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AT LONG LAST
A Review of a New Sighthound Magazine
 At long last there is now among the glossy magazines on sighthounds a publication centred on performance . And, of course, it comes from America, the country of unlimited possibilities. The first issue of "The Performance Sighthound Journal" is now available and due to be published quarterly.
62 pages, of a pleasant, well readable size are divided into sections on the different forms of (sight)hound sport: oval racing, straight track, open field and lure coursing as well as agility or Flyball. Only two sections will allow dogs other than sighthounds: medical treatment (both traditional and alternative in method) of dogs and stories of how people 'got hooked' by dogs.
Ads are possible for all and sundry. In this issue there are eight kennel ads and one commercial. Only the cover spot cannot be bought but must be earned, and 'no exception' is added in saying so. A performance hound of merit or an up an coming youngster may be honoured by a photo there and the cover story inside.
There is an interview with a famous breeder (in this issue Tony Lewis 'Lyth' Whippets), reports on the different sporting events, races and tournaments, including Great Britain, a Top Ten List, of course and as a final page of comic relief 'Off the Sliplead'.
In our case the most interesting part in this issue would be the article from the section on 'rare sighthound breeds, as it deals with the Sloughi: "The Sloughi – 100 Years Running". The editor, Jaqueline Nivison, sees a future as an 'authoritative reference work' for this article The next issue is going to deal with the Chart Polski in the same manner, by the way.
Eleven pages by Dominique Crapon de Caprona (Sloughis since 1962, breeding 'Shi'Rayan' since 1993) report on origin, history and the appearance of the Sloughi as well as its role in North African societies. She deals with the beginnings of European breeding up to World War II and after it in detail (many of us will not have known, e.g. that the early breeder of Afghan Hounds and Salukis, Mrs Ellen Windecker-Castan, also bred Sloughis and had to watch all her hopes being massacred by the Russians in North-eastern Germany). Dominique de Caprona then goes on to describe the arrival of the Sloughi in America and its special running style and behaviour and gives the lines breeding for performance in the US. Finally you find the clubs that cater for the Sloughi in America and all the different champions in the different sections of the sport.
Many very attractive black and white photos complete the article and also make up great deal of the magazine as a whole.
I found it noteworthy that the team consists of five ladies, lead by Jacqueline Nivison, who has experience in working for the press and as a business woman, then Nadyne Auseon, experienced with the press as well, and for layout and design the responsibility also lies with a lady: Eve Maureen King. Only the correspondent from Great Britain, Mark Roberts and Andy Zenz, specialized in illustration art and photograph make an exception as men on the team.
All in all I am very happy about this new publication, first of al because of its programmatic focus on performance, but also its general layout. The article on Sloughis is certainly of great value for anyone who has not heard very much about the breed so far. For German readers the photos of Sloughis doing agility will be sensational if not unbelievable!
At a price of $36 a year (+ postage of $ 20 for Europe), or $ 10 for a single issue it certainly gives good value. For us the only disadvantage is that it is written in English. Apart from that there is, in this issue at least, a definitive emphasis on the short-coated breeds, mainly the Whippet. I hope Afghan, Saluki, Borzoi, Deerhound, and Irish Wolfhound owners will quickly discover this magazines for themselves an will send in articles to contribute to it.
In any case we should all wish this enterprise a lot of luck to be able to keep up the high quality and find plenty of subscribers!
THE PERVORMACE SIGHTHOUND JOURNAL; volume1, issue 1.
Ed. by Whippet Express, Inc. 4 North Howell, Suite 200, Hillsdale, MI 49242, USA
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