Crufts 2009

Afghan Hound Dogs Critique

It was indeed an honour to judge at Crufts and I was delighted with the quality in depth of my entry,
the open class particularly being a sight to behold.
Heads on the whole were much improved from the last time I judged, with a minority not coming up to standard. Shoulders are continuing to disappoint, with very few dogs having the long sloping blades that are required for our breed. Some were unbelievably upright, in some instances with the top of the blades standing well proud of the spine. My other usual gripe, short ribcages and long loins, continues unabated and too many tails are now being carried over the back, completely ruining the lines as the dogs move.
In most classes I was able to find at least five dogs that I could split hairs between, and I let their movement decide their placing.

VETERAN - Dog
Entries: 12 Abs: 4
1st CH TULAK THE PATRIOT AT DARGAI ShCM MCPHILLIPS)
Eight year old gold grizzle with superb all round confirmation. Excelling in head properties with chiselled foreface and exquisite eye shape. Correct lay of shoulder and corresponding upper arm, rear angulation balanced with the front, with strong hocks. Moved extremely well, holding his topline and with his ring tail held at the correct angle.
2nd METEWAND CABANGO ShCM (GREENING)
Self-masked cream, seven years of age, again exhibiting chiselling on the foreface and a lovely eye shape, giving him an arrogant outlook. Lovely clean lines with angles balanced fore and aft, with strong bone and good feet. Moved exceptionally well.
3rd ARAMAIC ERROL FLYNN (GRAY)
Ten year old cream boy, holding his years very well. Pleasing head with very dark eye of the correct shape. In lovely coat, and presenting a nice picture on the stack with his balanced conformation, and still moving with enthusiasm.

SPECIAL PUPPY - Dog
Entries: 11 Abs: 1
1st CUBANBA REGULUS (WILSON)
Very collected young gold puppy just approaching twelve months. Pleasing head with good eye shape, proud head carriage, long neck leading into a well laid shoulders and level topline. Plenty of depth for his age, with sweeping quarters and well set on tail. What a pleasure to see bare pasterns, showing off his super feet. Moved out well with a springy gait and the steadiness of an adult.
2nd CUBANBA RI NA REALTA (BETTANY & DALY)
Brindle litter brother to 1st in this class. Quite different in many ways, but nevertheless a really nice puppy. Beautifully shaped head with dark exotic eye, well made all through with a sound front, level backline and ring tail. Well off for bone and large feet. Moved a little eractic at times, but settled well enough for me to see what he was capable of.
3rd ASHAHNI ANIQ AT JULAM (SMITH)
Nicely shaped black & tan – just nine months old. Head showing a lot of promise with a dark, correctly shaped eye. His body needs to fill in yet but there is plenty of time for that, and he has a nice overall balanced shape. His handler would do well to move him a little faster because he has a lovely stride that is not being shown to its full potential. It was this stride that moved him above his equally nice brother who had to settle for 4th place, as he was not doing his best on the move.

SPECIAL JUNIOR DOG
Entries: 13 Abs: 2
1st SITANA RAHIMYAR KHAN (VANDERMOLEN)
Long striding young gold dog, approaching eighteen months of age and whose sound co-ordinated stride won him this class. Still adolescent in many ways but he has plenty to come. Beautifully balanced head and exotic eye, long neck, balanced angulation, level topline, big feet and a ring tail all add up to make a very nice dog who should go far.
2nd CUBANBA REGULUS (WILSON)
3rd AZMARI BLACK DIAMOND (VOWLES)
Very well constructed young black & cream in fine fettle. Gleaming coat, correct muscle tone and presenting a lovely picture on the stack. I particularly liked his smooth, well-laid shoulder and complimentary upper arm. Sweeping quarters with low hocks completed the picture, and he moved out well to take 3rd in this very nice class.

YEARLING - Dog
Entries: 14 Abs: 2
1st JANGEL'S JUST A GIGOLO AT JAHERA (IMP) (DEEN & HANNIGAN)
I was very impressed with this young blue dog. He is lovely to go over, your hands just running smoothly over his whole body, helped by the fact that he is in such good condition. Strong front, lovely lay of shoulder, and good length and angle to upper arm, firm topline, and sweeping quarters with low strong hocks. I loved his head and expression, and was equally impressed by his sound, positive movement.
2nd WAY UP KING CRIMSON [ATC AJ01501ITA] (COMINELLI)
Flashy, black and cream youngster who made his way into 2nd in this class with his reachy stride. Expertly handled to show him to his full potential and in good condition, with a most striking head and eye. Upstanding youngster exuding plenty of ring presence.
3rd ABICA'S LUCKY'LEVIN TO FREECLOUD (OAKLEY & NIELSEN)
Nice black and cream youngster who is obviously quite a handful to show. Sound throughout with plenty of chest room and a strong topline. Good head and expression, body not exaggerated in any way, and he had a strong co-ordinated stride.

UNDERGRADUATE - Dog
Entries: 6 Abs: 1
1st CARRE D'AS DU MENUEL GALOPIN A MIAMARNA (IMP FRA) (GILL & MARSHALL)
Black and cream youngster who has come on in leaps and bounds in the last few months and reminds me a lot of his father. Lovely head and dark eye of good shape. Nicely made throughout and in good body, he has many assets, which he puts to good use on the move.
2nd ZANDAHAR VANILLA FUDGE AMONG DACHALUNE (HUTTON)
Cream youngster with a contrasting gold saddle. Masculine head, nicely made throughout with a correctly angled shoulder and upper arm to match, well set on tail and sweeping quarters to low hocks. Sound movement, but he could have put more into it.
3rd AFTERGLOW JUMPING RAINBOWS OF SOFICO (CHADWICK & MILLWARD)
Completely different type to that I am used to, but could not be denied his place in this class with his exceptional length of stride. Beautiful head and eye, well made front and corresponding quarters leading into strong hocks. Expertly handled, and moved at the right speed to show him to his full potential.

GRADUATE - Dog
Entries: 10 Abs: 2
1st SARAKHAN SIROCCO JW (DRAGE)
Heavily coated young red male who is a bundle of energy and leads his sporting handler a merry dance. Still a baby at heart, he settled enough at times for me to assess his movement and see what he is capable of. Very compact dog with an appealing head and eye, super beard, level topline and sweeping quarters into strong hocks.
2nd JAHADI EXUS (WILKINSON)
Black and cream that has settled a lot since I last saw him. Attractive head with good eye shape, strong neck leading into good shoulders and nicely balanced throughout. Sound quarters and a ring tail completed the picture, and his movement was sound and co-ordinated.
3rd ZANDAHAR TREACLE TOFFEE JW (ADAMS & DAVIES)
Brindle boy going through an in-between stage. Masculine, well proportioned head with a lovely eye shape, balanced forequarters, nicely balanced throughout, with a correctly set tail that he carries well on the move. Movement sound, if a little laid back, and he would benefit from a bit more body weight.

POST GRADUATE - Dog
Entries: 12 Abs: 1
1st CLOUDSIDE WARPAINT (MOORE)
Brindle youngster who I have done well for before, and today he did not disappoint. He has the most lovely head and eye, exhibits a lovely shape throughout, with everything fitting well together and no exaggerations. A free-moving dog, he strode out well around the ring, carrying his ring tail at the correct angle.
2nd SASHKAN FINAL DIVIDEND (GREEN & LLEWELLYN)
Well made black and cream dog who was unlucky to meet the 1st in this class in such good form. Handsome head and lovely expression, very pleasing outline with a good shoulder and upper arm, strong front and well angled rear quarters. Moved out well, covering plenty of ground with his powerful gait.
3rd EDRIS EL SHARIAT AT PADAKI (IMP) (KIRWAN)
Young red male of a type that I very much admire. Good bone and substance, masculine head with a lovely expression, body sound throughout with balanced angulation and a firm topline. His movement was positive but I felt that he could have done better.


MID LIMIT - Dog
Entries: 13 Abs: 1
1st METEWAND KALAMKARI (EDWARDS & OHMKE)
I love everything about this self-masked cream dog, and he pulled out all the stops to take this hotly contested class, but did not quite match it in the challenge where he lost concentration. Masculine head with chiselling well evident on his foreface, strong neck leading into well laid shoulders and a correct return of upper arm. Strong level topline with broad loin, deep chest, sweeping quarters, sloping pasterns and super feet. He oozes attitude on the stack, and his long springy stride was well evident, enabling him to win this strongly contested class.
2nd SARAKHAN SENATOR JW (PASCOE)
Another dog that I admire very much. This handsome black & cream is a classic type, and is maturing nicely into a quality hound with no exaggerations. Well-proportioned head and expression, lovely all round conformation with each part flowing neatly into the next. Moved out very well to take second in this class – more to come from this boy I think when he fully matures.
3rd ZHAQQARI T' NAGE KICKS JW (A I ) (SMITH, ADAMSON & PHILLIPS)
Upstanding young black/blue boy with a wealth of beautifully presented coat. Refined head with lovely eye shape, long neck leading into well-placed shoulders. Strong, level topline, deep chest with broad loin and sweeping quarters with strong hocks. In good condition, with stylish movement – another boy with some more maturing to do yet.

LIMIT DOG
Entries: 9 Abs: 0 
1st CLOUDSIDE WAR STRIKE (WEBSTER & LLOYD)
Self masked cream boy – just coming out of the teenage stage. Masculine head with dark eye, good overall shape with long neck, correct front assembly and sweeping quarters into low hocks. He came into his own on the move, sweeping round the large ring with great extension and drive.
2nd ARUSHKHAN BORN FREE (MURPHY)
Shaded gold of an older type. No frills with this boy, what you see is what you get. He looks good on the stack, with a strong topline with no exaggerations, and is in first class condition. He has a masculine head with no hint of coarseness and a lovely expression. Moved out well.
3rd FREECLOUD BELLAGGIO (KIDD)
Black and cream dog that again excelled in movement. Good all round conformation with a sound front and in good body. Finished off with a lean head and correct expression.

OPEN - Dog
Entries: 21 Abs: 5
What a privilege to judge this fabulous class! The dogs stood like stallions, displaying a pride of race, and were quite breathtaking to look at, and what a task to split them.
1st FIN/IR CH SHADOWFAX STEPNOI VETER JW (SHAVERNEVA, DOUDKO & RHODES)
This stunning self-masked cream never put a foot wrong from the time that he entered the ring to the time that he left it. He has a good head, with correct length of foreface and he is of a shape that I admire, so elegant, he flows from the tip of his nose to the tip of his ring tail . Standing over plenty of ground, everything fits so well together, and he has long bones and correct muscle tone. He is expertly handled, his handler knowing just the right speed to move him to show off his excellent balanced stride. He ate up the ground as he swept around the ring, and however many times he was asked to do it, he never flagged once. In such strong competition he demanded the CC and he got it, and in agreement with my co-judge took Best of Breed, gaining his title on the day.
2nd CH AGHA DJARIS U GOT THE LOOK (IMP GER) (EDWARDS)
Heavily coat blue dog, oozing ring presence and quite different in many ways to the winner of this class. Again he was expertly handled to get the very best out of him. More compact in shape, with a refined head and arrogant outlook, good lay of shoulder and upper arm; level topline with broad loin and well angled rear end. This was another dog that seemed as if he would have kept going all day and was moved at the correct speed to show what he could do, and as a result his powerful, reachy movement helped to gain him the RCC.
3rd INT/DK/FIN/EST/AM CH WAITING ON A SUNNY DAY [ATC A (LEVEN & WESTERBLAD)
Cream dog that I have admired when abroad. Smaller dog than the first two with a lovely coat pattern, and he is a very well constructed, eye catching dog and dares you to overlook him. Quality head, very sound throughout with an excellent shoulder and upper arm, firm topline, sweeping quarters and feet well done on the ground. Expertly handled again to bring out the very best in this dog and he stormed around the ring with exceptional reach and rive.

GOOD CITIZEN DOG SCHEME - Dog
Entries: 4 Abs: 1
1st JAHADI EXUS (WILKINSON)
2nd METEWAND CABANGO ShCM (GREENING)
3rd ARAMAIC ERROL FLYNN (GRAY)

Lesley Busby (Judge)