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After 6 weeks away, we're finally home but to bitterly cold weather. Even snowing outside Sydney! 
We started our trip with the World Show in Sweden and ended with a couple of days in Bangkok after judging at Donaueschingen Sighthound Show.
Friends took some of the dogs and my son looked after the rest and even managed to get the RR’s mated! :thumbsup: He told me I can’t go away again unless I board the dogs. I reminded him about his short memory and the lack of board he pays, the food and wine he and his girlfriend eat, the garaging of the jet ski, etc. But look what I came home to:
My VERY good friend, Hilary Spence of Padtheway Salukis, whelped Alice and reared the puppies for me. I came home to 5 healthy 4½ week old weaned and toilet trained puppies whose tails never stop wagging. :thumbsup: I think Hilary did a better job than I could have.
All the dogs are now back home together. Peaches, our Saluki, ensconed back on the lounge where she believes she belongs.
6 weeks in winter was a bit too long and some of the whippies lost weight, especially Clover, who is a mummy's girl, so lots of small frequent meals and already in a couple of days, she's looking better. Our old girl, Maggie, at 15 years, had an eye removed 4 days before we left so my son had to manage her as well but he did a great job and although she’s a little frailer, she’s fine.
Donaueschingen was a wonderful show with a great format and a credit to the organisers. I had an absolutely fabulous time. The Sighthound Shows run Saturday and Sunday, there is a Best of the Best show Saturday night (BIS and BIG1 winners), and at the end of Sunday, the Best In Shows compete for Supreme Best In Show. This year, both Sighthound shows were won by the Afghan, however, whippets did feature in some of the major awards (Veteran, Puppy and Junior In Show). The Best of the Best on Saturday night was won by the Azawakh who won RUBIS Sunday at the Sighthound Show.
There were many wonderful whippets and in some cases, there wasn’t much at all between the placings There were several that I would happily have brought home .
My Best Veteran was an outstanding bitch and at 13½ was still a lovely shape and great mover which earned her Veteran in Show on the Saturday. :cheers:
I had many debates with my FCI co-judges as for me, we are taught to choose the best representative on the day from whatever class and age. The FCI system doesn’t allow for champions to be under 2 which I have no problem with but I really would have liked to place my puppies and to be able to have them and the Juniors compete for BOB. One of my co-judges said that although puppy may be the best on the day, as a puppy, they shouldn’t be that mature and developed. I understand but for me, judges leave their breeders’ hats at home and whilst I may reward a dog in the ring, as a breeder I may feel the dog is finished for it’s age and may be too heavy as a mature adult.
I'll try and post some pics in separate posts. John used the camera for the first time, so the shots weren't great and he missed a few.
Congratulations to all the winners and place getters and it was a pleasure to judge your beautiful dogs. I still haven't studied the catalogue yet so really don't know much about any of the dogs.
The washing is done, the suitcases packed away, the kennels are scrubbed, the dogs arelying in front of the fire so now I can get back to wasting time playing with the babies.
Cheers
We started our trip with the World Show in Sweden and ended with a couple of days in Bangkok after judging at Donaueschingen Sighthound Show.
Friends took some of the dogs and my son looked after the rest and even managed to get the RR’s mated! :thumbsup: He told me I can’t go away again unless I board the dogs. I reminded him about his short memory and the lack of board he pays, the food and wine he and his girlfriend eat, the garaging of the jet ski, etc. But look what I came home to:
My VERY good friend, Hilary Spence of Padtheway Salukis, whelped Alice and reared the puppies for me. I came home to 5 healthy 4½ week old weaned and toilet trained puppies whose tails never stop wagging. :thumbsup: I think Hilary did a better job than I could have.
All the dogs are now back home together. Peaches, our Saluki, ensconed back on the lounge where she believes she belongs.
6 weeks in winter was a bit too long and some of the whippies lost weight, especially Clover, who is a mummy's girl, so lots of small frequent meals and already in a couple of days, she's looking better. Our old girl, Maggie, at 15 years, had an eye removed 4 days before we left so my son had to manage her as well but he did a great job and although she’s a little frailer, she’s fine.
Donaueschingen was a wonderful show with a great format and a credit to the organisers. I had an absolutely fabulous time.
The Sighthound Shows run Saturday and Sunday, there is a Best of the Best show Saturday night (BIS and BIG1 winners), and at the end of Sunday, the Best In Shows compete for Supreme Best In Show. This year, both Sighthound shows were won by the Afghan, however, whippets did feature in some of the major awards (Veteran, Puppy and Junior In Show). The Best of the Best on Saturday night was won by the Azawakh who won RUBIS Sunday at the Sighthound Show.There were many wonderful whippets and in some cases, there wasn’t much at all between the placings There were several that I would happily have brought home .
My Best Veteran was an outstanding bitch and at 13½ was still a lovely shape and great mover which earned her Veteran in Show on the Saturday. :cheers:
I had many debates with my FCI co-judges as for me, we are taught to choose the best representative on the day from whatever class and age. The FCI system doesn’t allow for champions to be under 2 which I have no problem with but I really would have liked to place my puppies and to be able to have them and the Juniors compete for BOB. One of my co-judges said that although puppy may be the best on the day, as a puppy, they shouldn’t be that mature and developed. I understand but for me, judges leave their breeders’ hats at home and whilst I may reward a dog in the ring, as a breeder I may feel the dog is finished for it’s age and may be too heavy as a mature adult.
I'll try and post some pics in separate posts. John used the camera for the first time, so the shots weren't great and he missed a few.
Congratulations to all the winners and place getters and it was a pleasure to judge your beautiful dogs. I still haven't studied the catalogue yet so really don't know much about any of the dogs.
The washing is done, the suitcases packed away, the kennels are scrubbed, the dogs arelying in front of the fire so now I can get back to wasting time playing with the babies.
Cheers
