BETWEEN THE LINES
A Week in Australia
BO
BENGTSON
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DOGSinREVIEW.com
Sup. Ch. Acaiza
Distinctly
Dashing (fawn),
Best Dog at age
9, Ch. Ryeford My
Immortal (blue
brindle), Best
Bitch and BIS.
O
taken over most of the dog show interest.
ver the years, I have had the good fortune to judge in
Because of her past involvement, Lyn frequently hosts
Australia a half-dozen times, even to live in Sydney
judges for the Afghan Hound Club of Victoria, and in this
for a year in the ’80s before moving to California.
case it was Ramon Podesta from Chile and I who were
The 16-hour flight from Los Angeles to Melbourne doesn’t
lucky enough to be her guests. Ramon breeds the “von
bother me: you sleep, you read, you eat and you watch a
Haussman” Afghan Hounds that have had much success in-
couple of movies—what’s so bad about that? Due to the time
ternationally in recent years, including at the Afghan Hound
difference, you lose a day on the way out, leaving Tuesday
Club of America national, Westmin-
night, arriving Thursday morning,
ster, etc. At home, Ramon has a kennel
which can be confusing, even though
of 60 Afghan Hounds, not counting a
on the way back you actually arrive
The dogs were
lot of dogs of other breeds—German
at LAX before you started, at least
judged two by two
Shepherds, Poodles, Maltese, Shiba
according to the clock! The jet lag
(three by three in
Inu, and more. Ramon judged the Dia-
can also be tough to deal with, but my
mond Jubilee specialty hosted by the
short trip this year was definitely worth
a couple of cases),
Afghan Hound Club of Victoria, while
the hassle, and not just because I had
each at a “silver”
I judged the accompanying morning
the pleasure of experiencing a few
or “burgundy”
specialty. Entries in Afghan Hounds
well-organized dog shows.
are not what they used to be, in Aus-
I was staying at the Dingo Discov-
judge’s table, and
tralia or in the U.S., but the quality was
ery Sanctuary and Research Centre,
we were asked to
much higher than expected. Champi-
which turned out to be even more
simultaneously raise
ons compete in “the classes” in Aus-
fascinating than expected. I hope to
tralia; there is no specials judging for
write more later about dingoes and
a baton with the
BOB only, and when the Open Dogs
the opportunity to learn a little about
color of our winner.
filed into the ring I got goose-bumps.
them, but it was interesting to realize
My winner was Sup. Ch. Tahkira Take
that even this visit came about through
A Chance On Me, an 8-year-old domino
dog show connections. The director
who I was later told won his 40th BIS that day; runner-up
of the sanctuary, Lyn Watson, is someone I used to know as
was the black-and-tan Sup. Ch. Alaqadar Rigoletto, Top
Lynnette Schelling of the world-famous Shaaltarah Afghan
Hound in Victoria a couple of years ago. After BOB has
Hounds. She also owned a stunning, top-winning English
been chosen, the second best of the same sex as t he winner
Greyhound, Ch. Solstrand Diamond Lil, and bred Italian
competes against the best of the opposite sex for Res. BOB;
Greyhounds with much success. Lyn still judges interna-
in this case the dog won. The Breed winner was mostly
tionally, including in the United States, but her only show
Australian-bred but had some U.S. Coastwind, Kabik and
dog these days is a BIS-winning Scottish Deerhound. In the
Pahlavi blood in his pedigree, while Rigoletto was sired by
kennel there are now 40-something dingoes, and the wish
an American dog, Am. Ch. Jovan Cruise Control.
to rescue them from an extinction threatening through
Sup. Ch. stands for Supreme Champion, a title we don’t
frequent, indiscriminate crossings with domestic dogs has
have in the U.S.—yet. For a regular Australian champion title
100 championship points are required. The maximum for one
win is 25 points, minimum 6 points, depending on the number
of competitors. For a Grand Champion title a dog needs 1,000
points, and, unlike in the U.S., you only get points when you
win BOB or BOS. To earn the fairly new Supreme Champion
title a dog needs to be in possession of a Grand Ch. title and
win three allbreed BIS or 10 Group Firsts.
Ramon’s judging was fairly close to mine. His BOB was
my runner-up, Rigoletto, while my bitch winner was Re-
serve to a lovely young bitch who showed better later in the
day. I was not able to watch the end, though, because Lyn
Watson and I were expected at the 5th Whippet National