If someone had told me two years ago that I would own a champion Whippet, I would have laughed. In fact, if someone had told me that I would be spending my weekends travelling the country to dog shows, obsessively checking entries, watching live streams, and planning which shows to enter next, I would have thought they had the wrong person entirely! Yet here I am, completely in love with my new hobby, and the proud owner and handler of Ch Tervanty Dragon Master at Bonnarfyfe JW – aka our lovely boy, Bobby, bred by Liz Woodward.
Like many people, my love of Whippets began long before I owned one. Growing up, my dad always had working lurchers, so I was around sighthounds from a very young age. Animals have always been a huge part of my life. I also grew up with horses and spent years showing them before eventually stepping away from the horse world. Looking back now, I think there are many similarities between horses and Whippets. They have the same elegance, athleticism and presence. To me, Whippets are like little show ponies.
For as long as I can remember, I have loved Crufts. Every year I would sit and watch it with my Mam, fascinated by all the breeds. Whenever the Whippets came into the ring, they were always my favourite and we would always cheer them on. I always watched thinking I’d love to do that one day but it felt like a dream that belonged to someone else. In January 2024, that dream began to belong to me when my partner, Nathan bought me my first Whippet, Eddie, as a 30th birthday present. We had researched breeds extensively and both felt that a Whippet would fit perfectly into our lives. Through that search we found Linzi of Bohosoul Whippets who lived nearby, and Eddie (Bohosoul The Crow at Bonnarfyfe) joined our family. I’ve always believed animals should have a purpose. My horses always had jobs, whether that was showing, hunting or dressage, and my dad’s dogs were working dogs. So although Eddie was first and foremost a beloved pet, I always had a little thought in the back of my mind: perhaps we could have a go at showing – like they do at Crufts! I had Nathan’s full support and he encouraged me to give it a go. I found my local ringcraft club in Birtley and nervously attended with Eddie. I felt like the new kid on the first day of school but Eddie loved every second of it. He received treats, attention and admiration. Meanwhile, I spent most of my time wondering whether everyone could tell I was completely clueless. From there I discovered Fosse Data, made an account and entered my first show which I think was Tyne Wear & Tees Open Show.
I arrived at the show carrying what can only be described as an enormous crate for a tiny little puppy – because it was the only one I owned. I didn’t have a trolley or a grooming kit and I borrowed a show lead on the day. I didn’t know where to stand or what to wear. I didn’t know who anybody was and I was so nervous I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb! Thankfully, I was fortunate enough to have support from the people around me. Linzi took Eddie into his first class and encouraged me to have a go myself. Her advice was simple – just be confident, and pretend you know what you’re doing. To be honest, I don’t think I knew what I was doing for quite some time afterwards either, but I’ve carried that advice with me ever since along with – just smile and enjoy it!
Before long, showing became a hobby that I genuinely loved. The atmosphere, the dogs, the people and the competition all drew me in. I would be absolutely over the moon if I ever got placed, I enjoyed every minute, and met so many new friends, all of whom were very patient with all of my questions. Then came Bobby. Nathan and I had always planned to get Eddie a brother. Through showing, I had the pleasure of watching and admiring all of the beautiful Whippets from all over the country. I approached a really lovely lady called Yvonne. I had no idea who she was, or who ‘Palmik’ was, and after meeting at the North East Whippet Society Championship Show, we stayed in touch. Then, in October 2024, Yvonne and Liz contacted me about a puppy they had from their ‘Baby Dragon’ Litter, so called after Liz’s love for dragons. The puppy’s name was ‘Bobby’. This felt particularly significant because ‘Eddie’ is named after Eddie Howe of Newcastle Utd, and we had always joked that our next dog would be named ‘Bobby’ after Sir Bobby Robson. When Yvonne told me the puppy’s nickname had evolved from ‘Blobby’ to ‘Bobby’, it seemed like fate. We travelled to meet him and fell completely in love. Bringing Bobby home changed everything. He accompanied Eddie and me to shows from the baby puppy stage, happily sitting ringside, playing around empty rings and charming everyone he met.
When the time finally came to make his debut, Bobby exceeded every expectation I had. At just six months old, he won Best Puppy in Breed and Puppy Group 1 at his first Premier Open Show and this qualified him for Crufts. I honestly thought I had won the lottery. Nathan and I both had tears that day. Qualifying for Crufts with my own dog was something I had dreamed about since childhood and now it seemed completely surreal. I was grateful that our friend Mandy suggested a really useful handling day with Let’s Go Show Dog Training in the Scottish Borders. I remember going completely clueless and so nervous, and leaving feeling sooo excited about my trip to Crufts which I was told was the biggest dog show in the world. If qualifying was a dream, competing at Crufts itself was even better. We camped, made a proper trip of it, and had the most amazing experience. Incredibly, Bobby won his class in Minor Puppy Dog at his very first Crufts. I remember going back home to our local pub and getting a cheer as we walked through the door! Even people at work were talking about it. It was so amazing!
After Crufts, Bobby’s success continued. He won almost every class he was entered in – I couldn’t believe what was happening. We even landed ourselves in the Groups a couple of times and won Best Special Beginner in Show at Whippet Club of Scotland and Hound Association of Scotland.
Our Special Beginner entries came abruptly to an end – in style – when we won the Reserve Dog Challenge Certificate (RDCC) under Phil Freer at Scottish Kennel Club. I remember bursting into tears and Phil asking “why are you so shocked?” And I said “I didn’t think people like me would win a ticket!” We went on to win another RCC at Blackpool under Helen Johnston, and I remember Yvonne saying at the sideline “just wait till you get a BIG green ticket”.
In his ‘teenage’ months, Bobby developed a few confidence issues, particularly on the table. I found myself losing confidence too. Suddenly I felt like a newcomer all over again. I didn’t have the experience to know what to do in those challenging situations. That period taught me one of the most important lessons of my showing journey. I attended a breed-specific handling and education day with Steph Marston-Pollock and learned an enormous amount about the breed. This actually made me realise how good Bobby really was and that our winning streak wasn’t just purely down to luck! Bobby really did move in the way she taught us, and had all of the qualities I learned about in the breed standard. Steph helped me understand not only what judges were looking for, but also how my own confidence affected Bobby’s confidence too.
Not long afterwards, my dad became very poorly and naturally, showing took a back seat. Losing my dad soon after, was and is the most difficult challenge I’ve personally faced. I was very grateful to go back to showing as it held a new meaning for me. It was a day where I could get a break from the sadness at home by spending it in a room full of dogs, doing what I loved with all of my friends.
When I eventually returned to the ring, it was at the Manchester Championship Show under Rob Wheeler, where I had no expectations whatsoever. For once, I wasn’t worrying about results or how Bobby may behave. I simply wanted a nice day out with friends and my dog. Ironically, that was the day Bobby won his first Challenge Certificate. I remember how relaxed I felt. Bobby absolutely flew around the ring and showed his socks off for me. I was so proud of him and so thankful to Rob, who I respected and who owns Bobby’s sire, Scott, who I loved. For the first time, I truly appreciated how much confidence travels down the lead from handler to dog.
One CC became two when Bobby won under Ashley Halliday, in a line up of amazing dogs, on a lovely sunny day at the very beautiful Malvern show ground. I was so surprised to win, I did a celebratory dance in the ring! Suddenly the impossible seemed possible, two tickets down, one to go. Our confidence was growing and I remember thinking that if Bobby never got placed again, I’d still be so proud of him and how far we’ve come.
Then came Southern Counties under world-renowned judge, Espen Engh. I was grateful to even just present my dog to him, never mind get placed! I had heard people talk about Espen but I’m still learning people’s names and faces, so I decided to Google him a couple weeks before the show. Big mistake! The headlines were “Espen Engh to judge Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club and Crufts 2028”. No pressure then. I watched Espen judge the classes before me and for the first time in a while thought how excited I was to compete. That excitement overshadowed the nerves. Bobby showed his socks off for me yet again, making me so proud and very grateful for our little performance for a world famous judge! He went on to win the Yearling class and wow, I was completely shocked. In the challenge, I was concentrating so much on the task in hand, not even thinking for a minute I might win, but here comes Espen, with the ‘BIG’ green ticket in hand! Bobby had won his third and crowning CC and gained his Champion title. I was stunned and as the tears flowed, Espen shook my hand and asked if this was his first ticket. “No”, I replied, “it’s his third!”.
In little more than a year, I had gone from asking what a Challenge Certificate was to owning and handling a Champion. Perhaps the thing I am most proud of isn’t the title itself, but everything that came with it. The friendships, the support, the lessons, the road trips, the laughter, the van karaoke on early morning starts and long drives. And, above all of that, the kindness shown to me by so many people along the way. I remain incredibly grateful to Yvonne Hull and Liz Woodward for entrusting Bobby to us. He is far more than a show dog, he is a wonderful companion, a joy to live with and a dog who has genuinely changed my life. I am so incredibly grateful to every judge who has thought highly enough of Bobby to place him, and to the many exhibitors who patiently answered my endless questions as I tried to learn the ropes. Even now, I still feel like the new girl. I still ask questions. I still learn something at every show. And I think that’s one of the things I love most about this hobby. Nobody ever knows everything. There is always something new to learn, another challenge to tackle and another goal to aim for.
I’m very much still the person who watched Crufts with her mum. Still the person who dreamed of owning a Whippet. Still the person who thought winning a Challenge Certificate was something that only happened to other people, and never her. If my journey has taught me anything, it’s that showing really is for everyone. If you have a good dog, a willingness to learn and the courage to walk into that first ring, amazing things can happen. I certainly never imagined they would happen to me. But thanks to Bobby, they did.
Charlotte Luther