21 st July 2017

 
Not a lot of new news around with no shows on the circuit this week.  On the Kasaque scene we have had to neuter one of out Salukis.  It has been done for health reasons as she is 10 years old and has been coming into season about every three months.  There is a protocol the vets use to decide when to operate as the usual three months from the last season will not work in this case.  I expressed my concerns, to the vet, about my beautiful Saluki becoming a Woolly Mammoth.  The vet said as long as her ovaries look alright he can leave one in, which means the ovary will still produce hormones.  The down side is that our girl will still be ‘seasons’ of some sort.  We can live with the seasons as we do not have any male dogs.  As it happens I met a lady at the vets with a cocker spaniel.  She said that the cocker’s coats also blow when neutered.   Now we sit back and see what happens.  Unfortunately this system is only good for the girls but it could be a solutions for the welfare. 
 
We are just past the half way mark in the dog showing season with some interesting judges coming up.  At the Hound Association, Peter Yardley will be judging.  Peter is from the old school and probably our longest serving judge in our breed.  He has seen at least six decades with participation with  Salukis both in the show ring and on the coursing field.  Paignton is being judged by Rena Clark who has long been associated with our breed and judged at our famous Festival of the Saluki 2007.  Mrs Nina Neswadba of Showhunters Salukis will be judging at the Welsh Kennel Club.  Nina judged FILPA this past weekend in France so it will be interesting to see/hear her comments on our breed. A couple of months ago I included Nina’s CV in these notes.  Our judge for Richmond is Adele Walton-Haddon another breed specialist with a life time of experience with Salukis.  She, as is Karen Fisher, our judge for bitches at the SGHC Championship Show, are second generation in our breed.   The final breed specialist is Jenny Macro, who will be judging at LKA.  Though not seen as often around the ring these days, Jenny has been involved with our breed since she was a teenager.  Last summer she judged at the Swedish Sighthound Specialty. We are very lucky to have this array of breed specialist coming up.  This is not to diminish the hound specialist and al-rounds that will also be judging later this year.
 
Congratulations to Ann Blake and her new champion Afghan hound.
 
Helen Williams
Kasaque565@gmail.com