Our Judge – Susan Heiniger, QuiXand Whippets
In the fall of 1998 I took a little “what breed is best for you” quiz (probably on America Online) and started looking for a whippet.
I bought a show-bred pup — Mojave Ghostly Encounter bred by Pat and Al Steiner — and because I don’t do anything in a reasonable fashion, immediately decided to get a second whippet.
That second whippet was an adult named Regalstock Thais, bred by David Rosenstock, but that I got from Patrick Burlingame and Mary Cutherell. Thais was a gentle soul who taught me all about racing, coursing and hunting. Mary gave me a job and a place to live briefly following my divorce, and taught me much about breeding and whelping and studying pedigrees. Pat became my first mentor and friend in the sport of racing, and through him I got my foundation dog, Vitesse Can’t Stop the Music and both my foundation bitches Thais and Vitesse And the Beat Goes On — Tympani. Most of the Quixandz dogs running today go back to them.
In 2000 I married my husband, Dave, between the third and fourth programs of an SCWA NAWRA meet, with our four kids, parents, grandparents, and new in-laws all in attendance. The whippet assimilation was complete.
Over the past 22 years I have had the opportunity to run my dogs alongside American whippet racing’s lifeblood, legends and shooting stars alike, on dozens of tracks all over North America. I feel so proud and lucky to have been a part of our rich and sometimes crazy history.
I’ve made — and also lost — amazing mentors, partners, and friends. I’ve learned something from everyone I’ve talked to, argued with, watched from afar, or mooched a drink off of. I hope I’ve been able to share some knowledge and experience as well.
I’ve broken down in Barstow in July, walked a thousand miles in the dark and wind and rain, and slept in more truck stops and rest areas than I can count. I’ve narrowly escaped death and/or committing homicide during race meet escapades, faced off with a youth soccer coach over a field, received angry late-night German phone calls, broken promises, broken toes, and smelled the coppery-sweet, puppy breath of many future champions.
All this for the love of these sweet, magical athletes we call Whippets and these crazy, awesome sports we share with them.
Susan
Friday, September 25, 2020
11:30 am Match gate entries close
12:00 pm Match judging begins
-Dog judging
-Bitch judging
-Brace class judging
-Parade of National Champions – to be eligible, whippet has to have won a national race meet in CARA, CWA, NAWRA, NOTRA, or WRA OR have been ranked #1 in the annual stats of CARA, CWA, NAWRA, NOTRA, or WRA.
-Best in Match judging
For Race Champion classes – championship titles can be from CARA, CWA, NAWRA, NOTRA, or WRA
Match Chair – Darien Adley
Ring Stewards – TBA