WHIPPET NATIONAL!

April 3rd - 12th, 2009 PREVIEW, EVENTS, ENTRY, SCHEDULE

by Pam Porter, SE Region Reporter/Photographer

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Whippet owners across the USA and Canada are busy planning, buying and packing for their yearly National Specialty held this April.

Atlanta, GA will not know what hit it.

Show Chairman, David Howton has been working on the 2009 National since the American Whippet Club approved the location, at least three years ago. The entry is not history-making but large, very large. 574 Whippets in conformation, with 135 in futurity, for a total of over 800 entries.

David has added some new features to the AWC National. He asked for the attendees to send him a copy of their logo. Those who were able to comply will have a name tag, with their name, location and logo on it. (of course it can not be worn in the ring)

David is also the guardian of the AWC website and at the end of the day, he downloads the class entry and placement. This year there will also be a photo of each dog that is shown, stacked on the exam table. This way even the people who were not able to attend can view the whippets that are at the National. Daily posting of winners will be on the web site (see below). There will be an interesting newsletter handed out each night, put together by Todd Miller and his hard working reporters.

David asked Kathy Rasmussen of Harmony Whippets, to be his assistant show chairman. Kathy was the show chairman of the smoothly run 2007 National in Overland Park, KS.

There are always two raffles, the silent and the one that requires a purchased ticket. This year, even the people who are not attending may purchase tickets (see (Top Twenty) Raffle on the website) and chose which items you want to bid on. If you are the lucky winner, the AWC will mail it to you. Personally I want the gold pendent made by Omar.

This is just what we need to pep our lives up and carry us over until the next Whippet event. There is so much excitement on the internet list.

The 2009 American Whippet Club National Specialty will officially begin Friday, April 3rd, with AKC JC testing. To end the first day, a welcome party is at 7:30 p.m. More fun, as people will get to renew friendships and make new ones. Wonder who will win the Karaoke competition?

Saturday, April 4th is AKC Lure Coursing and the American Whippet Club National Lure Coursing Trial ASFA will be held on Sunday the 5th. Obedience and Triathlon, Cardiac Clinic and Versatility Conformation judging will be on Monday the 6th.

Tues April 7th, Conformation judging begins and for 5 days the Atlanta Airport Hilton will be jumping with people, whippets and hopes for a lot of fun. Also on Tuesday the BAER Clinic opens and at 11am the futurity kicks off. Judge Carolyn Bowers of Surrey Hill Whippets will be seeing what 135 youngsters were bred to do.

Magnus Hagstedt, from Sweden will be sorting through 574 whippets for the next four days. Dog judging is Wednesday, April 8th. Altered competition is Wed night and judged by Crystal McNulty, followed by Parade of Rescues and Parade of Honors — the Annual meeting ends a very busy day.

Baer testing and the Cerf clinic will be open all day for the prepaid exams.

Thursday, April 9th and Friday, April 10th is "Girls Only". On Thursday, judging will continue one hour after the Bred by Exhibitors class, with 51 entered in Veteran Sweeps, 24 Stud Dogs Class, 21 Brood Bitch Class, 5 Extended Generations Stud Dog Class, 6 Extended Generations Brood Bitch Class, 15 Brace Units, and 4 Team Units judged by Mari-Beth O'Neill of Raleigh, NC. Winners Bitch will be chosen on Friday and we are still not finished.

• There are 95 NON-REG SINGLE CLASS ENTRIES

• 13 Lure Coursing Dogs

• 12 Lure Coursing Bitches

• 8 Racing Class Dogs

• 3 Racing Class Bitches

• 19 Veteran Dogs (7 Yrs. & Under 10 Yrs.)

• 8 Veteran Dogs (10 Yrs. & Under 12 Yrs.)

• 1 Veteran Dogs (12 Yrs. & Older)

• 16 Veteran Bitches (7 Yrs. & Under 10 Yrs.)

• 10 Veteran Bitches (10 Yrs. & Under 12 Yrs.)

• 5 Veteran Bitches (12 Yrs. & Older)

ARE YOU TIRED YET? Don't be, as Bo Bengtson of California will do a presentation of "A Century of Whippets". And ending the day will be the fabulous Top 20 judging.

Sunday, April 12 is one more day of watching beautiful Whippets strut their stuff. Over 140 competing for Best of Breed. Then, Best Puppy, Best Bred By Exhibitor and Best Veteran. But first there is the Whippet Seminar, presented by Mary Dukes at 7 a.m.! 12 hours later, the banquet follows at 7pm.

NOTRA Racing at Chatahoochee Hills Farm will be held on Sunday, 20 miles south of Atlanta.

There will be daily raffles, an art show, many vendors and AWC's very own, talented photographer, Julie Poole. Yes, for sure I am forgetting something!!! Oh, check out the website and listen to "Georgia on My Mind" sung by none other than the great Ray Charles...... http://www.awc2009.com

I will have photos and show report for you in the next HEADlines edition, right after the National. And for those of you who plan ahead, the 2010 show is in Arizona.