Southern Afghan Hound Club

SOUTHERN AFGHAN CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW – 3rd DECEMBER 2023

It was indeed an honour to be invited to judge at the Southern Afghan Hound Club Championship Show, this show in particular has been a favourite of mine and my family for many years as it was always seen as the ‘start of Christmas’ and I have many happy memories as an exhibitor. It was interesting that on chatting to my co-judge that he held the same sentiments. The continued commitment and hard work of committee members is evident in the success and festive atmosphere that is created each year at the show. Thank you to my two very efficient and capable Stewards who kept things running smoothly in the ring. Finally, I would like to thank all exhibitors for a fabulous entry and for affording me the privilege of going over your dogs. I found a mix of breed type I therefore judged the dogs on breed standard and their performance on the day. I was delighted, in agreement with my co-judge, that BIS was awarded to DCC winner Pascoe’s Ch/Lux Ch Popovs Aladdin At Sarakhan (Imp NLD), BVIS was awarded to winner of BVD Latimer’s Ch Jeremiah De Koulangar at Zharook JW (Imp Fra) and BPIS was awarded to winner Best Puppy Dog Lancashire & O’Donnell’s Drishaun Baby’s in Black.

Minor Puppy – No entries

Puppy Dog (3 entries/1 abs)

1. Lancashire & O’Donnell’s Drishaun Baby’s in Black Confident black and tan with a lovely mature head for his age, nice expression, darkest of eyes, good length of neck, good depth of chest and spring of rib which will improve with maturity, good length from hip to hock, good muscle tone, level top line which he held on the move, correct fallaway to low set ringed tailed, good movement with springy gait, moved with purpose and with correct carriage of head and tail. BPIS

2. Lancashire & O’Donnell’s Drishaun Baby of Mine Lovely self masked red, litter brother to first in class, well balanced head with beautiful dark triangular shaped eye, lovely shoulder placement, good depth of chest , strong short loin, good bend of stifle, ringed tail. Shown in good muscle tone and well presented.

Veteran Dog ( 5 entries/2 abs)

1. Latimer’s Ch Jeremiah De Koulangar at Zharook JW (Imp Fra) Black masked gold, presented in immaculate coat and body condition, at 9 years of age still showing with purpose and style of high order, masculine balanced head with dark eye, low set ears, good length of neck, well angled shoulders, great depth of chest and spring of rib, short loin, well angled rear, largest of feet. Moved freely and with style of high order. BVIS

2. Winter’s Garamond Cloudberry for Tokando Lovely black/silver/brindle dog in superb condition for his 10 ½ years, masculine head with dark triangular shaped eye, strong neck, good shoulder placement, good depth of chest, lovely level top line, short loin, well angled hind quarters, good fallaway to ringed tail, moved well.

3. Semarks & Nemoto’s Sayadena Northern Lights (Imp Bel) VW

Junior Dog ( 6 entries/1 abs)

1. Lees’ Altside Michah Hot Prophet Lovely balanced self masked cream, presented beautifully making an eye catching picture, head of equal proportions, desired expression with nice chiselling on foreface, good length of neck, nice angled shoulder, good depth of chest and spring of rib, level top line, good rear angulation, prominent hip bones, moved with purpose and style of high order.

2. Harwood’s Altside Too Hot to Handle Blue Domino litter brother to 1st, I have no doubt these two will change places many times. A lot to like about this young boy who will only improve with age, rangier than his brother with the same attributes, lovely head, dark eye, chiselling giving desired expression, good length of neck, well laid back shoulders, elbows close to deep chest, well sprung ribs, muscled loin, well angulated hind quarters with good length from hip to hock. Covered the ground well, steady pace.

3. Drage’s Zendushkas Born to Run

Yearling Dog (7 entries)

A lovely class of quality dogs

1. Moore’s Merrick Prince Charming Cloudside (Imp Fin) Self masked cream, with a lot to like about him, his expression so typical of our breed, the most appealing of eyes looking straight through you with the darkest of pigment, strong neck leading into lovely shoulder assembly, good spring of rib, level top line, muscled short loin, lovely bend of stifle without being too exaggerated, low set hocks, good length of fallaway to ringed tail. Moved steady with good extension front and rear. Shown in sound condition.

2. Roper & Moore’s Sitana The Kingsman At Temenshu delighted to see this young dog showing his full potential today, he can be such a challenge to his handler in the ring! Lovely masculine head without any coarseness, desired expression, correct triangular shape and dark eye, good shoulder placement, short loin, level top line with reasonable length of fallaway to nice ringed tail, rear quarters well angulated with good muscle tone. Moved well

3. French’s Sitana Moon Knight at Zalmeerah

Novice Dog (1 entry)

1. Sharp’s Affyneeta Rhapsody In Blue Blue domino, masculine head with a well shaped eye, generally a nice outline with laid back shoulder, pronounced hip bones, nice rear angulation.

Graduate Dog (1 entry)

1. James’s Katanga’s Captain America Black and tan who has a balanced shape, pleasing head with good expression, level top line, well angled rear, good length of fallaway.

Stud Dog with Progeny – No entries

Post Graduate Dog (5 entries/1abs)

1. Gorman & Latimer’s Shahfoldi Sphinx Riddle at Zharook JW (AI) –Black and cream, well balanced throughout who makes an impressive outline stacked and on the move, and he did not disappoint on going over him, lovely head and great expression which dared to be ignored, strong arched neck leading to well laid back shoulders of the correct angles, super depth of chest, good spring of rib, lovely level top line which he held on the move, short loin, great rear angulation with good length from hip to hock, prominent hip bones, correct fallaway leading to perfectly ringed tail. Moved effortlessly, covering the ground with great extension front and rear, with correct head and tail carriage. Beautifully presented and in hard condition. Delighted to award him the RCC today, I have no doubt he is set for higher awards, his time will come.

2. Harwood’s Krishan Rainbow Warrior Domino with attractive colouring, well presented, masculine head without losing refinement, strong underjaw, dark traingular shaped eye, balanced angles front and rear, strong top line, sufficient fallaway to ringed tailed, moved with drive and purpose.

3. Peek’s Yansukhim’s Sherbet Fizz

Mid Limit Dog (4 entries/1 abs)

1. Walsh’s Calamus Devil in Disguise (Imp Pol) Attractive brindle,long foreface with punishing underjaw, dark eye, overall giving the correct expression, good length of neck leading to well angled front, good depth of chest, well sprung rib, lovely level topline, good length from hip to hock nicely angled, moved with style with good extension, head and tail carriage correct. Presented well and with good muscle tone.

2. Neilly’s Way up Walker to Cloudside (Imp Ita) Black and brindle dog with lots of substance and quality throughout presenting a pleasing outline, masculine head, strong underjaw, dark eye, low set ears, well angled shoulder, large feet, good depth of chest, good spring of rib, short loin, good angulation to the rear quarters, level topline, good fallaway to ringed tail. Covered the ground well on the move, head and tail held correctly. Presented well and in good hard condition.

3. Newton’s Shimalma Jagermeister

Limit Dog (9 entries/4 abs)

1. Trainor, Trainor & Rogers’ Tulak Fast and Furious Upstanding black masked red, who has I believe improved with age, lovely head with chiselling adding to his expression, dark eye, well laid back shoulder, lovely front and back angulation, level topline, great depth of chest and spring of rib, put his superb angulation into action when moving, covering the ground well with long effortless strides. Shown in tip top body and coat condition.

2. Neilly’s Cloudside Sunlord Eye catching black/brindle dog, pleasing outline which did not disappoint on going over him. Lovely head, great expression, dark eye, strong underjaw, good length of neck, level topline, correct angulation front and rear, correct fallaway to ringed tail. Moved with purpose and ring presence, covering the ground well.

3. Mithcell and Smithson’s Zandahar Xplosive Storm

Open Dog (13 entries/2 abs)

Well what an honour and privilege to have such a range of quality dogs to judge. It certainly was a challenge, with quality champions going unplaced. Thank you for affording me the opportunity to experience judging such a lovely class of dogs, it was certainly quite an emotional experience.

1.Pascoe’s Ch/Lux Ch Popovs Aladdin At Sarakhan (Imp NLD) Black masked red dog, ouzing quality and breed type. Caught my eye as he entered the ring and another who did not disappoint on going over him. The most beautiful balanced head with desired expression looking straight at and through me. His chiselling on the foreface added to his elegance, darkest of eye of correct shape, alert to all that is going on around him, good length of neck into well laid back correctly angled shoulder, large feet, good depth of chest, good spring of rib, short coupled loin, rear quarters superb angulation, good length from hip to hock, low hock, level top line with prominent hip bones, good fall away to ringed tail. Movement left nothing to be desired, powered round ring as if he could go all day, lovely reach from front and rear quarters, certainly created a picture of style and high order in his movement, commanding attention. Both coat and muscle condition could not be faulted, just lovely. Delighted to award him CC, pleased he was awarded BIS with agreement from my co-judge.

2. Millward, Millward, Ferguson & Race’s Ch/Aust Ch Tahkira Affogato Upstanding, eye catching black and silver dog full of elegance, style and high order, presented and handled to perfection, beautifully masculine head, good length of foreface, strong underjaw, dark eye of correct shape, long elegant, but strong neck, leading in to well laid back and angulated shoulder, large feet, good depth of chest and spring of rib, well angulated rear quarters of good length from hip to hock, used well on the move giving excellent rear extension, prominent hip bones, good length of fallaway leading to nicely ringed tail. Shown in lovely condition coat and muscle tone.

3. Gardner’s Ch Drishaun Said Tiger to Lilly

Alex Gilchrist

Khawari