15th October 2021

SALUKI BREED NOTES WEEKENDING 15TH OCTOBER 2021.
 
 
UK Sighthound Sport held their Championship meeting last weekend.  I understand the weather was challenging for the human participants but not sure the dogs noticed as they were too intend on chasing the lure.  There were 6 Salukis running which meant there would be a mixed group with dogs running with the bitches.  BOB, for her second Lure Coursing CC was Hamilton’s Alishamar Roxane.  Second on podium was the ‘new comer’ Liljeros’ Garamiyas Meridiana Mahzad, third Grigorenko’s Imhotep Rears Natural Jasmine and fourth Fisher’s Ruweis Mahnisa.  Good luck to all the dogs travelling to Netherland’s for the International on the 21st-24th October.  What a fabulous challenge for all of you.  Look forward to hearing the stories.  
 
The big Scottish event has now come and gone.  During this period the Salukis had two championship Shows, Hound Assoc of Scotland and Scottish Kennel Club part 1.  We also had two Open Show, namely Scottish Kennel Club part 2 and Border Union Agricultural Society.  More is the pity that only one of these shows managed to find a breed specialist and that was Lady Ruth Dann at the Boarder Union show.  Results of that show were:  BB,BOB was Liana Phillips’ Vidana Amira S Berega Turi (IMP RUS) with the RBB to her daughter, Luachmhar Jamilah.  BD went to Jane Stenson’s Micattura All for me with RBD and BP to Jeannette Glaister’s Impala Zia Dexter The Gambler (IMP USA).  
 
The Northern Saluki Club held their Open Show on Sunday 26th December.  Judging was Mr Jimmi Johnston-White. Jimmi has sent me the results which are:
BB BIS went to Denise Garratt and Sue Oakey’s Ch Caryna Remeny with RBB & Best Special Beginners to L. Ince’s Inidianna Byrli
BD, Res BIS and Best Opp Sex In Show was Nicola Quadling’s Classicus Alron with Malenkhai. 
Best Op Sex and Best Op Sex Veteran in Show went to Caroline & John Owens’ Caryna Khepri. Best Veteran and Best Veteran in Show went to Denise Garratt & Sue Oakey’s Ch Caryna Neferti JW SH CM. 
 
 I asked Jimmi about the celebration, which was held at the show, on Lady Gardner’s acquisition of the Knightellington prefix 90 years ago. This is what he said about the celebration: “It was very interesting to see all the information and photos that Chris had there on display. We had a lovely toast of fizz to celebrate the past and to the future.” He goes on to say “There really was a lovely friendly garden party feel to the whole event. It was a super venue, the kitchen produced wonderful food. 
I was very impressed with my whole day and thrilled with the gifts I was given for judging.”
 
Christopher Lewis has sent me the following regarding this momentous event :” At the recent Northern Saluki Open Show the NSC committee very kindly allowed me to arrange a series of pictures depicting the 90th anniversary of the Knightellington prefix being awarded to Lady Gardner. The centrepiece was the actual letter from the KC to Lady Gardner confirming the award. Pictures of Spencers showing the original Tudor portion which Henry VIII used as a hunting lodge and which he named Knightellington.   A series of pictures of some of the more notable KNs with Helen Baker and Rosie completed the show. Perhaps the most notable was Rosie with CH KN Xquisite (Mallow) loose and surrounded by sheep."
 
 
Following on from the comments above I have done a little research on the Knightellingtons. Knightellington Salukis must be the oldest established Saluki kennel in the country that is still active.  Since the passing of Rosemary Lewis it is now in the hand of her husband Christopher Lewis and their daughter Jessica Brassington.  Jessica is the great granddaughter of Lady Gardner.  In 1983 ‘The Saluki” celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of the Saluki or Gazelle Hound Club and in that publication, Michael Williams wrote the article entitles “Knightellington Manor”. Unfortunately, I am unable to accompany the article with the photos, but I will serialize it here for the next few weeks.
 
“Whenever I have read the stereotyped interview regarding well known dog breeders, the usual motivation towards one breed or another is some major facet of that breeds physical or social qualities. While I find this normal and totally acceptable, it was refreshing to find, if only in its difference, that the Knightellington kennel appears to have begun more through Lady Gardner’s magnanimity and individual interest in the welfare of the animals around her than any broad aspirations towards a breed or species. It should be noted that Britain, at the end of the first World War was emerging as a most important maritime and industrials power in Europe. In retention of the position the military involvement was large with soldiers active in India, Egypt, Palestine and many other areas.
 
Lady Gardner’s family and friends had military careers to consider and animals were acquired during overseas posting required shelter during succeeding postings.  In addition to these circumstances, individual occurrences of hardship by persons known to Lady Gardner caused her to take in Saluki refugees, thus developing a bond which eventually took the family away from their original breed, Irish Wolfhounds.  
 
The first Saluki owned by the family joined them in 1931 as an eight-week-old puppy as a birthday present to Lady Gardner from her children.  She was el Nablous Dream of Delight, a red grizzle, small and totally enchanting. Dream was bred by Miss Mitchell from Sharqi Bey el Nablous ex Nablous Birg.  Miss Mitchell’s kennel had in fact begun in Palestine where she was matron in a town called, not surprisingly, Nablous.
 
Unfortunately Dream of Delight, whilst being the inspiration behind the Knightellington line, lived only a short life.  Those were the years when distemper and hard pad were rampant and during that period after travelling with the Wolfhounds to some dog shows she was infected and sadly died. 
 
The Gardner family being saddened by the loss and caught in the allure of the breed, Miss Mitchell kindly assisted by giving Dream’s mother, Nablous Birg, to Francis Gardner so that the family still had a Saluki of their own. 
 
In 19367 when Miss Mitchell had a suitable litter, Lady Gardner bought two bitches, namely Knightellington Nablous Sirara and Knightellington Nablous Selma.  It is difficult to separate Sitara and Selma in ascertaining the origin of this impressive line.  In fact, Sitara had the fist litter in 1938 from a notable red dog called Nablous Farhan.  The sire had two Challenge Certificates’ at the the time and Miss Mitchell
Gave him to Helen Gardner (later to be Baker) in the hope that he would finish a champion with a little more exposure.  It was not to be though as he was not a youngster and time ran out.  However, the litter produced among others, the two red dogs Knightellingon Saladin and Salah-ed-din who have figured in many of our leading kennels’ pedigrees.  We are at this time verging on the outbreak of World War II and little or nothing evolved in the showing, coursing or breeding-line.  
 
It should be mentioned that the coursing prior to the war was limited in both the numbers of meetings and the entries.  It is well known that Brigadier and Mrs Lance began coursing in Britain with Miss Kerrison being prominent in the late twenties and early thirties.  In 1934, Commander Adams became secretary of the coursing section after Mis Kerrison’s resignation.  From this time until the war Commander Adams appears to have owned the most successful coursers, although entries might not exceed four Salukis.    Lady Gardner had coursed her Wolfhounds with Mrs Nagle and Captain and Mrs Hudson of the Brabyn Wolfhound Kennels, this being a more organized situation at the time.  It was this influence which caused Lady Gardner to acquire Knightelling Haredam Calliope from Commander Adams thus Initiating her desire towards the retention of dual-purpose hounds within the Saluki Breed.
 
It might be interesting to note from whence the prefix ‘Knightellington’ was drawn.  The Gardner family were living at “Spencers” a beautiful house in Berkshire previously owned by Lord Spencer from whose family, we believe, a grand-daughter had recently married quite well.  As it turns out. Their area is mentioned in the Doomsday Book as the Knightellington Manor within the Windsor Forest.  
TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.  
 
here to edit.