22nd October 2021

​SALUKI BREED NOTES WEEKENDING 22ND OCTOBER 2021.
 
Congratulations to Linda Aldous and Jeannette Glaister’s Jay Sea Bird el Panjsher JW on going Best in Show at Crystal Palace Canine Assoc Open Show.  Normally I do not post open show wins but as this is a special occasion, it is included.  Breed judge Simon Parson, BIS Glen Dymock. 
 
Cecelia Andersson has contacted me with a second reminder regarding the lure coursing meet.  It is to be held on the 21st November at Walton on the Hill, Surrey.  Please let her know if you would like to intend.  She needs enough entries to be able to go ahead with the meet.  Anyone interested or having questions to get in touch with Cecilia at Email:cl.andersson05gmail.com or 07809486496
 
 
So pleased that I have had comments regarding the Knightellington article that I have been serializing.  This week is Part 2.
 
“Several significant incidents took place during the war regarding our story. Due to the general depletion of war and the cost of survival the Wolfhounds, while being cared for and loved, were slowly reduced in number or perhaps more to the point, were not increased.  Helen Gardner was forced back from her nursing duties in Aldershot to the family home to look after her mother who had fallen, breaking her hip for the second time.  Besides caring for Lady Gardner, Helen’s duties included the hounds, which at that time still included Wolfhounds, some Borzoi, the Salukis and ‘whoever else needed a home’. Within this category a Saluki bitch called Seraph came from Mrs. G. Scott in whelp to a dog call Tobrak.  One of the two puppies born was Knightellington Warrior.  He was mated, very late in the war to Selma and on V.J Day in 1945, a litter was born.  The sole bitch of that litter was appropriately named Victory.
 
It was in 1946 that Lady Gardner succeeded the Hon. Florence Amherst as the President of the Saluki or Gazelle Hound Club and she retained this position until her retirement in 1953.  The main desire of Lady Gardner as Club President and in the handling of her Salukis, under joint ownership and ideology with Helen, was the retention of their heritage, being multi-purpose hounds, which are pleasant to live with and sound enough to do the job for which they have been bred for thousands of years.  Inevitably, this reasoning continues with the next generation born in 1951, when Victory produced a marvellous litter to Ch Sakkara Sindebad of Shammar. These puppies were born on St George’s day and Lady Gardner being very patriotic 
could not resist calling one George.  The others were Vandal, Valerie, Vanity, Vanguard and Vagary.  George and his sister Vanity went to Mrs Angel and appear in many Mazuri pedigrees.  Vandal went to Miss Kean and Miss McKenzie becoming a champion and the main sire of the Ajman Salukis.  Valerie stayed with her family and became the mother of the famous Beth litter.  The mating in 1957 was the first litter solely bred by Helen Baker as her mother had died on November 18th of the previous year.  
 
Knightellington Beth Sheba, Shirin and Ezra all produced champion children.  One can peruse the ‘Saluki Book of Champions’ in awe, following in many directions where Knightellington Caspah bred to Beth Sheba produced Ibrahim who when bred to Knightellington Rualla Zoulaire produced Knighellington Melody, as the fourth generation of Knightellington champions. Alternatively we can follow Beth Shirin’s litter from a breeding to Johara Rasheik to Champion Knightellington Djahi and Knightellington Djado the former being grandsire of Melody on the dam’s sire while the latter became father of Mr Wayne Jensen’s hugely successful American Champion, Jen Araby Jurwadi Bey, the sire of Don Weiden’s Ch Mahal Bey of Sedeki.  However, whilst noting with much admiration page after page of champion pedigrees inclusive of Knightellington stock it must be acknowledge that the reproduction of her Salukis did not take priority in Helen Baker’s world.  Most Knightellington bitches have been bred at approximately six years of age.  Up to that time the bitches as the dogs’ lives have evolved around the families’ activities which inevitably has meant coursing and showing, but mostly being important individuals within the fraternity.  It is this special ability to develop a strong lasting bond with her dogs including favourites, friends and visitors that has helped, to my mind, in making Mrs. Baker such a prominent personality within our breed.  Having watched animal trainers teaching their pupils how to perform, I have questioned what qualities it would take to bring maximum response from a Saluki, not in coming to heal or jumping a fence, but in utilising their inherent skills.  In Helen Baker I feel we have such a person and the major perceivable characteristic seems to be a simple oneness with each animal on its own terms.
 
TO BE CONTINUED