1987 Best in Breed

1987 AWC National Specialty

A few of the news related articles to the first AWC National

From the September 1987 AKC Gazette

A Wealth of Whippets

A world record 340 Whippets turn out for the First National Specialty of the American Whippet Club.

by Bo Bengtson

Mr. Bengtson has owned, shown, bred and judged Whippets for almost 30 years. He is on the board of directors of the American Whippet Club and has contributed several articles to the GAZETTE.

It was an historic occasion on two counts: the first ever National Specialty show held by the American Whippet Club and a world record entry for the breed with 340 dogs entered in Columbus , Ohio on April 18, 1987. Even in England, the breed's country of origin, the number of Whippets some times exceeds 200 at major events but has never topped the 300 mark. (The previous highest figure was, in fact, noted in Sweden last summer when the breed club received exactly 310 entries for its club show.)

National specialties are meant to showcase the current state of the breed throughout the country, and this event certainly fulfilled that important requirement. The dogs shown represented almost every possible bloodline known in the United States and came from 36 different states as well as Canada . It would be an understatement to say that the weekend was a success, and the question was asked over and over: "Why haven't we done this before?"

Why, indeed. One reason may be that during the almost 60 years that the American Whippet Club has been in existence, it has hosted an increasing number of popular regional specialties

each year: first in the East, then in the West, in the Midwest and now also in the South—and it seemed doubtful that any national specialty would be able to top the regional affairs. National Show Chairman Cathy Gaidos first presented the idea to AWC in 1985 and as she tells it, nobody seriously expected more than 100 or so Whippets at this show. In fact, the decision to put on a national specialty was mainly seen as an attempt to attract more members to the club's annual meeting, which according to the by-laws must be held in April and traditionally takes place in a different part of the country each year.

Unbridled Enthusiasm

The Whippet fancy responded with unbridled enthusiasm to the idea. Since so many breed specialists would gather in one place at one time, what was more natural than to also organize an educational breed seminar on the day before the specialty, and a race meeting the day after—emphasizing the versatility for which the breed has long been known.

The Rodeway Inn in Columbus, headquarters for the weekend, was al most completely taken over by the

Whippets and their people during Easter weekend. Can you have a couple hundred dogs in a motel without any of the usual problems which have ruined the reputation of dog people so many times before? Of course you can — if they are Whippets. The dogs were every bit as civilized and well-behaved as their owners, hardly a yip was heard all weekend, and strategically placed pooper-scoopers and buckets, even exercise pens, had been provided by the show management. Specialty Show Chairman Pat Dresser said that the hotel management would welcome back Whippet people.

Friday could be spent listening and learning at the breed seminar, with any spare moments at the hospitality room. Apart from snacks, it provided a display of every possible kind of Whip pet literature as well as non-stop playing of videotapes from previous AWC specialties.

Seminar Chairman James Gray, MD had put together an excellent program, starting in the morning with Mary Beth Arthur—owner of one of the most successful multi-purpose kennels in the country—speaking on "Raising and Training Youngsters for Racing," followed by AWC's National Racing Secretary Barbara Koch who presented the club's National Point Racing program, under which a Whippet can achieve points toward the Award of Racing Merit title (ARM). Experienced breeder Cora Miller discussed anatomy and breed type in a talk entitled "Images of Performance," sharing of her experience and illustrating both good and bad points with film of her own dogs; she even gave an impromptu assessment of the influence of some of the great old names in the breed, which was particularly useful for new fanciers. The seminar was concluded by Jan Swayze Pence who explained the intricacies of Lure Coursing which currently does not fall within AWC's realm of activity.

The Judging

Saturday morning found the four beautifully decorated rings ready to welcome both judges and exhibitors at the DiSalle Arts and Crafts Center, across the street from Ohio State Fairgrounds and just a few miles from the motel. Appropriately, the membership had voted one of the most experienced Whippet people to judge the first National Specialty; Mrs. W.P. Wear, of Cecilton, MD has had an uninterrupted involvement in the breed for over 40 years and the influence of her line of breeding on Whippets in this country can hardly be overemphasized. Since the entry was much larger than expected a second judge was required, and Mrs. Betty Stites of Arlington, TX, also a breed specialist, graciously consented to judge the overload.

Some very careful inter-stitching of the assignment was necessary in order to avoid having to call in a third judge. Mrs. Wear judged most of the regular bitch classes plus some dog puppies and all the Specials entered for Best of Breed, which gave her exactly 175 dogs to judge. Mrs. Stites' assignment included most of the regular dog classes and almost all the "non-regulars" (veterans, stud dogs, brood bitches, etc.) which added up to 174 dogs—about as close to the limit as you can get.

Of particular interest was the special class—put on for the first time and by special permission from AKC—open only to dogs which had received points towards their Award of Racing Merit. Five dogs and one bitch competed, including a dog which better than any other that day could demonstrate the meaning of the word versatility; Mr. Marial's Padneyhill Illusion, ARM--an almost ten-year-old particolor dog who was top racing Whippet in 1979—won both this class and one of the nine Awards of Merit given out by Mrs. Wear in the Best of Breed competition. For good measure, he also completed his CD title on the same day!

The Sweepstakes classes were judged by Phoebe Jordan Booth of Williamston, MI. She found her Best in Sweepstakes winner in the only seven-month-old brindle dog Madcap Master Key, owned by Norman W. Ellis and Geary L. Harris. Best of Opposite Sex was another brindle, 14-month-old High Flyer Glamorous Glennis—the winner of AWC's Futurity as a puppy last year. She is owned by Erma Kovach and Ralph and Wendy Clark.

From class dogs, Mrs. Stites awarded Winners to the orange brindle and white dog, Oakhurst Astin, owned by Bruce and Jennifer Penman. This win completed his championship. Mrs. Wear selected Morshor's Majestic Ball O'Fire as Winners Bitch—another pre dominantly brindle, only 14 months old and co-owned by Dianne Bleecker and Calvin Perry.

It was interesting to see that Mrs. Stites' RWD had won his class under Mrs. Wear and was also Best Puppy; this was the previously mentioned Best in Sweepstakes winner. Similarly, Mrs. Wear's RWB had won her class under Mrs. Stites and also came from the 6-9 Month Puppy class. Obviously a good day for the younger generation and also a good case of complementary judging.

The huge and extremely competitive Veteran classes were in many ways the highlight of the day and proved that even the usually low-key and decorous Whippet people can stomp, shout and clap with the best of them! When the legendary 12-year-young Ch. Sporting Fields Clansman won among the dogs, hardly an eye was dry at ringside, and the younger but also famous Ch. Whippoorwill Precious Gem received a simi lar reception upon winning the Veteran bitch class.

Moment of Truth

But of course the moment of truth arrived when the two rings were combined to create an arena large enough to accommodate all the 69 champions entered, as well as Winners Dog and Bitch, the two Veterans and the two winners of the ARM class. It was a spectacle never before seen in the world of Whippets, but Mrs. Wear—accompanied by the whirring of videotapes and the clicking of cameras—went to her task with the quiet confidence which only a long and intimate association with one's chosen breed can give When the dust had settled, it was obvious that the one dog which impressed Mrs. Wear the most on this day was her Winners Bitch, so Morshor's Majestic Ball O'Fire became the first ever Best of Breed Winner at an American Whip pet Club National Specialty Show. Best of Opposite Sex was her sire, the brindle and white Ch. Morshor's Majestic Dell (also a Field Champion in lure coursing), providing his owner and breeder Dianne Bleecker with the kind of double win that everyone dreams of but hardly anyone ever attains.

The five entries in Junior Showman ship were judged by John Parente of Georgetown , PA whose winner was 16-year-old Jeff Rettig, already a seasoned handler with many Breed and Group wins to his credit. The 17 Obedience entries were judged by James J. Ham of Sterling Heights, Ml who awarded High-In-Trial to the fawn bitch Clulan Jandall's High Noon, owned by Margaret E. Haese, with 193 points.

Race Meeting

The weekend wasn't over yet. On Monday, at the same time as Central Ohio Kennel Club's all-breed show on the nearby fairgrounds, AWC held a National Point Race meet with 47 starters-41 adults and 6 puppies. Six of the adults were conformation champions and practically all came from lines well-known in the show ring. The winner was Marial's Whitewater, ARM, who had placed second in his class at the specialty the previous day and is owned by Douglas and Mary Beth Arthur and Bernice Strauss. Best Puppy was Belaya Cracker Jack, owned and bred by Carol S. Chittum. Cracker Jack is both sired by and out of show champions and also placed second in his class at the specialty. Obviously the danger of a split into different types—"bench" and "field"—which has occurred in so many other breeds, does not appear to be imminent in Whippets!

Whippets —A Breed Since 1610

The word "Whippet" is at least 400 years old. The Oxford Dictionary of English defines it as meaning "a lively young woman" in 1550, and by 1610 it had already come to mean not only a small or nimble person but also "a small breed of dog." Although it is pointless to discuss pure-bred dogs in the modern sense until half-way into the 19th century, it is obvious from innumerable artistic representations from ancient days, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and later that there always existed several varieties of the sleek and smooth-haired Sighthound, ranging in size from virtual Toy dogs (the Italian Greyhound) up through Whippet-size to Greyhounds. These dogs, many of which could grace a modern show ring, are usually pictured in splendid surroundings with aristocratic connections and frequently religious themes. It is obvious that they were held in high regard.

By contrast, the Whippet's beginning as a modern breed is humble. The poor miners in the north of England were fanatically interested in dog racing during the middle and end of the 19th century. They could not afford to keep Greyhounds, so they concentrated on their smaller cousins. Stories abound of how the rough-hewn miners cared as much for their graceful little dogs as for their wives and children—perhaps more—and would spend their last penny on food for the dog.

The grace and elegance of the Whippet soon caught the eye of many socially prominent dog fanciers. In 1889 when the Whippet Club was founded in England, its first president was the ubiquitous Duchess of Newcastle. The Whippet Club is still going strong, holding its annual championship show in March each year, and the breed still attracts a cross section of society from all over the world.

The American Kennel Club recognized the Whippet in 1888, even before its British counterpart, but although the first AKC champion gained its title in 1904, registration remained low until well into the 1950s. In 1960 less than 200 Whippets were registered by AKC (about a tenth of the English registrations for that year; since the 1970s, yearly registrations have increased to approximately 1,000 and last year the total was 1,415—about the same as in the breed's native country).—BB