Skokloster Summer Shows
The Skokloster Summer Sighthound Shows in Sweden are among the most prestigious in Europe for the sighthound community. I was honoured to be selected to judge at the 2010 shows, judging Afghan Hounds Bitches at the Swedish Afghan Hound Club Specialty Show on the Saturday, then Afghan Hound Dogs, Best of Breed and Best in Show "Puppy" at the Swedish Sighthound Show on the Sunday.
Sweden seems to be the heart of the sighthound movement throughout the world, especially for the rarer Sighthounds such as Sloughi, Azawakh, Chart Polski, Galgo Espanol and Magyar Agar, of which were all represented at the show. Pharoah Hounds were in abundance and there were a number of Ibizan Hounds. It was particularly exciting to see such a huge entry for Salukis (200+), the largest breed entry at the show.
The rest of the judging panel for the two days included :
- Two other Australians Jim Hickie (Gengala) who judged the Afghan Hound reverse of the sexes to me on each day and John Palmer who judged the Swedish Greyhound Specialty.
- The large Saluki entry required three judges who were all Saluki Specialists - Valerie Hamilton (USA), Mary Parker (UK) and Paul Shimmin (Isle of Man).
- Whippets were judged by Emma North Row, Ivy Potts and Gwen Hempstock (all from the UK).
- Elie-Marie Klepp from Norway judged Greyhounds, Irish Wolfhounds, Scottish Deerhounds and some rarer sighthounds.
- Borzois, Pharoahs, some rarer sighthounds and Best in Show were judged by Mahnfred Langer from Germany.
BIS winning Afghan DK FI INT LT NO NORD SE CH Agha-Djaris Urban Cowboy with Manfred Langer (Germany BIS judge) on the left, with myself next to Manfred, then the rest of the judging panel
The shows were originally held on the grounds of Skokloster Castle, from which they still take their name. They have moved a couple of times since then and are now held on large grounds in Lovudden, just outside of Vasteras some 1.5 to 2 hours north-west of Stockholm. All the judges were accommodated in style in a very nice hotel in the heart of Vasteras and we were looked after extremely well. On our arrival on the Friday before the shows (after 4 days spent as tourists in Rome) we met up with some of the other judges and a good time followed.
Being busy judging on both days I only had a small window of opportunity to visit other rings and see other breeds. However I did get to see many of the other breeds including some of the rarer sighthounds. I even managed to get my hands on and study in detail a group of Sloughis that were at the show.
Swedish Afghan Hound Club Show Saturday 31st July 2010
For my own Afghan Hound judging I found the Afghan Hounds and handling to be of very high standard. Many of the dogs and handlers would compete among the best anywhere in the world. After judging bitches on the first day I was incredibly excited about the prospect of judging dogs and best of breed on the next day.
At the Swedish Afghan Hound Club Show I awarded best bitch to a very beautiful feminine brindle bitch from the Champion class DK SE CH Jangel's Just Got The Look. To me movement is extremely important and she moved with style and proud carriage. Other notable bitches who pushed for top honours were Ch Shou Gerat High Fidelity (black masked silver from Russia) also from the champion class, and Moorflower's Vento Di Primavera (brindle) from the intermediate class. Jim Hickie judged best of breed at this show and he awarded it to his best male, a black dog DK FI SE CH Jangel's Cadiblack, who I believe has some Australian breeding behind him.
   
From left best bitch DK SE CH Jangel's Just Got The Look, Ch Shou Gerat High Fidelity, Moorflower's Vento Di Primavera and DK FI SE CH Jangel's Cadiblack (Jim Hickie's BOB winner)
Swedish Sighthound Club Sunday 1st August 2010
The excitement I anticipated for the dog judging turned into reality, and as it turned out some of my dogs blew me away. My champion class in particular was full of quality which made me work the class quite hard. First in this class and eventual best male was awarded to a brindle dog bred in Germany but owned and exhibited in Finland DK FI INT LT NO NORD SE CH Agha-Djaris Urban Cowboy.
Other notable males in the champion class included a very stylish blue dog DK INT NO NZ SE CH Star't Cutting Trax of Jhanzi (originally from NZ but now owned by Kingsleah kennels in Sweden), a beautiful black masked red dog FI NO SE CH Jacosta Gold But Not Copper (bred and owned in Sweden by ex-Aussie Stephen Wheeler) and DK FI SE CH Jangel's Cadiblack (previous day's BOB winner under Jim Hickie). I awarded these dogs in order 1st to 4th best male. My 5th best male was a blue dog Jangel's Sound Of A Drum from the intermediate class.
   
From left DK FI INT LT NO NORD SE CH Agha-Djaris Urban Cowboy, DK INT NO NZ SE CH Star't Cutting Trax of Jhanzi,
FI NO SE CH Jacosta Gold But Not Copper, Jangel's Sound Of A Drum
After dog judging was completed I had the opportunity to wander around the showgrounds and see some action in the other rings while Jim Hickie completed his bitch judging. When I was called back to judge best of breed I was presented with my best male and a black and tan bitch SE NO CL AR LV US CH Al Nacira Bint Von Hausman (bred in Chile but now owned by Elisabet Levin in Sweden).
My best male could not be denied, and I eventually awarded best of breed to him DK FI INT LT NO NORD SE CH Agha-Djaris Urban Cowboy. This dog oozed quality and moved with a style of high order and was truly presented as the "King of Dogs". With owner/handler Salla Soukas, they worked as a team and presented a great picture. He never let down once and demanded his win.
A truly international dog, bred in Germany, owned in Finland, with an Italian sire and Spanish dam (with some Australian breeding behind her). I was truly excited and privileged to be able to judge such a fine specimen of the breed. After judging I was told that he was #2 all breeds in Finland 2009 and is current #1 Afghan in Finland. I can understand how!!
I then had some wait until best in show judging to see how my BOB dog would fare under the German judge Manfred Langer who is a Borzoi specialist and judged Borzois and Pharoah Hounds at the sighthound show. In the Swedish system all Best in Show classes are judged before actual Best in Show and I had to judge Best in Show "Puppy" which I awarded to a Whippet Starry's Goran-Samardzic. All of the judging panel were sitting around anticipating Best in Show judging. Manfred made it into a very exciting contest by choosing his BIS #3 to #5 and then only having his BOB Borzoi and my BOB Afghan left in the contest.
After some more moving he eventually chose the Afghan as BIS #1 and the Borzoi #2, quite an achievement under a Borzoi specialist who judged the breed at that show. This was also a very exciting experience for me and many of the other judges, who were all watching from the sidelines.
   
From left BIS #1 DK FI INT LT NO NORD SE CH Agha-Djaris Urban Cowboy, BIS #2 Borzoi FI SE CH Borscana Sonata Arctica, BIS Puppy Whippet Starry's Goran-Samardzic (judged by myself), BIS Intermediate Pharoah Faouziah's Faramir (judge Jim Hickie)
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