi Et Tu Brute at Sfizimio

Very typey, well proportioned black dog with white trim. He combines elegance with masculinity to a very high degree. Attractive and typical head and expression. Well shaped rose ears. Typical well set neck of pleasing length, especially when he used it. Balanced angulation both ends with moderation. Shapely topline and underline which he retained on the move. Typical feet. A very good mover from all angles with typical Italian Greyhound front lift. Excellent coat and colour. His degree of grace appealed a lot to me and with a slight margin in the end he beat the limit winner to gain the CC.

2. Ch. Artmeis Aces High of Regallust

Another very attractive dog, even with a very different colour, fawn and white, he is actually not dissimilar to the winner. Masculine head with very pleasing proportions. Well folded ears on the larger side. Excellent neck into topline, smooth and curvy in his silhouette. Balanced angulation both ends. He retained his balance and most of his curves on the move. Lovely coat and fawn colour. Exceptionally sound coming and going, he moved out moderately well from the side, if not quite as good as the winner.

3. Ch. Buccalupo Lucky Luciano

Special Progeny Dog (1)

1. SA.Ch. Ravilais Ethan’s Moth with Littlebriton

A typey dog who moved very well from the side and who has inherited down his qualities to his offspring.

Veteran Bitch (7,1)

1. Ch. Gemolli Antique Tapestry JW ShCEx OSW

A very well proportioned, very feminine bitch with lovely shape of body both in her topline and in her underline. Typey. Attractive, feminine head, lovely expression. Good neck, well set. Balanced angulation both ends. She kept her shape very well on the move and was well coordinated. Could be more parallel as watched from behind. Excellent coat and fawn colour. Delightfully feminine. Best veteran.

2. Ch.Am.Ch. Artmeis Golden Oriole of Regallust

A bitch who really caught my eye on the stack. She has a certain star appeal and pulled out all the strops at 10 years old. Very attractive head with super ears that she used to her advantage at all times. Long neck, well set. A little stronger and a little longer cast, she is still deliciously curvy on the stack. Parallel in movement coming and going and strode out very well from the side, but a bit bum high at this age.

3. Ch. Littlebriton Kissed By Fire

Puppy Bitch (2)

1. Amore Dreaming in Firenze at Sfizimio

A delightful, feminine bitch. Fawn and white, Small, she has just enough length of leg and needs to grow slightly more. Feminine head with good length and flatness of skull for one so small, excellent ears. Long neck, well set. Very good front. Excellent body shape, topline and underline. Well angulated behind. She is a very sound mover, parallel coming and going and kept her balance and shape from the side, using her legs very well indeed. Best Puppy in Show.

2. Eleganza D’oro Prima

Blue bitch, longer cast than the winner. Quite pleasing head. Excellent eyes and ears. Medium length of neck. Needs to develop in depth and front, and some more weight would come in handy. Excellent coat. Moved light on her feet, but proud of her tail.

Junior Bitch (2)

1. Rilloby Line of Duty at Emmzar

Very feminine, typey and curvy blue and white bitch. Refined in head, I would have preferred a stronger jaw. One good ear, and one that is rather houndy at this time. Long neck, well set. Quite a good front. Excellent underline, good topline, well angulated behind. She moved out very well and very much in synch with her handler, sound coming and going and retaining her balance and outline. Potential champion material.

2. Karcasam Bambi

A fawn bitch who looked her best on the table, she is well proportioned and quite curvy. Very feminine in head, a bit frightened in her expression. Medium neck. Deep chest. Very good feet. She was rather erratic in movement and neds a better coat.

Novice Bitch (5)

1. Cheinamour Looking Good

Small blue bitch, overall very well made and very sound. Pleasing head and ears. I would like some more neck which would have added more elegance to her. Well angulated both ends. Deep chest, curvy underline. Enough curves to her topline, if not optimal. Excellent coat. Very sound in movement from all angles, keeping some topline on the move. Excellent legs and feet.

2. Cremebryelays Rising Star

Elegant bitch, she scored in neck and length of leg. Moderately angulated both ends. Excellent temperament. Curvy underline, some topline. Very good coat. Not quite as sound in movement as the winner and with a high tail carriage.

3. Littlebriton Galway Girl

Post Graduate Bitch (9,3)

1. Black Baraka Ultra Violet avec Ansandra

A very beautiful blue bitch, very, very typey, very classical, feminine, elegant and curvy. She really has it all and makes no secret about her heritage. Obviously very European in type, but then this is an Italian breed. Head with flat skull, correct slight stop, small rose ears. Attentive and alive. Long neck, well set. She stood very well over her legs and feet. Curvy in her topline and underline, balanced angulation both ends. Moved very soundly coming and going, very well balanced from the side while striding out well. There is nothing more ecstatic for a judge than when your heart screams “yes” and your brain fully agrees. CC & BOB.

2. Bytheiad Fair Guinevere at Willingwisp

Bitch of similar make and shape, if not quite as intense as the winner. Attractive head, but light eyes and staring expression. Medium neck. Very good front, completely straight front legs as viewed from the front. Curvy topline and underline standing, tending to lose a bit of her topline on the move. Excellent fawn coat.

3. Lamoye’s Creme Fraiche

Minor Limit Bitch (6,1)

1. Marchwind Nefertari at Jemalsheva JW

Red and white bitch, eye-catching. On the table she roached her topline too much, but this calmed down on the ground and even more so on the move. Very expressive and attractive head with lovely expression and very good rose ears. Long neck. Could do with some more layback of upper arm. Excellent underline. She does not need any more angulation behind than this, but still moved very well from behind. Rather lose in front. Lovely coat and colour.

2. Kensesqui Jive to Silhouettig

White bitch with a just little fawn markings. She is very square and balanced. Typical head and ears. Medium neck, well set. Very moderately angulated in both ends, but it matches out. A sound, positive mover from all angles, keeping some shape on the move.

3. Gemolli A Million Dreams

Limit Bitch (9,1)

1. Gianni Go Greta

Delightfully feminine, curvy blue bitch of excellent type and quality. Expressive head, excellent ears. Long neck, correctly sharply set. Balanced angulation both ends. Lovely underline and curvy topline. Tends to tuck her tail too high up, but that does not detract from her type and quality. She used her legs well from all angles, retaining some topline.

2. Pizpireta De Talonkan

Another blue bitch, not dissimilar to the winner. Attractive head, expression and ears. Quite a performer, very attentive. Pleasing neck. Smooth curves to her outline standing and retained some of it on the move. Excellent coat. She moved well from the side, but not as stable as the winner coming and going.

3. Salatini Rose Gold

Open Bitch (6)

The first two bitches clearly stood out and they are very similar in many ways. They turned out to be litter sisters.

1. Ch. Artmeis Raise the Stakes

Fawn bitch with white trim, elegant and feminine and generally of very high quality. Attractive head and expression. Made very good use of her ears, reflecting her excellent temperament. Long neck, well set. A tad long in body, but deliciously curvy and stands very firmly over her legs and feet. Balanced angulation both ends. Very straight legs and very sound on the move, retaining her balance and shape. ResCC and ResBIS.

2. Ch. Artmeis Three Card Trick

Another lovely fawn and white bitch, shorter in body, very curvy and attractive, Not quite the head quality or ears of the winner. Very good neck, shapely and well set. Balanced angulation and a sound, functional mover, keeping her shape and balance. Excellent coat and colour.

3. Loughlum Evasio at Gianni

Special Progeny Bitch (2,1)

1. Ch. Littlebriton Winter Is Here

This very typey bitch of the highest quality brought back fond memories of the last time I judged the breed in the UK and when she was my BOB at Crufts. Lovely to see that she has produced such good progeny as well.

Espen Engh, Norway (judge)