Western Afghan Hound Club

WAHC Open show 2

Many thanks to the club for the invitation and to the exhibitors for their entries. I really enjoyed the appointment. There were some very good classes where the decisions were like splitting hairs. Overall I was pleased with the quality and I know I moved the dogs a lot but that is so important. All the dogs were presented beautifully, though this is not a breed to be overdone, natural is best. Also an Afghan Hounds feet are very important; it assists their movement and it is what they stand on after all.

And many thanks to the stewards for all their help. Nigel where would I be without you!

Dogs

Veteran

1st CULLEN – CH SYRDARYA TOFFY POP AT EWEYISSKA Nearly 11 yo Brindle who just oozes breed type. Classic head and correct eye with that far away gaze. A balanced dog whose movement belies his age. He moved with style. Loved his feet! Also Best Veteran

Puppy 2/2abs

Junior 1/1 abs

Yearling

1st GOSLING – AYOUBKHAN SILK ROAD JW Upstanding proud Cream male only 18 mths the construction is there for a lovely adult. Moved covering the ground reaching out well and with excellent lift. Good feet. Nice prominent hip bones and saddle. Nice ringed tail.

Novice 1/1 abs

Graduate

1st NEWTON – SHIMALMA JAGERMEISTER 2 yo gold I like this boy & his brother in the following class very much. I love his classic head and good strong underjaw. Overall a well balanced boy who carries himself with confidence. Nice bone well-constructed good tail carriage and moved well. A promising dog.

Post Graduate

1st DRAGE – SHIMALMA DRAMBUIE Brother to the winner of the last class similar comments apply though I find this one has a slightly more masculine head. He has a silky coat covering a well-constructed frame. I like his reach in his movement and I loved his feet. Both have good length between hip and hock.

2nd COWLEY & MARONEY COWLEY - HARIRI EBN MAHSATI VON HAUSSMAN (IMP CHILE) 3 ½ yo red boy that has good overall square proportions. Excellent angulation both front & back.

Well placed ears and eye shape. Lovely coat & natural saddle. Shame he was a little bit unsure of things so that was reflected in his movement. His handler did well because he stacked nicely.

Limit

Can I just say a quality class all three could have swapped places on a different day I really liked all of them

1st JAMES & JAMES - SYRDARYA DARJEELING CHAI OF SIMKHAN 3yo Red Just loved the boy the minute I saw him. He oozes quality. Excellent proportions in his head and lovely chiselling. Perfect eye shape and good strong underjaw. Love his mandarin beard. Muscular arched neck into well laid shoulders and good length of rib with strong loin. Well-muscled but not heavy. Fabulous feet and long nicely angulated shoulders and hindquarters. He floats around the ring covering the ground with ease. Excellent ring tail.

Best Dog & Best In Show

2ND LANCASHIRE & O’DONNELL - DRISHAUN STAR AMONG LILIES JW 4yo brindle I judged this boy as a puppy and I remember thinking he showed a lot of promise then. What a super masculine presence he exhibits. Strong male head with good chiselling and correct eye shape with that keen fierceness. Very nicely balanced construction and super muscle tone. He drives round the ring covering the ground with less strides than most other dogs. A really super male.

Reserve Best Dog

Open

4/2 abs

1st GARDNER - CH DRISAHUN SAID TIGER TO LILY Brother to 2nd in Limit. On the day I preferred his brother but really they both have similar qualities. He is all male and has excellent shoulder placement and powerful hindquarters. Both these dogs say ‘look at me’ I can do what I was bred for. I’m a proud Afghan Hound.

2nd FINCH & HOPPER - ZANDAHAR XTRAORDINARY ME AT ZINZANI JW 4yo Black/brindle A different type to 1 and smaller proportions. But again a male commanding attention. Lovely head proportions of equal muzzle and skull. Good triangular eye and well-set ears. Strong neck into good length of rib and string loin. Excellent fall away and well-set ringed tail. Lovely feet. Moved out well both fore & aft. Lovely coat texture and condition.

Bitches

Veteran

1st ADAMS - CH ZANDAHAR JUST TIGER LILY JW – BRINDLE 9 ¾ yo My notes say gorgeous head and she has plus a very happy dog. She certainly doesn’t move like a veteran.

Long strong neck and well laid shoulders with long upper arm. Lovely hindquarters with length from hip to hock. This enables those long reaching strides in her movement.

2nd JAMES & JAMES - CH GILARI VERMILLION VENUS JW 7yo s/m red slightly finer in the head than 1 and again a quality bitch that is not really a ‘veteran’. Lovely well laid shoulder and return of upper arm. Good bone and length of ribs. Nice pin bones and great feet.

Puppy

1st SANGHERA - SITANA LOVE AND THUNDER 7 mths Red So 1 & 2 siblings. Loved her head proportions and arch to her neck. Good topline and sloping croup. Nice ringed tail. Overall a bit taller than her sister and better behaved especially steady on the move which won her the class. Super quality.

2ns LAWSON-BALL - SITANA MYSTIQUE AT ZARCAR I like naughty puppies as long as they’re having fun it may be a challenge but every achievement is a bonus. Similar comments to her sister. Like her height to length proportions and she has a spring in her movement that bodes well. I look forward to watching both of these progress.

Junior

1st GREEN & POWELL - YANSUKHIM’S CANDY FLOSS 16mths brindle Good head shape and arched neck. So frustrating when your dog paces. I have been there myself. But the handler did well to correct it.

Yearling

2/1 abs

1st TANNER & LINK - RHAJIKHAN ATHENA OF ALEYAZAR 23 mths silver/brindle An interesting one who is definitely between age groups. Nice head proportions. Lovely ringed tail and bare pasterns and good feet. Moved well when collected.

Graduate

4/1 abs

1st MEDLEY - ALTSIDE SHE’S HOT 2 ½ yo Cream Such a feminine girl. Beautiful head. Absolutely love her saddle and pasterns and ringed tail. Moved well and just needs to be a bit more confident but she’s young.

2nd BIRD - CLOUDSIDE ZARZUELLA AT IKUSIMOKON (AI) 3yo Blk Nicely proportioned and good type. Would have preferred her to be more settled as she was a bit erratic on the move and standing.

Post Graduate

4/2 abs

1st LANCASHIRE & O’DONNELL - SYRDARYA CEYLON CHAI DRISHAUN 3yo sm/red Not surprised to find that this is the sister of the Limit dog and BIS winner. This is what I like in an Afghan. That aloof calmly dignified air. A proud head carriage because of a strong slightly arched neck. She flows in a beautiful line from head to toe. Great saddle and pasterns and feet. Movement is excellent and good tail carriage. I was so close to awarding her Best bitch but she had reserve instead.

2nd HUGHES & LUTY – GEZANCOL FALLEN FROM GRACE 3yo bm/gold This is a super girl. Love that black mask and her eye shape is good and strong jaws. She has a strong neck flowing into well laid shoulders. Lovely long hip to hock hindquarters. Excellent feet. Love that pattern coat with its deep saddle. Good pin bones. I am sure will swap places with 1 on many occasions.

Limit

5 quality exhibits which made my decisions very difficult

1st HEDGE - UNSTOPPABLE HAPPY GO LUCKY (IMP SWE) (AI) 3 ½ Blk/tan So this was my best bitch. She is totally sound both going fore & aft and on side movement and that was every single time. If I had moved these dogs all day, which I nearly did, she would have kept going. Clean head well chiselled triangular eye good jaw all made it just right. Well laid shoulders good well sprung ribs and strong loin. Correct croup and well-set ringed tail. Nothing overdone in this girl not flashy just absolutely steady. Stamina! Well done

Best Bitch & Reserve BIS

2nd CULLEN - CLOUDSIDE SEVILLANA AT EWEYISSKA (AI) 3yo blk/bri I have given her best puppy before and she has fulfilled expectations easily. Nice head with good chiselling and strong jaw. Nice mandarin. Lovely neck into shoulders and back giving her a super topline. Moves very well and handled professionally. Very close to top honours.

Open

1st LANCASHIRE & O’DONNELL - CH DRISHAUN CONSIDER THE LILY 4yo brindle What a worthy champion she is. Super type excellent proportions. Really everything to like she is superb but she was having a slightly off day.

2nd ADAMS - CH ZANDAHAR JUST TIGER LILY JW winner of veteran and such a superstar.

Judge – James Kelly (VANSANT)