Yorkshire
Afghan Hound Society Open Show 8 November 2025
Very many
thanks to the Officers and Committee for the invitation to judge their 2025
open show, it is always an honour and a privilege to judge, but especially at a
breed club show. Thanks also to my steward for the day, Liz Millward for
keeping me on track and taking lovely photos of my main winners, it was much
appreciated.
Baby Puppy Dog
(1,0)
1st
Kirk-Vickers & Mottershaw’s Istani
Robert Deniro. Handsome black masked gold 5 month old
lad going through a gangly stage but overall a nice shape. Good head and dark
eye with long neck into sloping shoulders with upper arm to match setting his
elbows below his withers and close to his ribcage. Well angulated hindquarters
and ring tail. Giving his handler a bit of a hard time today but definitely
enjoying his day out.
Baby Puppy
Bitch (1,0)
1st
& BBP Kirk-Vickers & Hughes Istani Liza Minelli Litter sister to 1st in BBD and at just
a slightly more mature stage. Attractive black masked cream with lovely
proportions. Same head, neck and front construction as her brother, but
preferred her spring to her pasterns and good feet. Level topline to short loin
and well let down hocks. Moved a little closer than her brother but straight
out and back and steady in profile. Pleased to award her Best Baby Puppy.
Best Baby
Puppy: Kirk-Vickers & Hughes Istani Liza Minelli
Veteran Dog or
Bitch (2,0)
Both dogs in
this class were an absolute credit to their owners, they were a pleasure to
judge.
1st
BVD & BVIS Mitchell & Smithson’s Zandahar Xplosiv Storm Dog. Masculine, balanced
and typey 7½ yr old not behaving like a veteran in any way. Balanced
head with correct bite, good teeth, dark eye and prominent occiput. Well laid
shoulders and good return of upper arm placing his elbows well under and close
to his ribcage. Good depth of chest and prominent hip bones with good width.
Moved well out and back and strode out in profile.
2nd
Winters’ Ch Pashtari Lord Tennyson Tokando JW Gorgeous black dog approaching 10 years old
still in superb, well presented coat. Balanced and typey
with well constructed forequarters, good depth of chest and fill in. Nice
spring to his pasterns and large feet. Level topline leading to ringed tail carried
well on the move. Moved straight to and fro and steady in profile.
Minor Puppy
Dog: No Entries
Puppy Dog
(2,1)
1st
& BPIS Bastow’s Cloudside
Bright Flame Karandikar. Handsome
and masculine, gold 9 month old dog. Still a little immature and needing
to drop into himself, but a lovely shape with nice proportions. Well angulated
fore and hindquarters with good substance. Nice, well balanced head, long neck
into well laid shoulders and good return of upper arm placing his elbows under
his withers. Level topline and good tuck up leading to nice ring tail. Moved
out well and steady in profile.
Junior Dog
(5,1)
1st
& RBD Bellringer’s Cloudside
Ebony Prince at Johda. Lovely, quality black lad with
type and balance. Prominent occiput to his head and long neck into well laid
shoulders. Good width to his forequarters, excellent fill in, forechest and
good depth of chest. Level topline to short, strong loin and prominent hip
bones. Well let down hocks. Moved straight to and fro and showed superb smooth,
springy strides in profile. Pleased to award him Reserve Best Dog. He pushed
hard for Reserve Best In Show but just preferred the
front extension on the move of the bitch today.
2nd
Lancashire & O’Donnell’s Drishaun Autumnal King.
Lovely gold lad with good type. Level topline with super saddle, prominent hip
bones and short strong loin all leading to ring tail and well let down hocks. Moved well. Would
just like a little more width to his forequarters.
3rd
Bellringer’s Cloudside
Prince Of Thieves at Johda
Yearling Dog
(2,1)
1st
Kidd’s Cloudside Prince Of
Light. Handsome gold dog with a nice head and long strong neck. Sloping
shoulders with elbows placed under his withers. Would just prefer a little more
width in front and depth to his chest. Level topline
leading to well muscled hindquarters which he used to his advantage on the
move. He moved straight to and fro and very nicely in profile.
Maiden Dog
(1,0)
1st
Smith’s Sitana Soul Fire. Lovely balanced, masculine
cream lad just out of puppy and still sporting his monkey whiskers. Well
angulated fore and aft. Good width and fill in, in front. Level topline with
short strong loin, and good tuck up. Lovely mover once he decided to settle.
Novice Dog
(2,0)
1st
Bellringer’s Cloudside
Ebony Prince at Johda (see JD)
2nd
Bellringer’s Cloudside
Prince Of Thieves at Johda.
Masculine, balanced gold dog. Good substance with springy pasterns and strong
feet. Shapely underline. Would just prefer a little more width in front. Moved
straight to and fro and nicely in profile.
Graduate (1,0)
1st
Kidd’s Cloudside Prince Of
Light (see YD)
Post Graduate
Dog (1,0)
1st
Drage’s Zendushkas Born To Run Isjulees. Masculine and
typey gold dog with a balanced head and strong neck into well laid shoulders
leading to level topline. Good substance and elbows placed closed to his
ribcage. Would just prefer a little more width in front. Close saddle and ring
tail leading to well muscled hindquarters. Moved a little close out and back
today but well in profile once settled.
Limit Dog
(1,1)
Open Dog (2,1)
1st
BD & BIS Lancashire & O’Donnell’s Ch Drishaun
Baby’s In Black JW. Superb masculine black and tan dog full of quality and
type. Balanced and well angulated he was presented to perfection with a lovely,
fine coat and excellent muscle condition. Super, well balanced head with nearly
triangular, dark eye giving a lovely expression. Punishing jaw, chiselled
foreface and prominent occiput. Long neck into the best of front construction,
excellent bone, springy pasterns and large strong feet. Level topline with
short saddle, good tuck up leading to short, strong loin, well muscled
hindquarters and nice short rear pasterns. Moved straight out and back but
really scored in his superb profile movement with reach in front and drive from
behind. So very pleased to award him BD and BIS. I judged this boy 18 months
ago when he went BPIS. I was very impressed with him then and pleased to see
him mature into a very worthy Champion.
Best Dog: Lancashire
& O’Donnell’s Ch Drishaun Baby’s In Black JW
Reserve Best
Dog: Bellringer’s Cloudside
Ebony Prince at Johda
Best Puppy
Dog: Bastow’s Cloudside
Bright Flame Karandikar
Best Veteran
Dog: Mitchell & Smithson’s Zandahar Xplosiv Storm
Minor Puppy
Bitch: No entries
Puppy Bitch:
No entries
Junior Bitch
(2,1)
1st
BB, RBIS & BOS Lancashire & O’Donnell’s Drishaun
Consider It Done. Gorgeous, balanced and quality black and
tan 16 month old youngster. She is feminine, typey, well angulated and
in superb muscle and coat condition. Well balanced head with good dark, almost
triangular eye and lovely expression. Strong neck into clean, well laid
shoulders with matching upper arm setting her elbows below the withers and
close to her ribcage. Excellent bone to straight forelegs, well sprung pastern
and good feet. Nice amount of forechest with good fill in. Level topline with
saddle to short strong loin. Well sloped croup, nicely set and carried ringed tail.
Well muscled hindquarters with well let down hocks allowing her to power round
the ring with freedom and ease. Her movement was straight out and back, showing
real reach in front which is what clinched RBIS for her over a lovely young
dog. Very pleased to also award her BB & BOS I shall watch this girl’s
career with interest.
Yearling
Bitch: No entries
Maiden Bitch
(2,1)
1st
Hudson’s Sitana Miss Marvel. Lovely, balanced and
typey black masked cream girl with a super temperament and very nice outline,
only just out of puppy and still a little immature. Balanced head with nicely
shaped, dark eye and prominent occiput. Well laid shoulders, good return of
upper arm, well sprung rib giving width to her chest but still needing to drop
in depth. Level topline to prominent hip bones and well angulated hindquarters
with short rear pasterns. Moved straight to and fro, and steady, with one or
two flashes of super paces, in profile.
Novice Bitch
(1,0)
1st
Hudson’s Sitana Miss Marvel (See MB)
Graduate Bitch
(2,1)
1st
& RBB Bloor’s Pretty Infinity A Touch Of Freedom
at Pashtari. Balanced, feminine and typey black bitch
with a nice overall shape. Well presented. Balanced head with prominent
occiput. Level topline to short loin, prominent pin bones and well let down
hocks. Moved straight to and fro and nicely in profile. Just needing a little
more angulation which would allow for more reach and drive.
Post Graduate
Bitch (1,0)
1st
Bellringer’s Pramya Keep
Your Eyes On Me JW (Imp FIN). Feminine and typey black
masked gold. Nice head with prominent occiput and good expression. Good for
bone. Close saddle leading to prominent hip bones and sloping croup. Well
angulated hindquarters. Tail a little short. Moved straight out and back and
showed good drive in profile. Nails needing a little attention.
Limit Bitch
(2,1)
1st
Mitchell, Smithson & Thornton’s Absolute Afghan’s India at Karnak (Imp NOR).
Lovely black masked gold just a little shy and nervous today having been
spooked on a previous occasion. Feminine girl with a nice head and long, strong
neck. It was a little difficult to get hands on her forequarters but she has a
nice spring to her pasterns and good feet. Level topline to well angulated
hindquarters, well let down hocks and well set and carried ring tail. She was
much more relaxed on the move and was straight to and fro and steady in
profile. I do hope she recovers from her fright.
Open Bitch
(1,1)
Best Bitch: Lancashire
& O’Donnell’s Drishaun Consider It Done
Reserve Best Bitch:
Bloor’s Pretty Infinity A Touch Of Freedom at Pashtari
Best Puppy
Bitch: None entered
Best Veteran
Bitch: None entered
Best In Show: Lancashire
& O’Donnell’s Ch Drishaun Baby’s In Black JW
Reserve Best In Show: Lancashire & O’Donnell’s Drishaun
Consider It Done
Best Opposite
Sex: Lancashire & O’Donnell’s Drishaun
Consider It Done
Best Puppy In
Show: Bastow’s Cloudside
Bright Flame Karandikar
Best Veteran
In Show: Mitchell & Smithson’s Zandahar Xplosiv Storm