Wide World of Whippets Hunt Country Hosts Sixth International Whippet Congress BY DAN SAYERS H unt Valley, Ma ry l and , was the site of the most recent International
She used this (and other illustrations and photos) to com- pare the Whippet’s silhouette with both the Greyhound and the Italian Greyhound, emphasizing the differences that make each breed unique. Karen also used a live dog as a model to demonstrate the importance of overall balance as well as how to determine angulation. The presentation concluded by acknowledging the risk of going to extremes with the breed’s signature silhouette. “When are your dogs too extreme and how do you know when you are there,” Karen asked? The next speaker was James E. Radcliffe, DVM whose presentation on canine sports medicine utilized a series of memorable—if graphic—images. Dr. Radcliffe began by ref- erencing that although form follows function, injury does as well. His use of photos of Sighthounds taken just moments before catastrophe struck allowed the audience to understand the risks that are inherent with performance events. Dr. Rad- cliffe used graphic photos to demonstrate the kinds of injuries that can occur on the field and the methods used to deter- mine the extent of an injury and the best methods for treat- ment. He mentioned a digital thermal imaging camera that’s especially useful to quantify surgical results. In the dog, every- thing begins at the feet and works upwards, he emphasized. Every part of the anatomy is connected and interrelated. Dr. Radcliffe emphasized that the whole dog needs to be treated following an orthopedic injury. “If a dog is lame, then it’s a complex problem for the entire body,” he noted. Due to the Whippet’s double suspension gallop, the breed knows how
Whippet Congress, hosted by the Ameri- can Whippet Club. Held on April 23, 2018, the symposium was the sixth such event orga- nized for the express purpose of bringing fanciers together from around the world to celebrate and study all
things Whippet. This year’s event coincided with the AWC’s National Specialty that also offered ASFA and AKC Lure Cours- ing, Agility Trials, CGC Testing, Obedience and Rally. A host of Conformation events were offered as well, including Triathlon and Versatility, and Top Twenty competitions. AWC President and Congress Chair Harold “Red” Tatro III welcomed attend- ees and introduced the US Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps that ensured everyone was awake through several rous- ing renditions that honored battles fought and won by General George Washington’s Continental Army. Immediately following the revelry, the first of seven ses- sions got underway. “Balance and Proportions: Mentoring for
the Future” was presented by Karen Lee who discussed the importance of getting young people—millennials specifi- cally—interested in purebred dogs. She offered a bit of advice: When talking to teens and twenty–somethings, we should not talk in negative terms and we shouldn’t use horse terms either. (Unless our audience has a background in horses, presum- ably!) Karen noted that this “old school” approach falls on deaf ears with today’s younger dog lovers. Her understanding of this demographic began through an online message board called Whippet World where breed supporters of all kinds gathered to talk about Whippets. It was through this forum that Karen also came to realize that a draw- ing of the Whippet—show- ing ideal balance and propor- tion—did not formally exist. Through “conversations” with fanciers all over the world, she was compelled to provide such an image. In her presentation, Karen introduced the illus- tration that’s featured by the club’s new Illustrated Standard.
148 • S how S ight M agazine , M ay 2018
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