power. Neither of the two traits should be superior to the other, nor should one gravitate our attention before the other. It should simply be a ‘pure fusion’ of the two. We must always keep in mind that we are talking about a sportive breed made for hunting and covering both long distances with endurance and short distances with speed. On the other hand, this powerful engine must be of a frame of elegant, smooth lines. Proper muscle tone is essential: it must be elongated and functional, flattened and adherent to the body, to ensure adequate aerodynamics and large extension on the field.
Photo 4 • Int.It.It Soc.Nl.D.Ch. Sobresalto Pourquoi Pas, another highly successful stud of Sobresalto’s with 26 Champion offspring on his account, championed several of the most prestigious titles in Europe, including the Donaueschingen, Amsterdam and Bundessieger winner titles. Douring his career Arnaldo and the friend Dominique Delabelle (di Mahana - B) showed him around. Photo by Sobresalto
BIS: What are your long-term goals in breeding? A.C.: Year after year, we are hoping for the next standout of each Sobresalto generation to be born, who then will carry the torch, so we can continue with our aim to breed the next better Whippet. There is always something to improve on, and we strongly desire to strengthen the weaknesses of our breeding stock. It is wonderful to sit at the table and discuss dogs, pedigrees and our future breeding program, I personally love it. We plan one or two years ahead and rarely have we changed our plans. BIS: What are the main characteristics of the dogs you breed? What are your goals in the breeding program? A.C.: Considering the now more than 20 years we have been actively breeding, I can say we are proud of what we have achieved in terms of breeding our ideal Whippet. We worked hard, and I think our dogs’ main characteristic is balance between power and elegance, which is the goal in our breeding program. Whippets are supposed to be of the right combination between grace and muscular 182
Best in Show Magazine
BIS: What do you consider your greatest achievement as a breeder? A.C.: I believe the main aim of any true breeder is to breed dogs that correspond to their interpretation of the breed standard, and we’ve been lucky to live up to our own expectations by having bred several dogs who were/are very close that ideal of ours. Needless to say, we care for all our puppies and their owners, and feel so privileged to have met so many nice people… I am probably most proud of the fact that our puppy buyers and us make up a delightful community both in our professional and even our private lives. At shows, the ‘Sobresalto family’ are so supportive of each other, applauding each other regardless which one of them takes the top award - this is truly a heart-warming experience, no matter how many times we live it through. BIS: Are there any specific stud dogs/brood bitches in your breed, either in your country or globally, whom you think have had an important impact on the breed? A.C.: There have been many dogs and bitches who impressed me for various reasons, but I have decided to name just one of each sex of recent breeding. A bitch who had a great impact on the breed was Hillsdown Mollie, bred by Phil Moran Healy in the UK and owned by M.me Jacqueline Bourdin in France. As for males, the one stud who had a huge influence on the breed was Adagio Love Supreme, bred by Stefan Råghammar in Sweden. BIS. If you can use just three words to describe the