A group photo of almost all of the 20 Silkens who competed in the 2011 ASFA International Invitational. Not pictured: Czar, Sasha, Inca, and Logan. Silkens were the first breed to split the Limited stake at the II! Photo credit and copyright Leigh Davis, Inish Fiain Silken Windhounds.

The Silken Windhound breed entered provisional status on March 1, 2012.  According to a recent ASFA clarifying policy, the provisional classes in which a provisional breed may compete at an ASFA Trial are the open stake, field champion stake and veteran stake.  Results from the classes shall be recorded and published as provisional open, provisional field champion and provisional Veteran.

Eligibility to enter the provisional field champion class will be based on points and placements earned during the provisional recognition period that would otherwise entitle a hound in an ASFA recognized breed to be awarded an ASFA Field Champion title.

Congratulations to all the Silkens and their owners who have come out in record numbers during the two-year period the breed has competed in Limited Stakes competition!!!

The incomparable ISWS/NAKC/Rarities CH, Talisman's Ursa Major, ISWS FCh., OTRC, SRCX IX! Photo credit and copyright Steve Tradewell, Ardent Hounds.

Teddy, who was also the first Silken Windhound to accumulate 12 GRC points in LGRA provisional competition, is now the first and only SRCX IX!  Teddy earned this historic title in yet another undefeated race meet, the same way he’s won almost every other point he’s earned in his incomparable racing career.  We’re blown away by this boy’s success!

URO1 UAGI CT ALCH 'PR' Allagante Mystic Topaz DNA FCh IC CGC, “Rio.” Photo credit and copyright Lydia Jorgenson.

Rio and Lydia began training for agility in July 2008. They trained casually, not expecting to ever compete, much less to make Silken history. Rio loves jumps and tunnels, and is currently working on mastering weaves. As Lydia puts it, “Rio can’t understand why, after going through the rest of the course as fast a possible, we have to slow down to wiggle around a bunch of sticks.” Since the beginning level of UKC doesn’t include the weave poles, Rio was able to take what he knew and conquer the course with 3 qualifying runs, earning his first-level UKC title, UAG1.

Rio had a steller weekend at Nationals (he also won his Altered Conformation Championship, a rally title, and a lure coursing title!), but as proud as Lydia is of Rio’s achievements, it is their tight bond and loving relationship that gives her the most pleasure: 

I am most proud of the fact that Rio trusts me—even when he is uncertain about an obstacle, he will do it because he trusts me (despite the fact that he sometimes look miserable doing it). That is very humbling.

Rio’s favorite reward is string cheese, and he’s working hard for it as he learns to work further away from Lydia. With Rio’s sighthound speed, Lydia is teaching him distance handling so she can direct his path through the agility course without him slowing down to wait for her. Keep your eyes peeled for Rio blazing through an agility course near you!

UKC Ch., ISWS Ch., IABCA Int'l Ch. Elessar's Marvel Storm, SRCX II, CIC, CGC "Storm." Photo credit and copyright Glenn Conlan.

Keep on racing, Storm, you’re an inspiration to girls everywhere!

NAKC Int Ch. Allagante Windspirit Barbados, ISWS LCM, SRC ("Bados") lure coursing his way to another impressive victory! Photo credit and copyright Dave Mills.

The full list can be viewed on the ASFA site here. Congratulations to all who competed!

Congratulations to Garis (Allagante Sangaris, OTRCX, SRC, ISWS FCH), #1 ISWS Oval Racer for 2011!! Photo credit and copyright Paul Sanders of Allagante Silkens.

Full ISWS Oval Racing Standings on the ISWS Oval Racing website.

Teddy (ISWS Ch & NAKC/Rarities Int'l Ch Talisman's Ursa Major, SRCX VIII, OTRC, ISWS FCh) earned the honor of #1 ISWS straight racer for the fourth year in a row!! Photo credit and copyright Steve Tradewell of Ardent Hounds.

Full ISWS Straight Racing Standings on the ISWS Straight Racing website.

Ella, BISS SuSVK V-07, DV-08 Talisman of Electra Sarafias ISWS FCh. Photo credit and copyright Eero Juhola.

Finnish Silken Windhounds have been competing in lure coursing trials held under FCI rules for many years. These Silkens compete in an unofficial class, and while they are not eligible for FCI titles, they can earn ISWS titles based on their scores and placements, with ISWS points calculated using ASFA-style rules.

For more Finnish coursing fun, Eero, Ella’s owner, has lots of photos posted from October’s Möllin Maastot fun run here!

Photo credit and copyright Dave Mills.

As a provisional breed, Silken Windhounds can officially compete in LGRA meets.  While no GRC or SGRC titles will be awarded during this provisional period, LGRA will record points earned towards those titles and these titles may be awarded upon breed eligibility.

Race Secretaries hosting a meet with Silken Windhounds will submit a short report to the LGRA National Racing Director describing those Silkens’ races and performance, as well as any information relevant to their possible acceptance as a LGRA breed.  This report will be published on the LGRA website.

ISWS will continue to track points earned in LGRA races and award SRC and SRCX titles throughout the provisional period.

 

Jake (Rubia's Ladder to the Moon, ISWS FCH, SRC) shows off his agility on the cover of the 2012 Silken Windhounds in Action calendar!

The three calendars are: 2012 Silken Windhound Puppies, 2012 Silken Windhound Adults, and 2012 Silken Windhounds in Action.  While you can’t go wrong with any of these three (and we’re planning on buying a copy of each!), we here at the ISWS Performance Journal have a particular fondness for the Silken Windhounds in Action calendar, which features some stunning shots of Silkens competing in lure coursing, racing, and other performance events!