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Whippet Racing was going on way before the KC came about. Greyhounds were coursing dogs and the oval track hadn't been invented.SORRYThe correct term is Whippet.The Kennel Club do not have precedence over the name whippet. Whippets came about from breeding terriers with greyhounds and running dogs. Their ''breed standard'' was to be sprint racing animals. No height, weight or breeding criteria has ever governed the breeding of whippets.
All pedigree KC registered whippets can trace their breeding back to the original whippet however their closed breeding lost much of the genetic material that made them sprint racing dogs. The original racing whippet continues to be bred the same way it always has although I won't deny some have exploited the greyhound in them where it has been particularly beneficial to running the longer distance of a bend.
Don't take my word for it. There is plenty of proof out there should you be bothered to look.
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=12476
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=77347
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=17972
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=75709
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=17902
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE WIFE DOESN'T LOG OFF
Many Thanks. I've done a bit of my own research and I see where the breeding comes from and understand it (now I think) and the non-ped seems, to me, to have come about by the KC not recognising them as a pedigree so the non-ped title has come about. ie not a pedigree, not a mongrel but inbetween and bred for a specific purpose (fast) leaning more towards a pedigree strain. As for the paperwork, this is to be able to run in the non-ped events and prove they are of that standard/ breeding thus eliminating unfair advantage.
However, I could be wrong yet again (w00t)
I have to agree with one of your earlier posts. Why would anybody put thier small delicate lighter wieght dog against a much heavier dog and risk injury. Lets face it even us Lurcher owners would not put a pup in an Overs race.
DISCOBANDIT NOT PEPA
History is a little muddy about what exactly came about (and unfortunately so is the facts about whippets as time passes). But in an era of cock fighting, ratting pits etc and gambling, it appears that some fancied betting on dogs racing in a sprint. This become quite lucrative with hundreds of dogs attending meetings and susbtantial amounts of money being wagered. If you look at some of the big events on the videos you'll note these aren't all poor pitmen, there was gentry participating as well.
Later dog showing become popular and the KC came about. Naturally some dogs were shown and were granted KC registration. Accounts by some older members on K9 state that numbers become low of KC registered whippets after the war and the books were opened to accept some more ''non-ped'' whippets. There are whippets in KC registered pedigrees that were both shown and raced, Blue Peter being one of them but the likes of Judy (K9 Admin), Vicky and whipeteerthe1st on here will be able to name many, many more. (there'll be other members as well who know, especially those who's families have been racing for generations) These pedigrees have been offered to the likes of the whippet archives but it appears that time is passing to a degree where folk are in denial of their existance.
The KC, operating a closed stud book I suspect wouldn't of accepted all non-peds (and to be honest most of the owners as racers wouldn't of had the inclination to do so) As you can see from Pathe some of these dogs were substantially large and the KC specified a certain height limit. It is likely that this was because the more 'inbred' the racing whippet becomes, generally they become smaller. As we all know the KC are very much into inbreeding to maintain type. Unfortunately meeting the restrictions of a breed standard does cast out a lot of genetic diversity that is known to keep a breeed sound and disease free. Breeding clones is dangerous and the more detailed and specific a breed standard is, the more likely this is to occur. What's happened with the KC registered whippet is that speed was bred out of it (the standard seeing large muscle composition as undesirable, a trait which is essential to a competent sprint racer).
The term non-ped has been something thats come from K9 as most lay people do not understand the difference. The KC wouldn't stand a cat in hells chance of trying to get the likes of The British Whippet Racing Association or the New National Whippet Racing Federation to change their names. Personally I think any breed that gets KC registration should immediately be given a new name because over time, the dog ceases to be anything like it's original creation.
Instead we all describe these original breeds as working or non-ped, farsical considering they're all the real deal.