All photographs are copyright nickridley.com For hundreds of years, the Whippet was prized as a small hunting dog, then as a race dog and finally recognized as a breed by the Kennel Club in 1890 when pedigrees were first officially recorded. The standard by which it should be judged states "built for speed and work" but it was not until 1962 that a group of breeders started the Whippet Coursing Club, providing a venue at which these abilities could be judged publicly. Rules and procedure were those of the National Coursing Club, the only difference being that the maximum points awarded for the run-up were half those given to greyhounds. Licensed judges and slippers were employed and top kennels fearlessly ran their show champions. |
Whippets coursing a hare |
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The sport quickly became popular and two more clubs were formed, the East of England WCC and the East Anglian WCC, all three having long waiting lists for membership. Dogs cannot run on frozen ground but no other weather deters members during the October to February coursing season. (left) The line waits for slipped dogs to return |
The majority of whippet meetings are "walked up" with owners and spectators walking in a line behind the slipper over ground where hares are thought to lie. When a hare jumps up, the dogs are slipped, ideally when it is 50 yards away but often much further and the line stops until the dogs return to their owners. A mounted judge signals the winner with either a white or red flag.
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At a driven meeting, slips are more frequently at the 50 yard minimum distance, allowing the whippets to get on terms with the hare, scoring more points from a more even start. The majority of whippet stakes are for 8 all aged dogs and bitches. They can also be for 16 to be run out in one day. All clubs run puppy and veteran stakes which are possibly the most hotly contested as new hopes may shine or old dogs recall their glory days. |
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Failure to do this properly can prove fatal for the hare and can also put a fancied dog out of the competition. |
This dog is off the line of the hare having been slipped unsighted |
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The whippet lacks the greyhound's thrilling early speed but more nearly matches the hare for stamina |
This dog has got close enough to score a point by making the hare turn
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None of the hares in these pictures were caught by the dogs. Since 2005 the sport has been banned but some breeders have kept old coursing lines going in the hope that it may return.