Kathy Feldman has owned whippets for 22 years, though I've only been involved with racing, showing, etc. for 6 years. I met my first whippets when the horse facility I worked and showed horses for owned whippets as well, and bred a few litters. I decided I wanted a Whippet and got a puppy from them, and have never looked back. When my first gal passed away at 16-1/2 years old, it wasn't long before I knew I had to get another Whippet. No other breed would do.

Probably my greatest help came from Cheri Boutelle, who I didn't meet until 6 years ago when I got baby Becca from her. Prior to that, Pegram's book The Complete Whippet, was my only truly knowledgeable source on the breed. And my other source of the breed came from my local vet who was educated about the breed. To this day, Cheri's still the number one person I look to for advice... as she puts a dog's welfare as top priority. Not to mention being one of the few breeders that I have met who has managed to preserve the conformation and athleticism I love so much from some of the old racing lines. I also have the privilege of co-owning 2 wonderful Whippet kids with Cheri. Queenie's Flight of Elkandhar, CRXIV, FCh, JC (WRCh/NOTRA pointed) and young Queenie's DuRight Win-Chester, CRX.

There are truly so many memories that I treasure about my whippets. I suppose my favorite would be watching Becca run the oval, and her celebration after she won them. Seriously! She had this routine where she'd stop and roll around on her back on our way back to the van. Of course she knew then, as she knows today, I completely adore her... and she just eats it up. Another favorite is watching her posing and showing off in the Parade of Honors at the Specialty. Becca winning her class at the Specialty was a thrill, and the local TV station filming her playing flyball with her teammates was also unforgettable.
With Macy, her recent Winners Bitch/BOS in the show ring was a dream come true... Macy has never had her sister Becca's speed, but now has done something her sis never did. And what makes it so special is Macy is LOVING the ring. Pose, pose, pose! Ears perfect! I could stand there and stare at her for hours! It seems as though I've raised yet another show-off!
And Ashley, my first, my favorite memory has to be the time she wandered into the horse show ring when the class I was in was lined up waiting for the results. Fortunately, the judge was a good sport and I got a lot of good natured ribbing from others who were in the line up. And one more favorite memory about Ashley... I was young and still living at home with my parents when I first got her. I started sneaking her home from the barn and everyone in the house would be asleep by the time I'd get there. I'd try to be VERY quiet... and Ashley would start those totally happy totally vocal yawns as Whippets can do. My "sshhhhh's" didn't seem to deter her.

The Family tree, Queenie's Mister Contender, ARM, ORC (Ch Texas Contender of Wyndsor, ARM x Allegro Aria Nova, FCh, CD) Texas Contender of Wyndsor is a son of the great Van Oorschots Toro, ARM, ROM on the top and grandson of Epinard Shelby of Wyndsor, ARM, CD, FCh x Volant Big Red Machine, ARM on the bottom. Dad, "Bruiser," is shown with his mom, Aria. And mom, Wheatland Prairie Queen, FCh "Roseanne" (Ch Chatwig Chinook, FCh x Willoughby of Wyndsor, ORC, LCM)

Queenie's Tidal Wave, CRXII, FCh, ARX, SC

I hope that we continue to see more and more Whippets, particularly with racing lines in their pedigree, who are not only athletic, but gorgeous and can finish in the ring. Needless to say, we need our judges to recognize and reward conformation that is functional at the same time. But it seems to me that its getting better and better, with 3 racing champions finishing in the ring in the last couple of years and within the last month or two, a young extremely athletic bitch with a pedigree loaded with racing champions finishing and now specialling! Our great breed deserves admiration for its looks and deserves big time fun in getting to chase that bunny!
I would share with other people that whippets are the most incredible, smart, human-like breed in the world... and if you make them part of your family, the rewards, love, enjoyment are immeasurable. As if the joy of having them in my life isn't already enough, the wonderful Whippet-loving humans I have met thanks to them has been priceless. My Whippet human friends are also the best!!
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