Afghan Hound Club Of Wales

AFGHAN HOUND CLUB OF WALES CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW

9.10.22

I thoroughly enjoyed my day with the Afghans and was delighted with my winners. Having been around long enough to remember breed club shows with entries into the hundreds it was rather sobering to find just 60 dogs entered but I understand this is fairly commonplace these days.

The Afghan is a unique hound with various breed characteristics that are important to maintaining type. For me, so much about the breed has to be carriage and bearing with gait that demonstrates a degree of elevation. The topline, hipbones and fallaway also contribute greatly to the overall picture whilst head and expression with correctly placed and shaped eyes should never be underestimated. The ring tail may be considered the icing on the cake but it does finish the overall picture.

The overall quality was pleasing; there were no dogs of inferior quality present and some decisions in the classes were close. Common faults were small, untypical feet and I found some heads to be rather narrow in skull which affects both balance and expression.

All hounds were well groomed though a few could have benefitted from a little more body condition and muscletone.

Looking at the catalogue afterwards this was certainly a very cosmopolitan entry!

Thanks to Gina and Mel who stewarded efficiently and there seemed to be a convivial atmosphere around the ring and excellent sportsmanship inside it.

MINOR PUPPY DOG (3) 1. Gorman & Latimer’s Shahfoladi Sphinx Riddle at Zharook, 8 months black & tan and what a way to start the day as this thrilling puppy has huge potential. Beautifully balanced head which has quality yet masculinity and a classic expression, construction throughout is first class with optimum angles, noticeable fallaway, nicely ringed tail and when he moves he has such scope and spring. He is still a baby and has the softness and rawness he should at this age but when he went around he gave glimpses of the greatness that is to come. Best Puppy and in the last four for the CC. Such an exciting prospect. 2. Roper & Moore’s Sitana The Kingsman at Temenshu, 7 months gold with so much breed type about him. Excellent head with irresistible monkey whiskers, very well bodied for his age and although he wasn’t as settled on the move as 1 he demonstrated convincing soundness. Overall balance is excellent and he is essentially well constructed. Can only get better with maturity. 3. Walsh’s Khawari You Got The Look.

PUPPY DOG (2) 1. S. Sphinx Riddle at Z. 2. K. You Got The Look, 7 months black & tan with lots of quality. Well balanced head, good basic shape and angles but lacking the body of 1 and 2 in the previous class. Showed some style on the move and should develop well.

VETERAN DOG (3) 1. Bunney & Williams’ Gezancol Strike A Light at Zadal, 9 year old black masked gold in the most immaculate condition and impeccably presented. His outline is balanced and flows cleanly from nose to well ringed tail. The hands-on inspection was a pleasure and he moved steadily with the enthusiasm and spring of a much younger dog. Surprised to see he isn’t a Champion. Best Veteran in Show and in the last four for the CC. 2. Appleby, Minchin, Edwards & Mulvaney’s Ch & Ir Ch Davashey To Tell The Truth, 10 ½ brindle who carries his years lightly. Balanced head if not quite the eye and expression of 1, good length of neck, well put together but a shade longer coupled than 1. Made the absolute best of himself on the move. 3. Chadwick & Ellrich’s Sofico Graffeti.

JUNIOR DOG (1) 1. Gosling’s Ayoubkhan Silk Road, 17 months self masked ivory who gave his handler a really tough time and wasn’t the easiest during the hands-on but he has a quality head of good length with typical expression, elegant neck, firm topline, prominent hipbones, good fallaway and excellent tail. When he settled and concentrated, moved with some style, covering the ground well.

YEARLING DOG (2) 1. Edwards’ Beast Friend Forever at Djasti, 23 months fawn brindle, very stylish with a certain presence. Well-proportioned head if eye could be a little more classical. Well angulated fore and aft, well bodied with excellent tail and carriage. Slightly long coupled but moved with precision and typical gait. 2. Peek-Matar’s Yansukhim’s Sherbet Fizz, 16 months black and a real handful for his owner. At first glance on the stack I thought he was the winner on his overall balance but his front action was rather high-stepping and tail could be better ringed. Needs to get his act together and generally settle.

GRADUATE DOG (1) 1. Hills & Thornton’s Absolute Afghans Djibouti at Karnak, gold who makes a very pleasing overall picture with excellent balance of outline and optimum angulation throughout. Masculine head with attractive mandarins if a tad strong in backskull, wonderful body condition, moved very soundly but could have demonstrated a little more elevation.

POST GRADUATE DOG (2) 1. Shaw’s Seoldin The Peacock, short coupled gold with a pleasing head and typical expression and again mandarins which so enhance the overall look. Moderately angulated front and back, Could have a slightly more noticeable fallaway and move with a little more elevation. 2. Harwood’s Krishan Rainbow Warrior, blue domino with good length and balance of head but not quite the eye and expression of 1 or his angulation. Moved soundly but could have a little more scope in profile.

MID LIMIT DOG (5) 1. Stabile’s Calamus Forever Together, high quality black who is an instant eye-catcher being fully mature and in wonderful coat and condition. Overall balance is pleasing, his head profile is most impressive with perfect proportions and contours, finished off with dignified mandarins. To be picky his eye placement could be a little more classical but it doesn’t detract significantly from the overall picture. Correct length of neck, well constructed throughout with good spring of rib, noticeable hipbones and fallaway and he moves with style and lift, covering the ground with ease and having great carriage. Well deserved the Reserve CC. 2. Walsh’s Calamus Devil In Disguise, interesting to have two Polish half-brothers from the same kennel heading this class. Brindle of excellent overall type, quality head with typical expression, fundamentally well-constructed but not as firm in topline as 1. Very well conditioned and handled himself well on the move. 3. White’s Shine On You Crazy Diamond at Ruannas.

LIMIT DOG (2) 1. Bartram & Perry’s Gezancol Utter Chaos at Chardara, black & tan who looked a little boxy at first on the stack but when he moved and opened up his proportions were quite pleasing. Excellent head type which combines masculinity with quality and again well grown mandarins. Handles well as he is essentially impressively put together. Moved freely with great elevation. 2. Reed’s Cloudside Sunstrike, masculine brindle of good solid breed type. Well balanced head but preferred the eye of 1 and he also had a little more length of neck and firmer topline on the go-around though he is perfectly sound.

OPEN DOG (3) 1. Millward, Race & Ferguson’s Ch & Aus Ch Tahkira Affogato, at 4½ years this black & cream must be approaching his mature best and he was conditioned and groomed flawlessly. He has a beautifully balanced head with typical Afghan gaze, ample neck giving him a naturally proud bearing and the overall balance of outline is ideal. Firm level topline, visible hipbones, enough fallaway and excellent tailset and carriage. His angulation front and back are ideal with great length from hip to hock. On the move he goes precisely, showing plenty of elevation and he was really on form. It was a pleasure to add another CC & BOB to his collection. 2. Appleby, Minchin, Edwards & Mulvaney’s Valkor Vritra, all male brindle of essentially excellent type. Quality head, moderately angulated, a little longer coupled than 1 and softer in topline but he pulled himself together well on the move. 3. Bloor’s Ch Pashtari Lord Byron.

MINOR PUPPY BITCH (3) 1. Latimer & Gorman’s Sitana Moon Star at Zharook, and 2. Lawson-Ball’s Sitana Mystique at Zarcar, two litter sisters of 7 months, 1 being self-masked and 2 having a black mask. That apart they are very similar in all respects having beautiful quality heads, typical eyes, enough bone for their size and sex and excellent overall construction and balance. 1 was more composed on the move in the class and was Best Puppy Bitch but when it came to Best Puppy in Show she decided it was playtime. Two highly promising puppies for all that who should both have rosy futures. 3. Gleed & McPherson’s Saviour And My Salvation at Ksladz.

PUPPY BITCH (3) Repeat of previous class.

VETERAN BITCH (6) 1. Link’s Int, Ned Ch Popov’s Bora Bora at Orashan, 8 year old golden girl who has certainly not lost her figure. Still she has a beautiful outline, nicely proportioned and contoured head with typical expression, elegant neck, firm topline, enough fallaway and she still moves true with a real spring in her step. In the last four for the CC. 2. Peek-Matar’s Sleepy Hollow at Yansukhim, 9 year old dark brindle, essentially feminine but losing nothing in type. Still has a presence and bearing about her and moves with some scope. Very elegant head, necky and proud, just a little softer in topline than 1. 3. Chadwick & Bradley’s Sofico Griselda.

JUNIOR BITCH (1) 1. Hall’s Saxonmill Majic Mirror, 15 months black & silver who swept into the ring and gave me goosebumps from the start as, despite her youth, she has that natural charisma that makes the good ones great and very obvious personality. Her head is perfectly proportioned with a classic eye and expression. The hands-on examination is a joy as everything fits and flows, her construction being copybook with no exaggeration anywhere. Her elegant neck leads into well laid shoulders, the firmest of toplines with gentle fallaway and a perfectly ringed tail. On the move the out-and-back demonstrates perfect footfall whilst the go-around is free, open, effortless and brings to life the phrase “style of high order”. In truth there isn’t anything I’d change about her and at this age she is just going to mature and blossom. She won the CC with ease, which I assumed was her first so it came as a pleasant surprise to discover it was actually her FOURTH as she had won her crown under Sue Virgo earlier in the day. When it came to BIS she was challenged by a much older and fully mature male and it was only the maturity and finish that tipped the scales. Over the years I have judged and rewarded several outstanding hounds from this kennel; I strongly suspect that in time this could prove the best of them all. An absolute joy to judge and I am sure she has lots more success to come, in the breed ring and beyond.

YEARLING BITCH (4) 1. Gunn & Cannon’s Karagez Kartina Maslom at Zushkhan, 22 months black & cream, feminine and elegant with a natural style. Pleased in head and expression, good length of neck, firm topline, moderate angles throughout and she has excellent carriage when she settles. Tail could be better ringed but the overall picture is very satisfying. 2. Kirk-Vickers’ Geordele Time To Shine at Istani, solidly made black & tan of 22 months, well boned and ribbed with a quality head, pleasing expression, excellent overall balance. Moved steadily but could have been a little more assertive with her tail. 3. Humphreys’ Ayoubkhan Porcelain Dove.

NOVICE BITCH (1) 1. Stevens & Craft’s Ayoubkhan Silver Sails, 17 months self-masked cream with an exotic quality, elegant and quintessentially feminine. Excellent head type, ample neck, topline can be a little tense at times and she can use her tail more effectively on the move but the overall package is one of class.

GRADUATE BITCH (2) 1. Edwards’ Rhajikhan Aurora, strongly made brindle but perfectly balanced and in no way masculine. Well-proportioned head with typical eye and expression, ample neck, optimum angles front and back, fit and hard but could have a little longer ribcage. Carries herself with style, if her tail carriage could be a little more relaxed. Still her many breed qualities kept her in the last four for the CC. 2. Kirk-Vickers’ Calamus Dirty Dancing at Istani, black masked gold who took time to settle. Classy head, very typical expression, well boned and ribbed with moderate angulation. Moved well enough but topline somewhat softer than 1.

POST GRADUATE BITCH (1) 1. Downes’ S’s Super Star de Zorba Specially For You, upstanding gold with a well-balanced head though the eye could be a little more classical. Well boned and carrying the absolute optimum body condition, correct angulation of front and rear allowed her to move freely and she used her tail well.

MID LIMIT BITCH (3) 1. Fairburn & Roberts’ Cloudside Sunset, beautifully presented blue brindle of excellent overall type. Impressive head and general forehand, good bone and she has plenty of daylight underneath her. Overall construction is very satisfying but she can be a little half-hearted with her tail at times. 2. Hedge’s Unstoppable Happy Go Lucky, black & tan of excellent overall breed type with a feminine head, keen expression and the basic framework is there. Not quite carrying the body condition of 1 and she too could be more enthusiastic with her tail but she is a sound mover. 3. Millward’s Calahorra Moonlite N Dreams of Tico at Alouann.

LIMIT BITCH (2) 1. Cullen’s Cloudside Sevillana at Eweyisska, black brindle, not the smallest but she is perfectly balanced and extremely well put together with optimum angles front and back. Lovely head type with pleasing expression and evident mandarins, ample neck leads into firm hard topline and she holds herself well on the move, going with some elevation and typical carriage. 2. Milligan Bott & Bott’s Medawlark Attitude Is Key The Wones Thendara, another top quality bitch, black & silver, and possibly a little more feminine than 1. Lots of head appeal with excellent proportions and true Afghan expression. Well put together with optimum angles and in fit hard condition. On the move she holds herself well, going with great energy and very assertive tail but broke a little in topline.

OPEN BITCH (4) 1. Gunn & Cannon’s Int Lux Ch Amal Salang Hey I’m The Star at Zushkhan, 7 year old black brindle who holds her age well. Very pleasing type all through with a feminine yet thoroughly typical head and expression, nicely crested neck, good angles front and back with evident fallaway and a firm backline. A better ringed tail would complete the picture but she holds it well and moves with style and elevation. Reserve CC, a worthy Champion. 2. Phillips & Smith’s Karagez Curtain Call Zhaqqari, necky and stylish black, ultra-feminine with lots of quality. Very refined head, excellent overall balance with basically correct construction. Steady mover but again tail is rather open. 3. Gilbert’s Ch Altside Hot As Hell at Affietar.

ANDREW H. BRACE