In 1973 I received my first “show dog,” an Afghan,  Zodiac's Maiden Voyage, as a wedding gift.  I competed in confirmation and trained in obedience. Through the 70’s and 80’s, I showed Afghans and Paint Horses. I apprenticed under Nancy Sheeft for 4 years to learn more about how to show and groom dogs. Nancy raised top winning Saint Bernard’s, Dobermans and Borzoi.

I can still remember the day I became totally and completely captivated while watching show dogs, as if it was just yesterday. In the early 1970’s I attended the Afghan National Specialty in Chicago, Illinois. While sitting ringside during the specials class in the Best of Breed competition, I saw Ch. Khayams Apollo and his sire for the first time.

The room felt ELECTRIC. I watched in awe as long time Afghan breeder, June Boone stood in her chair and yelled at the top of her lungs. I can still feel the hair on the back of my neck standing up at the sight of these dogs to this very day. They were absolutely magnificent! From that moment on I was “hooked”! Several years later I was lucky enough to own a daughter of the National Specialty Winner. Faye and I did very well together in the conformation ring.

Fast forward . . . It’s 1990 and I was in an accident. Following the accident, the doctors were not sure I would ever have full use of my leg. Showing Afghans, in full show coat, no longer seemed like a realistic possibility. I contacted Stan and Dee Halley (Halstan Whippets) to discuss the prospect of obtaining a Greyhound to show. Stan contacted me to tell me that he actually had a litter of whippet puppies and that he had held onto a bitch that he wanted me to handle. At the time, I didn’t know the first thing about showing whippets and it took Stan 6 months to convince me to take the puppy.

That pup, Am. Can Ch. Halstan’s Class Act, a.k.a."Classy", turned 16 years old in 2006. She still continues to reside at Hycks Hollow. Classy had a wonderful show career, which included numerous group placements, all owner-handled. Her littermates had an impressive winning record. Classy later became my foundation bitch.

More years passed, and the next time I went to the American Whippet Club National was in 1993 (Texas). Hardly imaginable, for the second time in my life I saw a dog that made the hair on my neck stand up! That dog was National SBIS and Multiple SBIS winning Ch Elysian A-Few Perrier, LCM, ROMX, a.k.a. “Perry.” I literally could not breathe when I saw Perry move around the ring with his handler, Jan Swayze in the Best of Breed competition. He was outstanding!

My first whippet litter was by Perry, out of Classy. Wow, from that day on . . . what a ride! One of the outstanding pups from this litter was Ch. Hycks Hollow Rhett Butler, a.k.a. “Butler.”

The next National Specialty I attended was the 1995 AWC National Specialty in Minnesota. I fell in love with the beautiful, Ch. Innuendo’s Peaches and Cream, FCh. Peaches was later bred to Ch. Cherche’s Wizard of the Wind, a.k.a. "Jacob."  I was bestowed a bitch from the litter, Ch. Cherche’s Twister at Hycks Hollow, a.k.a. “Dorothy” and later bred Butler to Dorothy, producing Ch Hycks Hollow Lady of the Lake, a.k.a. "Lake."

The next male whippet to enter my life was Ch. Cherche’ The Memory Remains, JC.  "Justin" came to me as a young pup from my dear friend Chris Durance (Cherche’ Whippets). Justin is the result of 2XNSBIS NSBOS, Multi-SBIS Ch. Whippletrees Icy Affire, JC, FCh, a.k.a. “Thelma Lou” and Perry. Justin was later bred to Dorothy resulting in Ch. Hycks Hollow Heart and Soul, a.k.a. "Liv.".

 We have great hopes of combining the strengths of Eros and Thelma's pups in our foundation.

I have been blessed with a great line-up of mentors who were always willing to teach me and help me learn as much as possible about whippets, conformation, and the love of showing:

• Michael McNulty – my husband and partner (who purchased Classy for me).
• The late and great Stan Halley and his wife Dee (Halstan) – thank you for my start.
• Chris Durance-Watkins (Cherche’) – my whippet sister and breeding partner
• Dr. James R. Gray, MD (Elysian) – for sharing his knowledge and dogs
• Glenda Durance (Cherche’) & Bill Collingwood (Cherche’s kennel manager) - for sharing knowledge and dogs
• Jan Swayze (Longlesson) – hours of handling advice and the many thrilling moments watching her with Perry. (Including winning the National Specialty in St. Louis in 1999, where I threw my catalog so high in the air it was never found.)
• Rhonda Gifford – The pedigree QUEEN!
• Dick and Jean Schroeder (Willabe) “Dr Jean” – who is always willing to share time and knowledge.

To all the breeders who shared countless hours of their knowledge:
• Cora Miller (Hound Hill)
• The late Pat Petite (Patrics)
• The late Sharon Kirley (Whippletree)
• Ray and Barbara Parsons (Raybar)

And all the Whippet fanciers who have been so willing to give their time and information when I ask about breeding, pedigrees, handling, or health issues.

I’d like to share Chris Durance-Watkins and my thoughts on our endeavors.
We both feel strongly that each and every puppy we produce is important. We breed on a very limited scale. We try to learn by patience and time. All our dogs are housedogs (family) and companions first. We believe all of the whippets we produce are a treasure from the standpoint that if we pay attention, observe, and learn, they will show us the next step.

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