Scottish Kennel Club – August 2009

My thanks to the SKC for their hospitality and the opportunity to judge at their show, to my expert stewards, Melissa and Michaela, and to all the exhibitors for bringing their lovely hounds for me to examine and for accepting my decisions in such a sportsmanlike manner.

I was delighted with my winners, finding many that were just what I was looking for – most of my notes contained the word Beautiful. I particularly liked my bitch line-up.  On the downside I found a lot more level bites than last time, a few were in very unfit condition, some dirty teeth and one was matted.

Minor Puppy Dog (3.1 abs)

2 very promising puppies.

1^st -  Nisbet’s Finix Treig      Tall and rangy black and cream 8 month old puppy.  This young boy really excels on the move with long, raking strides, a very confident and stylish young Afghan. BPIB.

2^nd – O’Neill’s Saxonmill Midnight Mayhem of Terstine    6 month old black and brindle baby, more compact than 1, beautiful head and expression, very well angulated front, good spring of rib, ring tail, moved well.

Puppy Dog  (1.0abs)

1^st  Forrester, Robertson & Richardson’s Finix Sunart  Handsome, black and tan, happy puppy, balanced angulation, good shape but a bit high at the rear as only to be expected in a puppy. Lovely dark eyes and good expression.

Junior Dog (3, 1 abs)

1^st  Winters’ Ashahni Azzam with Tokando  I really liked this young dog  from his particularly beautiful head, dark, correctly shaped eyes, exotic expression and beard, well off for bone, substance and body condition, good depth of chest and well sprung ribs, level top-line, correct fallaway and finished with a ring tail.  Lovely movement, he challenged well against the older dogs to be in the last few considered for the RCC.

2^nd  Lloyd’s Krishan Hugo Crazy  This Self Masked Cream dog was presented immaculately in super hard muscle condition, he is bigger and heavier all through than 1, attractive head and expression with good pigmentation.  Level top-line, prominent hip bones but not the rear angulation of the winner.

Yearling Dog (5, 1 Abs)

4 very different and handsome young dogs in this class.

1^st  Robertson & Richardson’s Hubblebub Hephaestus    An attractive black masked shaded gold who moved so very well.  Masculine head, good eye shape and expression, well angulated quarters, good depth of chest, still to drop a little at rear, good fallaway.  Shown in good body condition with rock hard muscle tone.

2^nd  McCormack’s Sitana Jaranwala at Tulak JW  Profusely coated black masked cream, presented immaculately. A balanced hound he is well proportioned throughout, pleasing head and expression.

3^rd  Mulvale & Hedge’s Azymsands Elusive Dream

Graduate Dog (2, 1 abs)

1^st Pearce’s Azymsands Bewitched Art  Black masked Gold dog, balanced angulation, level top-line, ring tail, good bone, muscle tone and body condition, huge coat beautifully presented.

Post Graduate Dog (7, 2 abs)

1^st Traversari & Greenwood’s Altside Red Hot N Blu  My notes for this dog start with Gorgeous!!!! Exotic looking blue dog with the silkiest coat, long lean head with the most arrogant expression, long neck, balanced angles, he moved so very well – an elegant hound.  RCC.

2^nd  Brooks, Smith & Wisniewski’s Bichoux Back to My Roots at Bondor   Classic, black masked gold who arrived late to the class but settled quickly and performed  well.  Stunning head with well shaped eye, if a little light in colour, a very beautiful hound.

3^rd  O’Donnell’s Javidan Dirty Little Secret

Limit Dog (8, 4 abs)

1^st  Oakley & Nielsen’s  Abica’s Lucky ‘Levin to Freecloud  And now for something really rather special… this impressive black dog’s movement is just what I was looking for – great reach and drive, covering the ground effortlessly with the minimum of strides. A flowing shape from the top of his beautiful head to his ring tail. I particularly loved his head and expression, his eyes are perfect – a word I’ve never used in a critique before.  CC & BOB.

2^nd  Moore’s Cloudside Warpaint   An eye-catching elegant, brindle dog, presented a lovely shape standing and moved out strongly. Seriously considered for the RCC.

3^rd Gilbert’s Firos Caperdonich JW

Open Dog (6, 2 abs)

1^st  Greechan’s CHI CH Rashid Ebn Hugo Von Haussman at Myhalston (imp)   This very likeable hound is a real showman. A compact black and brindle, beautiful silky coat of the correct texture, a balanced head with good eye shape and colour, long neck, level top-line he really strode out well on the move.

2^nd  Cogill & Lloyd’s Krishan Soloman   My Junior winner from 2 years ago he is maturing into a very impressive hound, great shape, well angulated quarters, powerful movement – he spoke to my heart.

3^rd  O’Neill’s CH Amudarya Shekinah at Terstine

Minor Puppy Bitch (3, 1 abs)

1^st Devaney’s Saxonmill Midnight Magic  What a cutie!  This one has been here before….  At just 6 months old she moved and showed like a pro but no automaton - the occasional leap in the air and the twinkle in her wicked expression showed her personality.  A well balanced black and cream puppy, rather lovely feminine head, ring tail, shown in good body and hard muscle condition.  BPB.

2^nd  Dunn’s Finix Lindores at Gylemuir  Tall black and cream 8 month old bitch, moved well and soundly, nice head and expression hiding under her huge top knot.

Junior Bitch (4, 0 abs)   The first 2 are beautiful moving bitches – hard to choose between them.

1^st  Parsell & Beanland’s Ashahni Alarah at Harlextan  This young black and cream bitch has the most lovely head and feminine expression, her front is very well angulated with a great return of upper arm, tucked well under her deep chest.  Balanced rear angulation with low hocks, moved so well.

2^nd  Metcalfe’s Cubanba Northern Star  I had to ask what her colour was but her owner didn’t know either. Shaded, grizzle, gold, cream covers it but doesn’t begin to do it justice.  Although slightly heavier all through than one and not quite the angulation she is still a feminine bitch who really moves with drive, purpose and style.

3^rd  Harding’s Ashahni Ataya

Yearling Bitch (5, 1abs)

1^st  Small’s Cloudside Glitterstorm JW  Rangy brindle bitch who moves so very, very well, she has a gorgeous head with a long lean foreface and arrogant expression, long neck into a flowing top line, shown in super fit condition.  Rather lovely.  RCC.

2^nd  Virgo’s Altside In Black Silk For Sumahari JW  This glamorous black bitch really appealed, her beautifully silky coat was presented immaculately and she moved out strongly, not the front angulation of one but a lovely bitch shown in full bloom.

3^rd  Mulvale’s & Hedge’s Azymsands A Silken Spell

Graduate Bitch ( 3,0abs)

1^st Howard’s Altside Blu For You     Blue, ultra feminine bitch, a real glamour girl and so very elegant, I really liked her. Great shape standing and moved out very well, should mature into a very lovely bitch.

2^nd  Harris & Day’s Khorinyas Narooma With Portianja   another one I really liked and another one I had to ask what her colour was – it’s very unusual and I won’t even make the attempt!!  A very pretty girl who showed so very well, lovely head, eye and expression, sound movement, really strode out, perhaps her tail is set a bit high for me.

3^rd  Black & Howie’s Chinzae’s Midnight Affair

Post Graduate Bitch (7, 1 abs)

A class with a wide variety of top-lines.

1^st O’Donnell’s Javidan Keep the Faith    A feminine brindle bitch with a coat to the floor who proves that it is possible to have a huge coat on an Afghan and yet have her in super fit condition!  She has a gorgeous head, arrogant expression and a beard.  She presented a lovely picture both standing and on the move.

2^nd Renner & Roper’s Gezancol Gabrielle   Elegant, black masked gold bitch with a rich red saddle.  Shorter, more compact bitch who moved out well at the rear, long neck and ring tail, her top-line occasionally dipped on the move and when standing.

3^rd Forrester’s Hubblebub Morrigan By Punkly

Limit Bitch (9, 1abs)

The first 2 were both very glamorous ladies.

1^st Moore, Rodgers & Freer’s Cloudside Wardance at Montravia   A quality bitch I loved her head, shape and overall balance both standing and on the move.  Very feminine and presented immaculately, good reach of neck, leading to a well angulated front, level top-line and balanced rear angulation.  My only criticism would be that I’d prefer a better ring on her tail.  A beauty and really rather special, she shone today.  CC.

2^nd  Thompson & Twentyman’s  Drishaun D’Jemima  A glamorous red of a classic type there is so much to like about her, her beautiful head, her flowing shape, her elegant movement.  Into the last few to challenge for the RCC.

3^rd Lloyd & Webster’s Arratrabella’s Stormy Desire

Open Bitch (9, 1 abs)   A difficult class to judge – a variety of types here, some very lovely bitches.

1^st  Traversari & Greenwood’s Altside Bimbo Bagins  Really liked this dark brindle bitch – she is such a good mover.  Like the rest of her litter mates here today she is very elegant, a real show girl and has the most lovely correct coat texture.  Presented in good body condition and hard muscle tone.

2^nd Robertson & Richardson’s Khamis Kaleidoscope at Hubblebub     Attractive feminine, domino brindle with a striking black saddle. She also moved out well, using the minimum number of strides to cover the ground. She is a lovely shape and was presented in good muscle tone but could have carried a bit more weight.

3^rd Appleby, Minchin & Edward’s Valkor Who’s That Girl

Claire Hindley (Judge)

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Updated 05/09/2009 17:55