Racing Days

Daughter Keren’s “I want a whippet puppy for my birthday” started the Lawson family’s enduring involvement with the fabulous breed.  A puppy was found in England with the help of the Jersey Pedigree Whippet Racing Club, of which over the years both Stephen and son David acted as chairman, and Stephen became Life President. 

Very quickly all members of the family caught the racing fever, and each wound up owning at least one whippet.  From the quality stock brought onto the Island the family bred some of the best looking, fastest and most successful whippets on the Island. Between them their own Island-bred Kipipiriking whippets won at least once every race in the annual racing calendar, and won the Channel Islands Championship and the prestigious Presidents Trophy a record number of times.  Their progeny were sought after by all the keenest whippet racing enthusiasts in Jersey, Guernsey and the mainland.

Their dogs raced on the Islands and in England and – when rabies regulations were relaxed - were able to travel further afield to France, Italy and Switzerland, including the European championships in Marseilles, France.

After Jenny’s serious injury from horseback riding, she was unable to continue dressage or showing horses, and turned her attention instead to showing whippets, and has achieved some remarkable successes in a few short years, including Champion  Best Male Whippet at Crufts in 2018. The family no longer race their own whippets but are always keen spectators and supporters of the sport which - unlike greyhound racing - is NOT for money, and betting is prohibited.