10th august 2018

 
The schedule for The Northern Saluki Club Open Show is now available.  It is being held on Sunday 30thSeptember at the Shirland Village Hall, Shirland, Nr Alfreton, Derby.  DE55 6BB. The judge elect is Mrs Rachel Wray. Anyone requiring a schedule please contact the Hon. Secretary Mr J Owen on telephone no. l 0115 9305473.  Postal entries close on Saturday 8thSeptember or online at Higham Press.  Their closing day is Wednesday 11thSeptember.  Following the Open Show there will be a fun event to raise funds for the Saluki Welfare.  This will start no earlier then 1.30 pm.  It will probably include a number of fun classes such as fancy dress, the best legs etc. Entries for the ‘fun event’ will be taken on the day and the classes will be open to all dogs.
 
A reminder that the SGHC will be holding a lure trial on 18thAugust at The Pony Club Field, Hurst Road, Walton on the Hill Surrey KT20 5BN
Entries must be submitted by the 11thAugust. Please see my breed notes from last week for further information.
 
Also on 30thSeptember UK Sighthound will be hosting the ‘National Championship 2019 at Sulgrave, Banbury OX17 2SF.  Further information can be found on www.uksighthoundsport.comor contact@uksighthoundsport.com
 
SGHC will be accepting entries for the ‘logo’ for the Centennial Celebrations until the end of the month.  Please do send us your ideas.
 
Today Paignton & District Fanciers Association held their championship show.  Judging Salukis was Mrs Pamela Mottershaw.  DCC, BOB went to the Goulden’s Ch Fernlark By Design JW with the RDCC to Debbie Copperthwaite’s Al Caliphs Anjal Bey.  BCC for her third CC (I am not quite sure about this but someone will let me know if I have this wrong) is Debbie Copperthwaite’s Al Caliphs Aremis.  She was born on the 26thJune 2011, and her owner is her breeder.  Her sire is Al Caliphs Zobeyni JW and her dam Al Caliphs Ramla Shifra. RBCC went to the Jazalle Aneeqa  owned by Ireson, Dann, Ferris & Consentini  partnership.  Best Puppy was Fernlark Odyssey owned by Dr P Postma & Mr D Smith.  Well done all!!
 
On the eve of the World Show, Jillian Knight Messenger has sent me the following and has given me permission to share.  This tale begins in 1970  before some breed members were even born born. It all started when a lady called Betty Murray in Borzois invited two Saluki owner exhibitor and judges, Arthur Bollan & Ian Veal  (Karnak Salukis at that time) to join her on a trip in 1970 to the Winners Dog Show in Amsterdam.  In those days it was held the first week in December.  And from their experiences of that trip an acorn grew.
 
 Ian & Arthur were Chairman, Secretary/Treasurer of Wood Green & Palmers Green Canine Society, which was a very popular London open show society.  The two gentlemen always had an eye on how to raise the Society’s funds.   Ian & Arthur hit on a never to be forgotten brain wave, how about organising a trip to the Amsterdam World Show?   The Open Show Society usually held two open show a year, so with the1971 first show schedule they included a leaflet describing about the trip.  They repeated this leaflet’s information in an advert in both dog paper. Firstly to join in the trip they had to become a member of Wood Green and Palmers Green Canine Society.   To the organizers surprise the numbers started to come in fast,  originally the plan had been to go by coach but as number rose with enough people interested, (intrigued would be a better word as 90 percent of those who made the trip had never been to FCI dog show, 70 per cent never flown or had a  passports).  As time for trip drew nearer with no cancelation for those on the waiting list the trip became talk of London dog show world. 
 
On the appointed day, we set off from all parts UK for an all-inclusive long weekend in Amsterdam. Our trip started at Heathrow on a Friday afternoon where thick fog had descended. Instructions where to meet under the departure board. When I looked up expecting to see Departure, Amsterdam Flight number such and such. NO it read Wood Green & Palmers Green departure delayed.  So many had booked Ian & Arthur had chartered a whole plane, we departed much later because of the fog, to arrive in a snowy Amsterdam, around 8pm.  A coach had been arranged to take us to our hotel where hotel staff had waited to serve dinner.  It was a very nice dinner even if it was a bit late.   Our hotel was far beyond our expectations as it was 5 star right by the city’s Dam Square. Did we head off to bed?  No, most of us headed out in spite of the weather to look around.  As it was December, the shop windows were full of Christmas displays. For those of us who were not from London the automated window displays were quite spectacular. 
 
Next morning after a continental breakfast we planned to share a taxi to the show.  The concierge said if we walked just down from hotel we could catch tram which would to take us right to the Show venue.  If I remember correctly, Harry Jordon and Terry Thorn had acquired entrance tickets and had some spare.   They also suggested that we did not purchase a catalogue as it would be all in Dutch. At this point we had not spent a dime, since purchasing coffee at Heathrow. 
Then came the first initial shock of seeing our first international dog show.  We had to find what ring the Afghans were being judged in, as it happens they were not being judged until 1pm.  So that allowed six of us wanting some food and drink.   Five coffees, one tea and four waffle type biscuits cost us the equivalent of £10.00.  Even a burger at the show was £8.00. We were all taken aback by the attracting of exhibits from outside the ring as we saw with the Great Danes. In one ring there was a man bouncing a small child in the air waving a rattle.   In the Dachshund ring, while three people held dog still on table for judge to see,  the audience clapping and a cheering for winners. This was an eye opener which included some haphazard judging for example why did some exhibits not come back to be seen again.
 
For the rest of trip we visited sites like the flower market.   In 1971 because UK still had pornography laws we had to venture into the seedy side of Amsterdam.   That meant we had to visit the red light district, and a canal boat trip (which was not seedy at all).  Some members of our group said they were off to the ballet but were later seen at the DKO city’s fabulous drag club, where the rest of us were.
 
A few on the trip even then were well know in dogs and so many on that trip went on to much success, names that became leaders in dogs. Between Ian, Jenny Dove, Chris Payne and yours truly. From Afghans there was John Edmonds, Gordon Pain, Peter, Pauline, a  very young Marita Gibbs, Anne Kimpton, Jenny’s mother  Anne, Carole Walkden Christian Gardener, Countess  De Melville.  Dawn Sams, Viki Cox, Mr & Mrs Halliwell’s, Allen Brooks, Eddie Wotton. From Saluki’s, Arthur Boland, Mary Long, Eileen Skelton- Fortune, Terry Thorn, Don Weiden, Dr Ivor Moss, Gloria Moss and  Hope Waters. I did not think Hope was impressed  by the show or the dogs. From Borzois Jackie Bennett –Heard. From Dachshund Alan Sharman, Haj & John Jorden. From Poodles Johnny Walkden, Dug & Jean Kitchener, From Boxers, Felicity Price and so many more so few still around hard to remember them all.
What I do remember while flying back to Heathrow, in a major thunderstorm, Chris Payne developed a headache. Carol Walkden gave two Anadins which turned later, he found out, that she had mixed up her packets and given him worming tablets. Those who did get to work next day most sent home with sleep deprecation.  We wish all those going to this year’s World Dog Show in Amsterdam a great trip.   We are sure it will never be same as that first or cost even with inflation what ours  Heathrow to London All-inclusive  £25.10 shilling +membership to Wood Green & Palmers Green for £1.00 Happy Times.