Scizzorhands Whippets

This is the cover for the first Issue of DogTalk magazine for 2004.
We got featured on the cover because Martina won Singapore's #1 Dog of the Year 2003.
This time, I wrote a poem about Martina (see below).

Crawl, creep, whine and sleep
A little whippet tonight born to keep
Faraway in the quiet Albury town
A whippet haven in busy Sydney found.

Here she grew, galloped and ran the field
To delight her breeder, Mrs Molly Rule-Steele
Ms Martini, this dog will some day be known
In her country, and across the seas she'd be flown.

Two cold winters came and went
Through the shows, she began to set a trend
A champion, beautiful Martina was quickly crowned
From her famous kennel, they produce whippets so sound.

To our shore, Martina one January arrives
Across our whippet ring she sweeps and strives
Against the best and so many, we're always surprised
Yet above it all, to Best In Show she'd repeatedly rise.

For three years, Dog of the Year she became
We never expected her to be so widely famed
"What a glorious dog, it's seldom seen."
The judges will point to her, she's their obvious Queen.

One early morning last Christmas near
Martina to me gave seven puppies dear
Four pretty girls and three handsome boys
You'd be forgiven to think they cuddly soft toys.

English whippets these charming babies are
Why not name them after famous authors from afar
Charles Dickens, Mark Twain and Oscar Wilde
Jane Austen, Anne, Charlotte and Emily the Bronte style.

The slow and easy days ahead will quickly start
And Martina will some day from us sadly depart
One little author will stay on in our humble home
For she will rewrite her mother's story in my heart alone.

Twenty-seven years running round and round the ring
These crystals, trophies and titles do not make me a king
To God, I say, you've sent me more than I will want
To Him, I pray, it's the moments and not what we've won

Alas, the cherished memories of my loving dogs, I beam
These little, little things make my every day aliving dream.

Written by Arnold Tan
31 January 2004

THANKS

My heartfelt thanks to Martina's talented breeder, Mrs Molly Rule-Steele,
without whom none of this celebration would have been possible.

Molly, I can never ever thank you enough for believing in me and
for parting with your precious Martina.

Thanks to all the International Judges for awarding her the coveted title of
Best In Show or Reserve Best In Show.

Thanks to my precious child, Martina, for all that you have done for me these past years.

And, finally, thanks to God for all that He has blessed me with in life.