UK Afghan Hound JUDGES
Avril Lancashire - Drishaun Afghan Hounds
My first Afghan Hound was from the now famous Sharazah kennels of Hazel and Derek Arris, only back then they hadn't really become famous. Born in 1972 he was my first introduction to what was to become a lifelong passion for the breed. It rarely happens, in my experience, that you get one Afghan Hound and then that's the end of it, one just seems to lead to another, and another ... and so it was with me. It wasn't long before my "family" had grown and I ventured into the wider aspects of showing, breeding and judging. I bred my first litter in 1977 and passed my judging exam the same year with the Midland Afghan Hound Club. My examiners were awesome, Diana Bowdler-Townsend, Margaret Niblock and Carole Sturgeon-Walkden. How I passed I will never know, because looking back, I think I knew nothing at all. My knowledge and experience has thankfully grown over the years and I never stop learning.
My first judging appointment came in 1978, 5 classes of Afghan Hounds at an Open Show in the Midlands. I was terrified, but somehow got through it and on reflection enjoyed the experience. More appointments followed and I have judged regularly since that time. My first CC appointment came in 1993 at the East of England Agricultural Society's Championship Show. I judged bitches and awarded the CC to Mark Ord's beautiful black and tan Shadia Kimara from Marnadee. This was her 2nd CC and she went on to gain her title in 1994. The RCC, her first, went to Lyn Prior-Hewson's dark red Zharook Heavenly Flame.
In 1995 I branched out into judging other Hound breeds and in particular Salukis. I passed the Northern Saluki Club's exam in 2003 and the Saluki or Gazelle Hound Club's exam in 2004. I am currently awaiting approval for CC status.
In 1999 I had the honour of judging dogs at the Yorkshire Afghan Hound Society's Championship Show. My CC winner was Steve and Pat Fillis-Moon's Maringo Man After Midnight, a dark red of classic type this was his 2nd CC and he gained his title the following year. RCC went to another typy red, Lynn McKendry's Kaskarak Colonel Mustard, owned in partnership with his breeder Lynda Race.
In 2000 I judged both sexes at Driffield Agricultural Society's Championship Show and awarded the Dog CC, his 3rd, to Sue Virgo's striking young blue brindle Ch Sumahari Starturn with a first RCC going to Tricia & Dave Churchill's red Amudarya Shafir. The bitch CC and her title went to another brindle, Alex and Dot Hunter's Ch Tulak Basic Instinct at Sulahmara, RCC to Anna Paton & Sue Pinnock's Amudarya Shullah, red litter sister to my dog RCC winner.
My next CC appointment was not until 2005 when I judged both sexes again, this time at Paignton and on my birthday!! A beautiful sunny day I was delighted to award a 3rd CC to Lesley and Alan Busby's Ch Tulak Rogue Trader at Wilbus. A handsome red dog, not the most cooperative of showdogs but this was his day and he pulled out all the stops. RCC, his first such award, to Jean Coates' Gilari That'll Be The Day at Bukhara. The bitch CC was a first for Sandra Ellis' Renza Paint The Town Red Among Mogell, a beautiful typy red bitch who showed her socks off, and she had to, in order to beat the RCC winner, Wendell Moore's top winning brindle bitch Ch Cloudside Last Orders.
2005 saw my first overseas appointment when I judged the Afghan Hound Club of Greater Houston Specialty. Held on the first day of a weekend cluster of shows the event took place in the evening but it was still incredibly hot and sticky. A different system to ours, maybe more like the Irish system, points are collected towards a Championship, and the Champions compete in a separate class for the BOB award. The class definitions are different too with not so much choice as to which class to enter. My BOB from the "specials" class was a self masked red bitch Dual Am Champion Allure’s Dble Red Hot Summer SC. RBOB also from the "specials" class was a black masked gold Am Ch Gabriel’s Rare Bear JC. Winner's Bitch and Best of Winners Summer Sun Ladyhawke a shaded masked red bitch, who became a Champion on the day. Winner's Dog Suncrest Aleutian Islands a blue brindle who gained his title the same weekend.
My next appointment will be to judge dogs at the Afghan Hound Club of Scotlands 2007 Championship Show and I am really looking forward to this.
With regard to success in the showring, there have been 14 UK Champions associated with our kennel, 9 of them since 1991, see www.drishaun.co.uk for more information.
Updated 22/12/2008 09:10
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