It was a privilege to be invited to judge the Richmond A.H.C. 2013 Specialty show. Thank you to the committee & members for their warm welcome & to the exhibitors for the quality entry & sporting way in which they accepted my decisions. The Best of Breed class was breathtaking, especially the males. General condition, presentation & showmanship par excellence. My only criticism, I would like to see an improvement in front angulation. Lack of angle & length to shoulder & humerus , with subsequent lack of reach on the move needs to be watched.

Puppy dog (4-1 a)

1)Webb's Gazon War Paint. Really promising youngster, has all the essentials and nicely balanced throughout. Self red, long lean head, profuse monkey whiskers, dark pigment, nice expression. level topline, deep chest with good ribbing. Confident and impressive on the move for one so young.

2)Hollinger,Schoolcraft & Zehner's, Affiniti's Moving Picture of Mihdian. Tall rangy black, beautiful head and eye, good topline, prominent hip bones, good length and angle to croup, well set ring tail. Not the scope of 1on the move.

3) Vaughan's Alkhabara Every Girlz Dream.

Junior Dog (3)

1) Helm's, Ziv Hii's Mythological Element. R.W.D. B/br with the most beautiful head, eye & expression. Compact dog, long strong neck, leading into well placed shoulders, with corresponding return of upper-arm. Strong level topline, prominent hip bones, good croup & tailset. Nicely angled quarters balanced with front, low hocks, big feet. Sound, scopey movement with balanced reach and drive.

2) Mercer, Pfeffer & Pfeil's, Wynsyr Foxrun What Goes Around. Tall, houndy b/m gold. Long foreface, punishing jaws, good layback to shoulder, strong level topline, good croup & tail, deep chest, good ribbing. Moved soundly but not the scope of 1.

3) Lennon's, Wynsyr Magsai.

Bred By Exhibitor Dog (1)

1) .Divoky, Palcie and Gardner's Winsong Jamna Poetic Justice Typey and elegant brindle, lovely head & eye, good topline with excellent detail, correct angle of croup, good tail. Angulation is balanced front & rear. Easy mover, showed well

American Bred Dog

1) Baker and Guarino's Kasban Ravereview of Riverview. W.D. Loved this red brindle, wonderful head piece, arrogant expression & proud head carriage. An athletic dog, powerfully built but with no sign of coarseness or plainness.. Good topline, nice rib to loin ratio, good length & angle to croup & well set on ring tail, beautifully angulated front & rear, low hocks, huge feet, profuse coat. Moved as his conformation suggested, with a long powerful springy gait.

Open Dog (5-1a)

1) Hollinger & Tell-Collinge's Tells Caught Ya Lookin Red brindle of moderate size. Nicely proportioned & very honest dog. Lovely head, oriental expression, strength in underjaw, nicely angled & balanced front & rear, deep well sprung ribcage, short,strong loin, powerful & easy movement.

2) Lookin Camp's Xoxo Easy to Love of Meadow Valley. Rangier brindle, long masculine head, lovely expression. Long neck into well laid shoulders, level topline with prominent hip bones, nice length & angle to croup, good balance to front & rear. Deep chest, with good spring & length to ribcage. . Moved soundly with adequare reach & drive.

3) Komar's Kruis' N Round. Owner: Bryyce-Andre J. Norris.

Puppy Bitch, 6-9 Months

Sinck's Jamna Baker - Squarely built b/br puppy, lovely head & eye good underjaw, big feet, ring tail.

Puppy Bitch, 9-12 Months

Taylor's Kasban Vengeance of Jolie. - BP. W.B. & B.O.W. Extremely eyecatching brindle bitch. Just what I was looking for, square, angular and typy. Beautiful head, keen eye & expression. So well balanced throughout. Stylish, ground covering movement. Despite her age I was happy to award her winners bitch as I felt she had the edge on forequarters and reach.

2) Gardner's Winsong's Bedazzled - Pretty b/s, strong topline, good croup & tailset. Deep chest, correct ribbing. Not as angular as 1 and not quite the ring presence or movement.

Bred By Exhibitor Bitch

1) Mauldin's Kasban Envy Me - Red brindle, feminine, sqarely built, moderate angles, good in body & ribbing, level topline good croup & tail-set. Sound coming & going with good sidegait.

2) Helm's Ziv Hii's The Fifth Element - very pretty b/m cream, good head & eye, nice outline. Showed well but failed to match 1 on the move.

3) Schroder and Storesund's Elsto Khariz Divine Design.

Open Bitch

1) Tevlin, Guerrero and Nave's Genesis Candescence - R.W.B oyster brindle, who moved & showed beautifully. Exquisitely chiselled long foreface, long lean backskull , dark pigment, correct eye shape. Balanced angles front & rear. Good depth of chest, well ribbed back, short strong loin. Level topline, nice angle to croup, well set ring tail. Excellent coat texture & pattern.

2) Lancashire's Sumahari Carolina Cherry by Drishaun -brindle, bigger bitch throughout. Long balanced head, with good eye & expression, good length of neck into nice shoulder, elbow well set under. Deep well sprung rib cage, nicely ribbed back, strong loin. Level topline, well defined croup, well set ring tail. Did not show with the same verve of 1.

Best of Breed

BOB. Taylor's Ch. Jollie Orion Everything I would want in an afghan male - leggy, square, elegant yet powerfully built. Nothing overdone, completely balanced front & rear angles, great topline, pin bones, croup & tail. Exquisite head, long chiselled foreface, lean backskull, strong underjaw, dark , well shaped eyes & wonderful expression. His movement was quite breathtaking, long, effortless strides, with wonderful carriage, the more he went the better he got. At only 2 years old must surely have an exciting future ahead of him. Congratulations to his lucky owners

BOS. Pinkston's GCH Criston Enchanted Lovely b/m red bitch, substantially built but feminine all through. Long head, dark well shaped eye, correct expression, good strength to underjaw. Great length of neck, excellent in front construction with quarters that matched. Level topline, with good pin bones, croup & well set ring tail. Deep well sprung ribcage, short powerful loin. Light and easy mover, with good reach & drive.

Licata, Wolfe and Schanzle's CH Rustic Mahali Hey Jude This cream dog caught my eye on the first run round for his lovely springy gait. Fairly similar to my BOB, loved everything about him. Big masculine dog, lots of power on the move, very nice angles which were balanced. Good bone & substance.

Select Bitch - Peters and Vaccaro's GCH Charter Oak Amber Moon Extremely pretty & eyecatching white bitch of nice size & proportions. Lovely femine & balanced head, exotic expression, dark eyes. Good neckline, nicely detailed topline, good length & angle to croup, good tailset. Good depth & ribbing. Sweeping quarters wth low hocks To be critical, would have liked a shade more angulation in front.

Awards of Merit - Mauldin & Neil's Ch.Kasban Lura Bell Bottom Blues Blue brindle of excellent type, long chiselled forface, nice eye & expression. Square dog with attractive outline, balanced both ends and not overdone. Natural & easy stride.

Best Puppy - Kasban Vengeance of Jolie

Best Bred By Exhibitor - Winsong Jamna Poetic Justice