Foxcliffe Hickory Wind
Encyclopedia
GCH
Foxcliffe Hickory Wind (born December 20, 2005), also known as Hickory, is a female Scottish Deerhound
who was named Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
in 2011. She is the first of her breed to have won the title.
song by John Duffey
, with lyrics by Gram Parsons
. She is owned by Sally Sweatt, along with her breeder, Cecilia Dove, and her husband Scott. During 2010, she was ranked fifth out of all American dogs in the Hound Group
.
Following her victory at Westminster, she will retire from show competition. Her owners have plans to breed her in 2011 and move her permanently to her breeder's farm in Flint Hill, Virginia
. Speaking of Hickory's retirement, her handler Angela Lloyd said, "She's a wonderful dog to live with. I’m going to miss the nose nudge in the middle of the night."
, the other two entrants being GCH Thistleglen Rowan and Ch. Altnamara's Trial By Fire.
She placed first in the Hound Group, beating the Beagle
GCH Torquay Midnight Confession into second place, and the Norwegian Elkhound
GCH Vin-Melca's Voyager into third.
She won the title of Best in Show in what was described by the Los Angeles Times
as "surprising many", beating four dogs which were ranked in the top ten of all breeds in 2010: the Pekingese
GCH Palacegarden Malachy, the Cocker Spaniel
GCH Casablanca's Thrilling Seduction, the Bearded Collie
GCH Tolkien Raintree Mister Baggins, and the Smooth Fox Terrier GCH Slyfox Sneak's A Peek. Her odds prior to winning Best in Show were placed at 60-1. However, these were not the longest odds of a recent Best in Show winner; in 2009, a Sussex Spaniel
named Ch. Clussexx Three D Grinchy Glee
came out of retirement to win at odds of 275-1.
Paolo Dondina, the Best in Show judge and first Italian
to judge the prize, said of Hickory, "This one feels perfectly the standard in all the ways, I am a hound person. I had Afghans, I had whippets, I had Irish wolfhounds. I never owned a deerhound. This is my dream." During the press conference following the victory, Hickory grew tired and restless of the photographers, and at one point walked off the stage. As Best in Show, she appeared on The Today Show
and The Martha Stewart Show.
At Westminster, GCH
Foxcliffe Hickory Wind became the first ever of her breed (Scottish Deerhound
) to capture the Best in Show award.
Championship (dog)
Championships are awarded to dogs who have passed through a process of selection at dog shows. Traditionally, a championship was received at a conformation show, but championships are now offered for dogs who have attained a high degree of perfection in other dog sports as well.-The conformation...
Foxcliffe Hickory Wind (born December 20, 2005), also known as Hickory, is a female Scottish Deerhound
Scottish Deerhound
The Scottish Deerhound, or simply the Deerhound, is a breed of hound , once bred to hunt the Red Deer by coursing.- Appearance :The Scottish Deerhound resembles a rough-coated Greyhound. It is however, larger in size and bone...
who was named Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is a two-day, all-breed benched conformation show that takes place at Madison Square Garden in New York City every year. The first Westminster show was held in 1877....
in 2011. She is the first of her breed to have won the title.
Biography
GCH Foxcliffe Hickory Wind was named after a bluegrassBluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
song by John Duffey
John Duffey
John H. Duffey was a Washington DC-based bluegrass music innovator and musician....
, with lyrics by Gram Parsons
Gram Parsons
Gram Parsons was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and pianist. Parsons is best known for his work within the country genre; he also mixed blues, folk, and rock to create what he called "Cosmic American Music"...
. She is owned by Sally Sweatt, along with her breeder, Cecilia Dove, and her husband Scott. During 2010, she was ranked fifth out of all American dogs in the Hound Group
Hound Group
Hound Group is the name of a breed group of dogs, used by kennel clubs to classify a defined collection of dog breeds, and does not necessarily include all hound-type dogs...
.
Following her victory at Westminster, she will retire from show competition. Her owners have plans to breed her in 2011 and move her permanently to her breeder's farm in Flint Hill, Virginia
Flint Hill, Virginia
Flint Hill is a census-designated place in Rappahannock County, Virginia, United States. The population as of the 2010 Census was 209. It is located on Route 522, approximately 2 miles to the east of the border of the Shenandoah National Park....
. Speaking of Hickory's retirement, her handler Angela Lloyd said, "She's a wonderful dog to live with. I’m going to miss the nose nudge in the middle of the night."
Westminster
Being handled by Angela Lloyd, who won the junior competition in 1998, she was entered in the 135th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in 2011. In her breed judging, she was judged the better of three entrants who had qualified for Westminster, moving onto the Hound GroupHound Group
Hound Group is the name of a breed group of dogs, used by kennel clubs to classify a defined collection of dog breeds, and does not necessarily include all hound-type dogs...
, the other two entrants being GCH Thistleglen Rowan and Ch. Altnamara's Trial By Fire.
She placed first in the Hound Group, beating the Beagle
Beagle
The Beagle is a breed of small to medium-sized dog. A member of the Hound Group, it is similar in appearance to the Foxhound, but smaller, with shorter legs and longer, softer ears. Beagles are scent hounds, developed primarily for tracking hare, rabbit, and other game...
GCH Torquay Midnight Confession into second place, and the Norwegian Elkhound
Norwegian Elkhound
The Norwegian Elkhound is one of the ancient Northern Spitz-type breed of dog and is the National Dog of Norway. The Elkhound has served as a hunter, guardian, herder, and defender. In a land of subzero temperatures, deep snow, thick forests, and rugged mountains, only the hardiest of the breeds...
GCH Vin-Melca's Voyager into third.
She won the title of Best in Show in what was described by the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
as "surprising many", beating four dogs which were ranked in the top ten of all breeds in 2010: the Pekingese
Pekingese
The Pekingese, or "Peke" is an ancient breed of toy dog, originating in China. The breed was favored by the Chinese Imperial court, and its name refers to the city of Beijing where the Forbidden City resides...
GCH Palacegarden Malachy, the Cocker Spaniel
American Cocker Spaniel
The American Cocker Spaniel is a breed of sporting dog. It is a spaniel type dog that is closely related to the English Cocker Spaniel; the two breeds diverged during the 20th century due to differing breed standards in America and the UK...
GCH Casablanca's Thrilling Seduction, the Bearded Collie
Bearded Collie
The Bearded Collie, or Beardie, is a herding breed of dog once used primarily by Scottish shepherds, but now mostly a popular family companion....
GCH Tolkien Raintree Mister Baggins, and the Smooth Fox Terrier GCH Slyfox Sneak's A Peek. Her odds prior to winning Best in Show were placed at 60-1. However, these were not the longest odds of a recent Best in Show winner; in 2009, a Sussex Spaniel
Sussex Spaniel
The Sussex Spaniel is a breed of dog developed in Sussex in southern England. It is a low, compact spaniel and is similar in appearance to the Clumber Spaniel. They can be slow paced, but can have a clownish and energetic temperament...
named Ch. Clussexx Three D Grinchy Glee
Clussexx Three D Grinchy Glee
Ch. Clussexx Three D Grinchy Glee , also known as Stump, is a 50 lb. male Sussex Spaniel from Houston, Texas, who was named the 2009 Best In Show winner at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show...
came out of retirement to win at odds of 275-1.
Paolo Dondina, the Best in Show judge and first Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
to judge the prize, said of Hickory, "This one feels perfectly the standard in all the ways, I am a hound person. I had Afghans, I had whippets, I had Irish wolfhounds. I never owned a deerhound. This is my dream." During the press conference following the victory, Hickory grew tired and restless of the photographers, and at one point walked off the stage. As Best in Show, she appeared on The Today Show
The Today Show
Today is an iconic American morning news and talk show airing every morning on NBC. Debuting on January 14, 1952, it was the first of its genre on American television and in the world. The show is also the fourth-longest running American television series...
and The Martha Stewart Show.
At Westminster, GCH
Championship (dog)
Championships are awarded to dogs who have passed through a process of selection at dog shows. Traditionally, a championship was received at a conformation show, but championships are now offered for dogs who have attained a high degree of perfection in other dog sports as well.-The conformation...
Foxcliffe Hickory Wind became the first ever of her breed (Scottish Deerhound
Scottish Deerhound
The Scottish Deerhound, or simply the Deerhound, is a breed of hound , once bred to hunt the Red Deer by coursing.- Appearance :The Scottish Deerhound resembles a rough-coated Greyhound. It is however, larger in size and bone...
) to capture the Best in Show award.