Weekend before last, I was at the Southeastern Greyhound Club’s lure coursing field trial where we had a really good time both on the field and visiting with old friends. This post isn’t about that event though (I’ll cover that later after my pictures come), but about a comment made by my friend Toni about Nick’s eyes. She asked me if Dutch Bahama was in his pedigree. Now I’m not a big studier of hound pedigrees, so I had no idea. She pointed out that his eyes looked like he came from that line. She went home and looked it up, and sure enough, Dutch Bahama was Nick’s great great grandpa. Cool!!
Now that got me thinking about why exactly we chose to adopt Nick. After Speedy and Sugar died last summer, we resolved to be a one dog family for awhile. I was considering getting a puppy that I could show as well as lure course. Though I knew in the back of my mind that I would eventually get another grey, I thought the hurt was too fresh and I wasn’t ready. In fact, I didn’t think I would be ready anytime soon. Then I saw Nick’s picture on SEGA’s adoptable page. Here's a copy.
He was a small male (small equals less likely to get hurt coursing) with beautiful eyes that reminded me of Sugar's. Now Nick and Sugar look nothing alike. She was a pretty white female with one brindle ear. He’s a red male – but those eyes.
See what I mean!!
I had to meet him. Well of course once I met him, I had to bring him home. The small black “Speedy kiss” on the top of his head sealed the deal. Funny thing is, I looked back as Sugar's pedigree this weekend. Guess what, Dutch Bahama was her grandpa. What do you know about that?
Now being related to Dutch Bahama is not so unusual. According to Greyhound Data, he sired 2557 pups, but of course not all of them were bred. He was a pretty famous guy though and was inducted into the Greyhound Hall of Fame in 1990.
Turns out that Nick and Speedy are also related through Downing, another famous racer found in both of their pedigrees. He won the World Classic in 1977.
Speedy - also a handsome fellow
I’ve been missing both Speedy and Sugar lately; I guess I always will. Maybe they got together at the Rainbow Bridge and sent Nicky to me. I find that thought a little comforting.
14 comments:
Greyt pics! Those eyes could melt anyone's heart. =) The relation between the hounds is pretty neat!
The "eyes" definitely have it. Who could possibly say say no to that face?
You'll want to read this terrific article about Downing...and his famous ears:
http://www.adopt-a-greyhound.org/atail/body_prickear.html
Kathy
There's commentary on Downing--and a photo showing the famous ears--on this page:
http://www.gemgreyhounds.org/halloffame/Downing.htm
(My Sam is Downing's great-great-grandson. My Oreo was Downing's great-great-grandaughter and Dutch Bahama's granddaughter. And Jacey is Dutch Bahama's great-great-granddaughter.)
Nick has "bedroom eyes"--great story and your Speedy and Sugar looked like sweethearts. We never forget the ones who left us, do we?
The relationships between hounds is pretty cool. I found it comforting to find that Nick is related although distantly to both of my departed pups. The family traits are pretty cool too. Nick's eyes, and their similarity to Sugar's got my attention and I though it neat that Toni pegged them as a Dutch Bahama trait.
Kathy - thanks for the Downing links.
And the bedroom eyes.... yep I think so too!!
The SEGA photo of Nick reminded me so much of our Drew when I first saw it. Drew has those large eyes as well, but no Dutch Bahama. It's neat you can see commonality in all of them through their lineage!
Nick is quite a looker - how did he doing Lure Coursing? We weren't there long.
I had the pleasure of doing those photographs of that haul at John's place in front of the lake. Beautiful shot, isn't it? Oh, my Sugar is also related to Dutch Bahama and I think Remi and Lucy have Downing in their line. You can usually tell a Dutch Bahama dog by their almond shaped eyes. It seems to be the trait that his line carries from one generation to the next.
Patti- Yes it's a great shot of Nick - you're a talented photographer. I know you put in tons of time getting just the right shot of each hound even when they aren't exactly cooperating.
ykngld - He won open Saturday but lost breed to the FCh. Sunday he won his 1st course, but lost his second to Scott's Blue. It was a great weekend - I'll blog about it when I get the pics I ordered.
Beautiful eyes. I have never been an "eyes person" until I fell in love with greyhounds. Their eyes just melt your heart.
You know how I'm a sucker for eyes on a dog :). Nick is a total looker. But let's not overlook the fact that Toni can look at a dog and tell it's ancestors by it's eyes! Is she a mystic? Fortune teller? The next X-man superhero? I'd like that ability. :)
I love looking at pedigrees. I didn't remember Dutch Bahama being a part of any of my girls' bloodlines, but judging from the eyes, I said to myself, "If any of my dogs have Dutch Bahama in their pedigrees, it's MC Razzle Dazzle." Lo and behold, Dutch Bahama is Dazzle's great grandsire. :)
I think Downing is on just about every greyhound's pedigree, including all three of my girls. Seems like we're ALL related!
Beautiful dogs!
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