Southern Counties Canine Association

SOUTHERN COUNTIES CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW

25 June 2021

Afghan Hounds

Congratulations to the whole Southern Counties team who managed to stage this successful event against all the odds in the wake of see-sawing and unpredictable pandemic regulations. This must have increased their workload tenfold, but the happy, thriving atmosphere belied this situation and it was a very pleasant show with the novelty of gazebos dotted throughout the showground. This was my first time awarding CCs in Afghan Hounds in the UK & it was lovely to see such an interested ringside, something not seen in some breeds. I must confess I was slightly anxious in the run-up to the show at the prospect of judging very young hounds who had not had any or many ringcraft opportunities due to the enforced lockdown, so I opted to wear a clear plastic face shield which in the event seemed to work well. In fact, all hounds across all the age groups displayed excellent temperament which is a great credit to you as breeders & owners. Of course, when judging, one must look at the overall picture & in some cases hounds which appealed standing did not make quite the same impression on the move & vice versa. My main winners pleased me very much indeed & very much had the breed hallmarks I was looking for including the Oriental expression, aristocratic bearing & smooth springy movement. I hope I may be forgiven for mentioning that you need to pay more attention to tails. I saw a number of completely straight tails & some which were hooked, which tends to detract from breed type. Overall, I enjoyed judging this entry very much & after 15 months away from dog shows, the sight of stylish Afghan Hounds gaiting around a large grass ring on a lovely sunny day was something to lift the spirits at a time when this was badly needed.

YD (3):1 Parsell, Beanland & Thornton’s Gezancol Never Say Never at Harlextan, masculine, well-coated black masked gold, lovely triangular eye, good amount of body, well angulated at both ends, good fallaway, moved with characteristic spring, held his shape well on the move; 2 Bartram & Perry’s Gezancol Utter Chaos at Chardara, stylish black/cream, dark eyes, good length of neck, deep chest. Not quite as together as 1 on the move. Hip bones well defined with good fallaway; 3 Hardman’s Krishan Black Onyx.

GD (3,1): 1 Smithson & Mitchell’s Zandahar Xplosive Storm, black masked cream, quite good body proportions, dark eye of good triangular shape, deep chest, appealed more on the stack than on the move; 2 Gardner’s Drishaun Said Tiger To Lily, masculine brindle, well coated, definitely better handled & presented than 1. Attractive head & expression, deep chest. Slightly longer cast than 1 & would prefer more defined ring to tail. Covered the ground well.

PGD (5): 1 & CC, Pascoe’s Popovs Aladdin at Sarakhan, handsome black masked red, appealed greatly for his overall type & quality, attractive head & eye, Oriental expression, long neck, deep chest, well defined topline with good hip bones & fallaway, excellent ringed tail, very typical saddle pattern, moved with lovely aristocratic bearing & smooth & springy gait. Still has a bit of maturing to do but my eye kept being drawn to him so I felt he could not be denied the CC; 2 Lancashire & O’Donnell’s Drishaun Fair As A Lily JW, handsome cream, very appealing & upstanding, attractive head & expression, good length of leg. Not quite the bearing & head carriage of 1 on the move but has many appealing qualities, covered the ground quite well; 3 Finch & Hopper’s Zandahar Xtraordinary Me at Zinzani JW.

LD (6): 1 Milligan-Bott & Bott’s Thendara Love It Like That JW, upstanding dark brindle, elegance with strength, good head proportions, long neck & shoulder blade, deep chest, well defined hipbones with good fallaway. Won this class on his freedom of movement with characteristic springy stride; 2 Parsell & Beanland’s Agha Djari's Navajo at Harlextan, masculine blue, strong jaw, good body proportions, deep chest, large feet, good fallaway. Very good quarters which he used well on the move; 3 Abrey’s Karagez Tame The World.

OD (6,1): 1 & RCC, Bloor’s Pashtari Lord Byron, black/tan of classic type, so balanced and together, lovely head & expression, good triangular eye, deep chest, good angulation at both ends, very good ringed tail. Such a free mover, covered the ground well while displaying the breed’s characteristic springy gait. Looked like he was feeling a bit warm in the challenge, otherwise might have gone higher. Surprised to learn he does not carry a title, as he has so many breed hallmarks; 2 Millward, Ferguson & Race’s Aust Ch Tahkira Affogato, top quality black/cream, made an immediate impression with his arrogant attitude & excellent topline with good hip bones & ideal fallaway. Attractive head, long neck, deep chest. Would prefer slightly more extension in front movement. Handled & presented to advantage, super head carriage on the move; 3 Moore’s Ch Cloudside Flash Strike JW.

V (6,2): 1 & BV, Cannon’s Multi Ch Calamus Mediator ShCM, almost 10 years black dog, masculine outlook, attractive head, strong jaw with very typical beard, long neck, excellent forehand, very good topline with well defined hipbones & good fallaway. Very positive mover; 2 Gray’s Ch Alouann Glitz Nglamour avec Algrahart, almost 9 years black masked red brindle bitch, feminine expression, attractive head of good proportions, very good outline, shapely quarters, very together on the move with good head carriage; 3 Link’s Ch/Ir Ch/Int Ch Pahlevi Disco Diva at Orashan JW ShCM.

Special Beginners B (2): 1 & BSB, Curtin’s Jazzmeenah Star Attraction, 8 months black/tan, very stylish youngster, attractive head & expression, good angles at both ends, good length of leg, lovely straight forearm, so well schooled for such a young puppy, moved out with confidence & good head carriage; 2 Medley’s Altside She's Hot, 13 months cream, good head proportions, deep chest, good angulation at both ends. Not quite the stylish appeal of 1 but covered the ground quite well once she got going.

MPB (4,2): 1 Curtin’s J Star Attraction, repeat; 2 Gunn & Cannon’s Karagez Kartina Maslom at Zushkhan, 6 months black/tan, good head proportions, well bodied for age. Would prefer a shade more length of neck. Slightly unsettled on the move as one would expect with a baby but eventually got into her stride.

PB (4): 1 & BP, Milligan-Bott & Bott’s Medawlark Attitude Is Key The Wones Thendara, 11 months black/tan brindle, very together & showy, attractive head, strong jaw, good forehand, straight forearm, deep chest, well defined hipbones with good fallaway. Very good outline, moved with good spring in her step; 2 Fisher’s Shimalma Campari Goes to Ifmaraf, 10 months black masked cream, feminine youngster, attractive head, good angles at both ends, well defined hipbones. Not quite the amount of body of 1. Stepped out quite well; 3 Collyer-Todd’s Shimalma Kamora.

JB (2) 1 & BJ, Medley’s A She's Hot, stood second in SBB, a different handler in this class & put in a slightly better performance; 2 Boydell & Glavin’s What A Star for Warrenoak, 16 months black masked gold, feminine outlook, attractive head, deep chest, good sweep to quarters, good fallaway. Would prefer a shade more length of neck. Stepped out OK.

YB (6): 1 Millward & Race’s Calahorra Moonlite N Dreams Of Tico at Alouann, feminine brindle with exotic outlook, lovely head & expression, dark eye, long neck. Would benefit from a shade more spring of rib. Loved her way of going, very attractive lofty head carriage, stepped out well; 2 Smart’s Gezancol Kissed By An Angel, black/cream, feminine expression, good forehand, typical topline with good hipbones & good fallaway. Not quite the head carriage of 1. Moved with good springy action; 3 Cross’ Syrdarya Lapsang Souchong with Gilari.

GB (4,1): 1 Phillips & Smith’s Karagez Curtain Call Zhaqqari, showy & attractive black, feminine expression, quite fine in head, long neck, very good outline, good hipbones & fallaway. Looked very nice on the move, light on her feet, lovely springy action; 2 Hedge’s Unstoppable Happy Go Lucky, feminine black/tan, very nice type, attractive head & expression, good forehand with ideal width through the front, good length of leg. A bit reluctant to use her tail on the move but stepped out well; 3 Lancashire & O'Donnell’s Syrdarya Ceylon Chai Drishaun.

PGB (3): 1 Fairburn’s Cloudside Sunset, well balanced brindle, very good type, attractive head & expression, dark eye, very good forehand & quarters, typical topline with well defined hipbones & good fallaway. Very good presentation of coat, shapely outline. Very together both standing & moving; 2 Turner, Hutton & Boydell’s Nightwind You're My Kind Of Crazy, feminine black/tan, very good type, good head proportions, well defined hipbones, low set tail. Not quite as firm in topline as 1. Carried her head & tail well on the move; 3 Lancashire & O'Donnell’s Drishaun Say She Ain't Gazon JW.

LB (5): 1 Ashton’s Brigitte Bardot Gandamak for Zobear, feminine black, good head proportions but would prefer slightly more stop. Long neck, good deep chest, attractive outline, very good coat texture. Very together on the move, excellent head carriage & moved with good springy step; 2 O’Donnell’s Drishaun Faith Is Like A Lily for Javidan JW, brindle, loved her houndy outlook, good head proportions. Would prefer slightly more front angulation. Lovely big feet, well defined hipbones, shapely quarters, stepped out OK; 3 Hughes’ Sofico Gabriella at Nantmelan.

OB (9): 1 CC & BOB, Pascoe’s Ch Popovs Sazerac at Sarakhan JW, black masked gold of excellent type & balance, so athletic & together, typical Oriental expression with lovely dark triangular eye, long neck, so very good to go over with her good forehand construction, her very deep saddle pattern merely adds to her exotic appeal, hipbones well defined, good fallaway, excellent ring tail. So smooth & stylish on the move, with just the right amount of spring & excellent head & tail carriage. Very pleased to award her top honours & later see her shortlisted in the hound group; 2 RCC, Barber, Henry & Sampson’s Tianze Melt My Heart at Normarand, feminine gold with lovely triangular eye & Oriental expression, long neck, very good forehand & quarters, deep chest, typical topline with well defined hipbones & ideal fallaway. Grew on me as the proceedings went on & came back into the challenge refreshed where her overall breed type & way of going caught my eye & secured her the RCC; 3 Link’s Ned Ch Popovs Bora Bora at Orashan JW.

GLENWAY DYMOCK