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peppermint sue said:
IanGerman said:
Judy said:
[Do I sound like a grumpy old woman  :lol:

Erm ....... :)

Ok - I've not been well - and although I didn't read all 12 pages I did read the first 9!

Lose the height limit completely - we have a weight limit in racing and until someone manages to breed a 40" bitch that weighs 19lb that should be enough.

As someone else mentioned - we don't worry about this adherance to the breed standard (which is vague in many places anyway) for things like ears, tails, stance etc. so why the hoo-haa over height, especially when the show ring ignores height standards utterly.

Jane: I started a couple of years before you and you are correct that the lightweights were far less numerous than the middles and heavies - and THAT was why I personally tried to breed tinys - and I'm sure it was in other peoples plans too (whether they admit it or not!) I'm pretty sure though that there has always been fluctuations in the various weight categories - understandable to a degree when we all favour the same few (successful) stud dogs :teehee:

As for bends/straights champs - leave them as they are. They are CLASSICS and should remain that way. There are numerous opportunities to school your dogs around bends if you are prepared to put yourselves to the extra work - if there IS any that is - obviously members at clubs with a permanent bend are well catered for, but most are more than willing to allow guest runners :)


nice post Ian makes perfect sense :thumbsup:


well put and agree totally :thumbsup:
 
We used to have a 14lb dog (Midnight Blaze) at Andover. He was from the same litter as WCRCh Firebird(17lb).
 
Rob Rixon said:
IanGerman said:
As for bends/straights champs - leave them as they are. They are CLASSICS and should remain that way. :)
What CLASSIC - 240 yards bends? 8)

The first bend meetings were 230 yards at Bracknell (70), then at 220 yards Welwyn (71), followed by 250 yards Abbotts Ann, both 250 yards & 285 yards at Newmarket, at Dosthill the track was 230 yards (86) - and these are the tracks used for WCRA champs I can remember - I'm sure there are others.

Then - 150 yards Straight?

There was a 175 yards straight at Abbotts Ann (77), both 165 yards (83) & 175 yards at Stevenage, 175 yards at Plumpton Green and I think there may have been a 185 yards meeting at Newmarket.

I'm sure others can remember other tracks -

So what is the classic distance? :lol:

There may have been differences in the early days Rob, but the WCRCA haven't changed them in the time I have been racing - that's 19 years. If you say that Dosthill was 230 yards, then I bow to your greater knowledge as I never raced there myself. All the champs ever held at Newmarket since 1990 onwards were either 150 straights or, on I think just 1 occasion, a 240 bend. Personally I'd say that 19 years makes a tradition that could rightly be CALLED Classic? Just my opinion :)
 
I don't mean to be contentious here but .....

I seem to remember that Powerful Paddy used to race at 16lbs until Andy and Sara got him and allowed him to race at his more natural weight - no offence or slur intended upon his previous owner who I didn't know!

This kind of brings up a whole new topic ..... if a dog can be wasted to a lower weight and still perform credibly, is that fair to the dog, who's "natural" weight may be 2-3lbs more? Take for example my own Frankie, who is a natural 19lber. I could slim him down to 17lb, which won't make him any faster, but WILL get him an extra advantage at the traps, assuming that he still has the stamina to do three rounds, is this ok? Or is having a starved pet acceptable? Obvioously not if it's put in those terms - but it amounts to the same thing however you word it, doesn't it? Opinions?
 
IanGerman said:
Judy said:
[Do I sound like a grumpy old woman  :lol:

Erm ....... :)

Ok - I've not been well - and although I didn't read all 12 pages I did read the first 9!

Lose the height limit completely - we have a weight limit in racing and until someone manages to breed a 40" bitch that weighs 19lb that should be enough.

As someone else mentioned - we don't worry about this adherance to the breed standard (which is vague in many places anyway) for things like ears, tails, stance etc. so why the hoo-haa over height, especially when the show ring ignores height standards utterly.

Jane: I started a couple of years before you and you are correct that the lightweights were far less numerous than the middles and heavies - and THAT was why I personally tried to breed tinys - and I'm sure it was in other peoples plans too (whether they admit it or not!) I'm pretty sure though that there has always been fluctuations in the various weight categories - understandable to a degree when we all favour the same few (successful) stud dogs :teehee:

As for bends/straights champs - leave them as they are. They are CLASSICS and should remain that way. There are numerous opportunities to school your dogs around bends if you are prepared to put yourselves to the extra work - if there IS any that is - obviously members at clubs with a permanent bend are well catered for, but most are more than willing to allow guest runners :)

Just been reading all these posts. I object to you saying that the show people ignore the standard re height. There are a lot of us who do our best to breed to the standard than you know. As far as I am aware our standard is very clear on ears, tails, stance and everything else to do with the breed. Breeding 'tinys' is breeding away from the standard, a very small whippet is not the norm. Sorry, I have to disagree with you on that, they are more like Italian Greyhounds than whippets, the standard gives the correct heights, I thought most people would accept that. As this is supposed to be about the Talk In, I think that the racing people should think about what is happening with our breed with regard to heart problems, lack if entirety, immune mediated problems. As all your PWRC only allow KC registered dogs to run, don't you think you should look at these problems in more depth?

Rant over, now ducking for cover :oops:
 
IanGerman said:
There may have been differences in the early days Rob, but the WCRCA haven't changed them in the time I have been racing -  that's 19 years. If you say that Dosthill was 230 yards, then I bow to your greater knowledge as I never raced there myself. All the champs ever held at Newmarket since 1990 onwards were either 150 straights or, on I think just 1 occasion, a 240 bend. Personally I'd say that 19 years makes a tradition that could rightly be CALLED Classic? Just my opinion :)
Ian - I've been looking at Joyce Keable's book (easier that piles of old progs)

I notice in 86 - 1st Champs at Stevenage 175, 2nd Champs at Dosthill 230, 3rd Champs at Newmarket 250 & 4th Champs at Tidworth 150.

Also in 89 there were 3 Champs over 150 and only 1 over 240 - any one confirm this and why? :teehee:
 
Ian Powerful Paddy never ever raced at 16lb he raced at 18lb abd Sara moved him upto 19lb as he got older. He was a natural 18lb dog and won a 400 yard Supreme bend title at the Federation when he was 15 months old. His dam On A Promise raced at Newmarket and won a WCRA group over 275 bends in 1985.

June McD.
 
springfield said:
Has there ever been a dog entered in the N/E 16lbs group?

I'm sure there have been over the years but one that springs to mind is the little black dog that belonged to the How's, I think he was called Midnight Blaze??? he was very small, and about 14-15lbs.
 
SUNDANCE said:
We used to have a 14lb dog (Midnight Blaze) at Andover.  He was from the same litter as WCRCh Firebird(17lb).
Oh Rob - I've just repeated you with Midnight Blaze. Didn't read all the thread before I replied :lol:
 
gracie said:
Ian Powerful Paddy never ever raced at 16lb he raced at 18lb abd Sara moved him upto 19lb as he got older.  He was a natural 18lb dog and won a 400 yard Supreme bend title at the Federation when he was 15 months old.  His dam On A Promise raced at Newmarket and won a WCRA group over 275 bends in 1985.June McD.

So why don't we run those distances nowadays. Some fast dogs who trap badly have no chance over 150yds.
 
bertha said:
Just been reading all these posts. I object to you saying that the show people ignore the standard re height. There are a lot of us who do our best to breed to the standard than you know. As far as I am aware our standard is very clear on ears, tails, stance and everything else to do with the breed. Breeding 'tinys' is breeding away from the standard, a very small whippet is not the norm. Sorry, I have to disagree with you on that, they are more like Italian Greyhounds than whippets, the standard gives the correct heights, I thought most people would accept that. As this is supposed to be about the Talk In, I think that the racing people should think about what is happening with our breed with regard to heart problems, lack if entirety, immune mediated problems. As all your PWRC only allow KC registered dogs to run, don't you think you should look at these problems in more depth?
Rant over, now ducking for cover :oops:

I agree that height isn't ignored by show people - its just treated as a fault like any other in showing terms. I think that what they probably meant to say was that it is a disqualifier on the track but not in the ring.

Like wise though racing people do care about heart problems etc. because a dog with health problems does not make a good racing dog.
 
well said judy health in the racing dogs is priority :thumbsup:
 
gracie said:
Ian Powerful Paddy never ever raced at 16lb he raced at 18lb abd Sara moved him upto 19lb as he got older.  He was a natural 18lb dog and won a 400 yard Supreme bend title at the Federation when he was 15 months old.  His dam On A Promise raced at Newmarket and won a WCRA group over 275 bends in 1985.June McD.

Thanks - I did have doubts, but memory plays tricks when you are older than the Titanic :lol:
 
soooooo if there can be tiny whippet dogs why not have the bigger 21", 32lb bitches? :thumbsup: seems like a plan to me :))
 
I understand that these pages have got owners putting forward items for the WCRA talk-in - that was the idea. I heard that some clubs are putting forward up to 6 items - I expect there will be some items doubled up and some with apposing views on the same subject. 8)

Now the closing date for items is past - I hope the agenda will be out soon and that we will all pencil in the 31st Jan in our new diary the meeting at Oxford.

Hope to see you all there. :huggles:
 
-_- i think there should be four bends for the champs get some life back in to racing
 
cliff said:
-_- i think there should be four bends for the champs get some life back in to racing
I had to laugh at your post starting with a dozing smiley - you've only made 4 posts in 5 years :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
cliff said:
-_- i think there should be four bends for the champs get some life back in to racing
(w00t) (w00t) and how many straights I wonder,

:sweating: do you think it should still be twice as many as bends,

I cant fit all that in on the calender :sweating: -unless we make the year more than 12 months :lol: :lol:
 

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