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JUDGES-REPORTS – SIGHTHOUND FESTIVAL DONAUESCHINGEN 2018
D
SHARON SAKSON | USA
"PARISFIELD" WHIPPETS
Judging Whippets at Donaueschingen was a
highlight of my judging career. This is such a
magnificent show, with the opening day display
of horsemanship and the super parade of
Galgos Espanol at the start.
On Saturday, I judged bitches while Pauline
Oliver of England judged dogs. The FCI system
of doing critiques is a wonderful challenge for
an American judge. Exhibitors learn what the
judge thinks about their dog. I found much to
praise in this lovely entry, many had the combined
elegance and athleticism that marks our
breed.
Best Bitch on Saturday was from the Intermediate
Class, Bestie’s Cookie Dough, and she went
on to be Pauline Oliver’s Best of Breed. Hailing
from Finland but with an Irish dam, this bitch
had the elegance and smoothness of her dam’s
line, which included the lovely champions Collooney
Blonde Bombshell, Adagio Love Supreme,
and Crufts winner Pencloe Dutch Gold. She
shared several ancestors with another Colloo-
ney bitch, Tartan Tease, who was Best in Show
at Crufts this year. A royal pedigree.
Best of Opposite Sex was Catskill’s Hollywood
Hills, bred in Norway, owned in France, with a
name that is all-American! He was also from
Intermediate Class. He was a truly outstanding
fawn boy, standing over lots of ground with
true elegance, a sparkle in his dark eye. His
pedigree showed he was the great-grandson
of my Ch. Aberdeen Remarkable in Paris and
he had the smooth form of that older kinsman.
Saturday’s bitch classes were lovely. Looking
over my paperwork, the rating “Excellent” predominated,
but there were many “Very Good”
and some “Good”.
On Sunday, I judged the dog classes. The male
Whippets were thrilling. I found so many elegant,
athletic males in the entry. This turned
out to be one of those wonderful but rare
events when you find more top quality in the
boys than the girls.
My Open Class was an eye opener, with many
contenders among the 18 boys. My steward
was Whippet breeder Vicki Thompson, who
came up from the south of France to work the
show. The day had gotten extremely hot and
there was no shade in the ring, so we told the
exhibitors to go out and come back one at a
time for evaluation and critique. After going
over 15 entries, #16 was nowhere to be found.
Vicki enlisted Whippet breeder Patti Fitzgerald
from the U.S. to look among the shade trees.
After an intensive search, she found the man
and his dog sprawled on the lawn and hurried
him back to the ring. “Watch out,” she said, “that
dog is covered in spit.” When I looked confused,
she whispered, “He keeps kissing it. That is the
most kissed dog in the show.”
We all love our Whippets! As I went over him, I
found everything I love in a beautiful male, the
elegant, smooth outline; flat, well-tuned muscle;
an arched neck; chiseled head and dark eye.
This fawn beauty placed every foot powerfully
and floated in his sidegait.
Looking up and down my cut, this well-kissed
fawn stood out as an exemplar of the breed.
When I pointed to him for number 1, the owner
exclaimed, “What! Me? Really?” That is my interpretation
of what he said, but I don’t understand
German so it could have been something
entirely different.
The Whippet is Kupleto Anso, bred in Lithuania
and owned by G. Mrugalta in Germany. He also
won the CAC, the first leg towards a championship.
As we posed for the photo, he said, “This
is my dream come true!” which made all of us
smile, sharing in his delight.
Best of Breed was the Italian Whippet Ch. Sobresalto
Buscar Besos, a typey, sound red brindle
who came from a class of 16 champions, of
which six were strong contenders for the top
placement. From the first time I saw him enter
the ring, I thought, “Paris Panther.” He had
the elegant and powerful outline of Panther,
with the long, arched neck that so beautifully
balanced his angulation. Checking the internet
for his pedigree days later, Panther appears
back in the fourth and fifth generation, and several
other favorites are there, Ch. Paris Beatrix
of Tiber and her son, Ch. Airescot Gold Field.
After that weekend, my impression is that the
Whippet breed in Europe is in good shape. I’m
proud of what the European breeders have
done with the Whippets from my kennel.
Sharon Sakson
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Journal_2019_4c_fin.indd 68 24.07.19 13:57