by Giovanni Liguori – UpTempo Whippets
I still find it difficult to put the moment into words. One second, I was simply grateful to be standing on the green carpet for the first time in my life; the next, Patsy Hollings was walking towards us, hand outstretched, and for a moment, time seemed to stop. When she pointed in our direction for Best in Show, there was a heartbeat of silence inside me, and then the feeling came rushing in – joy, disbelief, gratitude – all at once. If I close my eyes, I can still picture that last lap with Miuccia, light and effortless at my side, as though she knew exactly where she was meant to be.
This was my first Crufts. For years I had promised myself, “Next year, I’ll go,” and each time work had intervened. In 2025, everything aligned: my diary, my determination to finally step onto that iconic green carpet, and, most importantly, Miuccia’s moment. She had already achieved so much across Europe – titles in Italy and the Nordics, Best in Show at Skokloster, European Winner in Denmark, Top Whippet and Top Sighthound in Italy, and the ENCI Winner Best in Show to close our 2024. It felt right to take her home, in a way – to present her in the country that gave our breed to the world.
Nothing, though, truly prepares you for Crufts. We arrived early on the Thursday. The halls were alive with that very British blend of order and warmth: the benches set out like a living archive, the trade stands brimming with everything a dog person could dream of, and the quiet, constant flow of competitors and visitors who somehow make the whole spectacle feel effortless. The benching struck me in particular – not as novelty, but as heritage. It spoke of continuity, of a culture that has taken the sport seriously for generations.
For Miuccia, we kept everything calm and familiar: a quiet hotel night, plenty of cuddles, a walk in the evening and again at first light, and then into the show with the kind of light, positive energy she thrives on. She slept in the bed, as always – she is never more herself than when she feels close to us. In the ring she asks very little of me. My job is not so much to present her as to let her present herself – soft hands, minimal fuss, trust the dog. Whippets look their best, I think, when the picture relaxes: when the curves and angles are allowed to settle and the outline breathes.
Show day moved in chapters. Through the breed judging I felt composed, even detached in the best sense – observing, absorbing, grateful simply to be there. The quality in Whippets was high and instructive. When Miuccia took the CC and then Best of Breed, the day changed gear. By the time we reached the group, sport and spectacle were finally, gloriously, one.
The main ring is unlike anything else: the scale, the lights, the choreography designed to honour dogs. It could have been overwhelming. What mattered was clear: keep her content, keep the connection, and trust what we have built together. Our final circuit before the Best in Show decision is the moment I will always carry with me. She tuned herself to the atmosphere – ears soft, topline flowing, movement like a metronome – and I felt, absurdly, that I could step back and she would go on alone. Then the judge’s approach, the gesture, and the applause rose around us. I let myself feel all of it. Perhaps that was the true gift of the evening: I did not try to contain the emotion; I allowed it in.
We ended the week as we began: with a walk, some quiet, and a very happy Whippet. Then it was back to the others, to the sand and the sea, where she ran as though nothing at all had changed. And, in the ways that matter to her, nothing has – which is exactly as it should be.
But Crufts was not the end of her story. In the months that followed, Miuccia stepped into the ring twice more. The final time was at Southern Counties, where she went Best in Show and sealed her UK title in style. That summer she travelled to Helsinki for the World Dog Show and was crowned World Champion – the perfect final flourish to an already remarkable career. After that, she was officially retired from the ring. Today, she enjoys the quiet life she loves most – sleeping under the duvet, running on the beach, and, very soon, becoming a mother for the first time.
