Hillsdown The End Of An Era

[kennelmaid]

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Great idea, are we having a party too?  :cheers: Someone needs to make a big cake. Phil judged at the E Anglian a year or so ago. We haven't seen him so much in recent years, but he was always great fun, he will be missed. There are loads of those photos with the hair & bell bottoms on full view out there in the public domain. UKUSA...who are you? Think I know but always good to know who you are talking to. PM me if you are very shy & want to keep your ID a secret :b

Cathie

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We have one taken at Northern Counties. It includes a slimmer Mike with Dorothy Meakin & Bobby James & of course Phil

Yvonne & Mike

:huggles:

 

[dawn]

Having known Phil for almost 30 years it was quite a surprise to hear he was quitting the show scene. Although Phil (Pip to those with even more years on their back's than I) has been Conspicuous by his Absence in recent years I didn't think his interest in Whippets would lead to the disbanding of his kennel.

I recall first seeing Phil with Hillsdown Tobique (Skeggy) at an evening show at the Newton Memorial Hall in Chapeltown (Sheffield). This was before I started showing.

Phil gave Carol & I a lot of advice when we first started showing and over the years he and Tina became friends of ours often travelling to Crufts together, by coach on freezing winter nights, and travelling all over the country to shows together.

 

We bought Pearl of Akonyte from Phil, later sold to Jim Barker (Chika), she was a sister to Hillsdown Siobhan who when mated to Oakbark Middleman produced Rohanberry at Akonyte, litter sister to Moonbeam at Pencloe & Kienford, and behind our current dogs.

The granddaughter of Pearl was Nutshell of Nevedith (RBIS at Crufts) and the son of Moonbeam was Dutch Gold (BIS at Crufts).

Similarly both the dog and bitch lines behind Cobyco Call the Tune are Hillsdown via Dutch Gold and Nutshell on the dam's side and Hillsdown fergal on the sires.

 

And now that many dogs have Dutch in their pedigree that Hillsdown is probably the kennel name that appears most often.

 

When I last spoke with Phil he did say that he would keep coming to occasional shows although just as an observer and not as judge nor exhibitor.

 

We wish Phil every success in all he and Tina do and hope he will keep in touch with the Whippet world as it has been so much of his life.

 

[dawn]

Just read Yvonne's post

We have one taken at Northern Counties. It includes a slimmer Mike with Dorothy Meakin & Bobby James & of course Phil

 

Yvonne & Mike

[SIZE=13pt]Not only did Phil win the Dog CC with Hillsdown Repique [/SIZE]

 

he also won the Bitch CC with Hillsdown Riosin and we (when I was still Akonyte) won BP with a Hillsdown sired bitch. I particularly remember this show as it was Dorothy's 1st time awarding CC's and Carol, Tina, Phil and I travelled in a mini over the Snake Pass with 4 Whippets (Repique had been sold to America but not actually left the UK in fact he was handled by (I think) Debbie Butt for BIS ). We had a boot-load of trophies on our homeward journey -

unfortunately the car broke down on the way home!!!

 

Fortunately just outside the Bridge Inn at Ladybower. Phil, Tina & Carol swiftly disappeared inside whilst I tried to fix the car.

 

 

[wild whippies]

I don't show mine but my dogs are also from his lineage, I enjoyed his book immensly and would recommend it to any pedigree whippet owner.

Wishing him a happy retirement and all the best for the future. :cheers:

Jac

 

[Sarsanet]

So sad Patsy to here Phill is not going to show  and judge any more,He is a proper gentleman I remember when i went to his house to use Robby he made me so welcome nothing was to much trouble. I think it is a very good idea what you have suggested you can count me in.

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Patsy, please will you post an address here where people can send donations? I, too, visited Phil's house when I lived there, he & his wife made me so welcome. I even saw Fergal as an old man. My current showgirl is heavily line bred to Fergal. The entire whippet world, around the world, now benefit from his insight as a breeder.

It's a shame he has decided to retire from judging too - maybe he could be tempted back for a special event sometime in the future. Please pass on to him the best wishes of all of us who live overseas.

Many thanks.

Gail.

 

[marier05]

Wishing Mr Moran-Healy a happy retirement - im quite sad i may never meet him. I would have loved to show under him one day.

I dont know him but as iv read his book and i feel as though it has helped me begin my show career in so many ways, i too would like to make a contribution.

 

[whippynit]

What sad news I too havent been in the breed very long but i know how influential Hillsdown has been, and i too wouldnt have any of my whippets if it wasnt for Hillsdown . I think Phills book was one of the first i purchased ( along with yours too Patsy!lol) It is a shame he isnt even going to judge anymore. I will be more then happy to make a donation :thumbsup:

 

[Tesa]

I have just spoken to Patsy and she has asked me to reiterate that we will be collecting for the gift at Crufts so please do not send us any money.

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Patsy, please will you post an address here where people can send donations?
The entire whippet world, around the world, now benefit from his insight as  a  breeder.

It's a shame he has decided to retire from judging too - maybe he could be tempted back for a  special event sometime in the future. Please pass on to him the best wishes of all of us  who live overseas.

Many thanks.

Gail.

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I have to agree with Gail, there will be people the world over who will want to be a part of paying tribute to recognising Phil's contribution to whippets. Patsy your presentation at Cruft's will be our only opportunity to do so.

Karen

 

[Tesa]

I have just spoken to Patsy and she has asked me to reiterate that we will be collecting for the gift at Crufts so please do not send us any money.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

Patsy, please will you post an address here where people can send donations?
The entire whippet world, around the world, now benefit from his insight as  a  breeder.

It's a shame he has decided to retire from judging too - maybe he could be tempted back for a  special event sometime in the future. Please pass on to him the best wishes of all of us  who live overseas.

Many thanks.

Gail.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

I have to agree with Gail, there will be people the world over who will want to be a part of paying tribute to recognising Phil's contribution to whippets. Patsy your presentation at Cruft's will be our only opportunity to do so.

Karen

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Would it be possible for Nigel to set something up through K9's donation system using paypal???

 

[parnew]

I have just spoken to Patsy and she has asked me to reiterate that we will be collecting for the gift at Crufts so please do not send us any money.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

Patsy, please will you post an address here where people can send donations?
The entire whippet world, around the world, now benefit from his insight as  a  breeder.

It's a shame he has decided to retire from judging too - maybe he could be tempted back for a  special event sometime in the future. Please pass on to him the best wishes of all of us  who live overseas.

Many thanks.

Gail.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

I have to agree with Gail, there will be people the world over who will want to be a part of paying tribute to recognising Phil's contribution to whippets. Patsy your presentation at Cruft's will be our only opportunity to do so.

Karen

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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I have just spoken to Patsy and she has asked me to reiterate that we will be collecting for the gift at Crufts so please do not send us any money.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

Patsy, please will you post an address here where people can send donations?
The entire whippet world, around the world, now benefit from his insight as  a  breeder.

It's a shame he has decided to retire from judging too - maybe he could be tempted back for a  special event sometime in the future. Please pass on to him the best wishes of all of us  who live overseas.

Many thanks.

Gail.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

I have to agree with Gail, there will be people the world over who will want to be a part of paying tribute to recognising Phil's contribution to whippets. Patsy your presentation at Cruft's will be our only opportunity to do so.

Karen

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​

Would it be possible for Nigel to set something up through K9's donation system using paypal???

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We here in OZ have many of the Hillsdown's whippets in our pedigree's and would dearly love to donate to the fund to thank a loyal whippet breeder for all his hard work and stunning dogs that he has bred over the years. Good luck to Phil for the future. :thumbsup:

 

[Seraphina]

The only problem is that sending money to UK from here is not easy. It costs over $20 to get a bank cheque. Unless money could be paid by PayPal, or we could as a club here collect the donations and send them as a whole with the list of people who contributed.

 

[Tesa]

The only problem is that sending money to UK from here is not easy.  It costs over $20 to get a bank cheque.  Unless money could be paid by PayPal, or we could as a club here collect the donations and send them as a whole with the list of people who contributed.

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This is why I suggested asking Nigel to set up something along the lines of a special paypal donate button Lida. I personally don't see any need for my name to be added. I be quite happy in knowing that I was just acknowledged as "whippet lovers from all over the world"

 

[Seraphina]

I missed you second post, wonder how that happened, I would swear it was not there when I looked :b

 

[Tesa]

  I missed you second post, wonder how that happened, I would swear it was not there when I looked  :b

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That's alright

 

[playawhile]

This I suppose means that Phil’s last judging appointment will be 13th of July this year in Västerås (the new place for the Skokloster show)?? The dog classes will be divided between Phil and Sandra Marshall. Linda Jones and Sandra Marshall will do BOB together and Phil will act as referee.

Personally I have very fond memories from 2000 in Finland when Phil judged a huge sighthound specialty and I travelled over to show under him. Ch Play A While Nits Plausite was BOB and Ch Play A While XXXX was BOS!!!

I can still laugh about an occasion in 1996 when a couple of my friends and I went to Phil’s place and he stood outside his house and pointed at were I should park my car, I thought he pointed at an open garage and parked my car. When I got out I asked him if the parking was all right. He said yes, but there is only one problem, it’s my neighbour’s garage….

The influence from Fergal is very strong here in Sweden through whippets as, Ch Birkonbrae Tru E Nuff, Ch Birkonbare Sweet Talking Guy and Ch Birkonbrae Summer Love.

Henrik

 

[playawhile]

PS. The show in Västerås (Skokloster) is offcourse on Sweden!!!

 

[aslan]

Phil was very kind to me - an unknown overseas visitor at the SYWC show in October 2002. It was very refreshing to see such a well known breeder actually take the time to say hello and make himself known to the visitor and invite me to his home to see his dogs and ... let me film them!

I have Dutch and Fergal in my pedigrees now through Cash.

It's a shame that he's had enough and is pulling the pin (I hope I have never had enough) but I wish him a happy retirement.

 

[bertha]

End of a whippet era, it is sad when people give up, he must have a very good reason for retiring, I will not be at Crufts, to me it is no longer about dog showing. I remember when Crufts was held at Olympia, it was fun then.

Good luck for the future Phil, I am sure Patsy will pass on all our good wishes to you, Fergal is behind so many of todays whippets, he certainly made his mark on the breed.

 

[patsy]

As most people know I am not very good on a computer, so if anyone knows how tp fix up paypal with Nigel I would be very greatful.

Patsy

 

[whippetsrus]

Would be happy to contribute.