Shannon grew up in Southern California on a thoroughbred ranch, but her parents also trained Arabians.  Shannon's mother was put in touch with Carroll and Ruby Hayhurst, of the famed Whirlaway Whippets, through Johnny & Karen Johnston, of Gypsy Whippets.  It then all started in 1974, Shannon was only 9, when she obtained her first Whippet from Carroll & Ruby.  Shannon's first 4 Whippets came from Carroll & Ruby of Whirlaway. 

At the time Whippets were only the beloved pets of Shannon, but she would occasionally attend a 4-H show and then later, AKC shows.  She grew up showing Arabians, having shown the Canadian National Champion Arabian Western Pleasure horse, "McMac" - as well as owning a 3 time National Champion half Arabian mare, She's A "Flame". 

Shannon met her husband Brad through Arabians as he was also a trainer, throughout this time she always had a Whippet.  They started their family of four... Sterling, 24 - Krystyl, 21 - Kassandra, 20 & Stuart - 15.  Her last Whippet, "Sil", passed away at a rip old age in 1988.  It wasn't until December of 1999 that they got another Whippet, and then a new story begins...

Shannon got "Kevin" in December of 1999, after having moved from New York to North Carolina and no longer having horses -Shannon wanted to go back to her true love, Whippets.  We got Kevin (Kismet's Midnight Rambler) from Kiesha Crawmer who re-introduced mom to the show ring.  Krystyl quickly fell in love with the breed and wanted to show Kevin in Juniors.  So Krystyl & Kevin started their show careers together and had some great success in the Juniors ring, before Krystyl decided that she enjoyed the breed ring even more.  Together Shannon & Krystyl finished Kevin's Championship and before long became - Best In Field Winning, Ch. Kismet's Midnight Rambler MC, LCM, CRX, OTR - but before doing this, they got their second Whippet and future foundation bitch, "Sweet Pea" (SDW Diamondntheruff V Hasue) and between Shannon and their soon to be good friend, Barbara Wayne, they finished Sweet Pea.  Barbara lead her to her Winners Bitch win at the Canfield, Ohio Mid-West Specialty weekend, for a 5 point major.  She came home only needing 1 point to finish but they decided to breed her to Barbara's beautiful boy "Blaze" (SBIS Ch. Bohem Circus Runaway ROM) and when Sweet Pea was 5 weeks in whelp with her first litter of 10 puppies, she completed her Championship!  She became Ch. SDW Diamondntheruff V Hasue SC, FCh, CR.  During all this, they decided that they had to have a black and white Whippet, something Shannon always loved.  They soon found "Daisy" (Shannon Down Talkn To The Moon) and though she was never really shown, she proved to be the beginning of the Shannon Down performance dogs, having been an awesome lure courser herself.  She soon became Best In Field Winning, Shannon Down Talkn To The Moon MC, FCh, CRX, OTR.  Kevin, Sweet Pea and Daisy were the beginning of Shannon Down!

Sweet Pea and Daisy's kids and grandkids grace the Shannon Down household today, though Daisy is retired in a wonderful home nearby them, Sweet Pea still lives at Shannon Down as queen of the couches and her progeny now extends down to great great grandkids.  Their foundation litter came in 2002 when Sweet Pea whelped her first litter sired by Blaze.  This litter produced 10 stunning puppies or many different colors and types.  So far, as these dogs are still gracing the show ring and coursing field, two have finished their show Championships - "Brooks" (SBOS Ch. Shannon Down Blazing Saddles SC, CRX-3, OTRM-3) and "Leigh" (Multiple Group Placing, 2004 Top 20 Contender Ch. Shannon Down Blazing Angel SC, CR, OTR) and many others are pointed/major pointed towards their Championship and one who only needed a major to finish his AKC Field Championship.  Eight of the ten puppies have titles in the show ring, coursing, racing and/or obedience and therapy.

In 2004, the Shannon Down family moved to South Carolina where they now reside and they have been splitting their time between showing, coursing, racing and raising litters.  The year of 2007 was focused on AKC Lure Coursing where they, to their amazement, finished 6 of their own dogs AKC Field Championships as well as finishing Kiesha's boy "Murphy's" (FC CuRas A Clockwork Orange SC, FCh, SR, CRX-3, ORC) Field Championship as a Veteran. 

Going back another year, Kiesha leased Daisy to be bred to her, then new dog, Murphy.  Shannon and Krystyl got "Bosley" (Shannon Down Full Throttle V Kismet) from this breeding who has helped them in their journey into the race world.  Bosley soon became - Multiple NOTRA Meet Winning, FC Shannon Down Full Throttle V Kismet SC, FCh, WRCh, ORC.  Bosley is pointed towards his show Championship and has his WRCh and ORC title.  We believe he may be the oldest dog to complete a race Championship of any sort, having finished his WRCh when he was 6 years and 7 months to the day.  His kids are tearing up the coursing field and doing quite well on the straight and oval tracks as well.  Most of all, they have excellent temperaments.

During the many years of being back in the Whippet world, Shannon Down has obtained and bred dogs of two different 'types' - the show dogs and the race dogs.  Having had Bosley enlighten Shannon to the wonderful world of racing, she got her first race bred Whippets from Don Papin of Windyglen Sighthounds and then from Genny Holland of Appaws Whippets and their race lines have blossomed from there, having leased a beautiful and fast girl named "Raku" (Wheatland Raku ORC) from Kim Otero.  The most recent race additions came from Susan Heiniger of QuiXand Whippets. Their race lines are just starting and the show lines are still being built upon but most importantly all the dogs at Shannon Down and dogs that Shannon Down has bred are the most wonderful companions and live first and foremost as couch and bed dogs. 

Health testing is priority at Shannon Down!

Shannon & Krystyl and the rest of the Shannon Down family look forward to the 2011 year!


Looking back on the past few years....
2004
     Leigh - Top 20 in the AKC show ring
2005
     Bosley - #11 in NOTRA Racing
     Bosley - #17 in OTR point earners
     Leigh - Top 25 in the AKC show ring
2006
     Tigger - #16 in OTR point earners
     Bosley - Top 20 in ASFA Lure Coursing
     Rupert - Top 20 in ASFA Lure Coursing
2007
     Rupert - #2 Whippet & Sighthound & #1 Dual Champion in AKC Lure Coursing
     GiGi - #3 Whippet & #1 bitch in AKC Lure Coursing
     Viva - #10 in AKC Lure Coursing
     Bosley - #20 in AKC Lure Coursing
     Ripley - #15 in CWA Racing
     Tigger - #3 in NOTRA Racing
     Tigger - #18 in WRA Racing
     Cuda - #4 in OTR point earners
     GiGi - tie for #8 in OTR point earners
     Viva - tie for #8 in OTR point earners
     Brooks - #14 in OTR point earners
2008
     GiGi - #3 in AKC Lure Coursing
     Rupert - #6 in AKC Lure Coursing
     Helen - #7 in AKC Lure Coursing
     Cuda - #11 in AKC Lure Coursing
     Tigger - #13 in AKC Lure Coursing
     Quincy - #16 in AKC Lure Coursing
     Bosley - #17 in AKC Lure Coursing
     Anna - #19 in AKC Lure Coursing
     Leo - #10 in CWA Racing
2009
     Striker - #2 in OTR point earners
     Cuda - #4 in OTR point earners
     GiGi - #8 in OTR point earners
     Tinsley - #20 in OTR point earners
     Cricket - #2 in CSFA Lure Coursing
2010
     Byelobog - #2 in NOTRA Racing
     Ryan - #11 in NOTRA Racing
     Tinsley - #3 in OTR point earners
     Liam - #4 in OTR point earners
     Catori (Bosley daughter) - #1 in ASFA Lure Coursing & #13 in AKC Lure Coursing
     Tala (Bosley daughter) - #4 in ASFA Lure Coursing & #24 in AKC Lure Coursing
     Takota (Bosley son) - #7 in ASFA Lure Coursing
     Mya - #11 in ASFA Lure Coursing
     Nado (Bosley daughter) - #9 in ASFA Lure Coursing & #16 in AKC Lure Coursing
     Cooper (Bosley son) - #15 in ASFA Lure Coursing
     Layla - #20 in ASFA Lure Coursing
     Liam - #20 in AKC Lure Coursing
     Cricket - #7 in CSFA Lure Coursing
2011  (as of 9-15-2011)
     Byelobog - #1 in NOTRA Racing
     Ryan - #3 in NOTRA Racing & #3 in WRA Racing
     Catori (Bosley daughter) - #1 in ASFA Lure Coursing
     Tala (Bosley daughter) - #4 in ASFA Lure Coursing
     Gator - #5 in ASFA Lure Coursing
     Nado (Bosley daughter) - #7 in ASFA Lure Coursing
     Takota (Bosley son) - #11 in ASFA Lure Coursing
     Gavin - #1 in OTR point earners
     Mumble - #2 in OTR point earners
     Demetri - #3 in OTR point earners
     Skadoosh - #5 in OTR point earners
     Hammer (Rupert son) - #8 in OTR point earners
     Cindi (Rupert daughter, now passed away) - #10 in OTR point earners
     Liam - #11 in OTR point earners
     Trick - tied for #14 in OTR point earners
     Tinsley - tied for #18 in OTR point earners
     Widget - #2 in Novice A Obedience & #3 in AWC Advanced A Rally
    


Enjoy the photos below, more photos will be added very soon...