David Allan-Gibson - Spanien - "Shikarah" Afghan Hounds, Salukis, Whippets
I started in dogs with a Border Collie in obedience as a teenager but my interest in showing and breeding started in 1974 with my first Afghan Hound, Ch. Zanavars Kochis at Shikarah. He was from the old Bondor, Horningsea and Moonswift lines.
Later came Salukis and Whippets of which we produced many champions winning BOB’S, Groups and B.I.S’s.
Along with my partner we also have bred Standard, Miniature and Toy Poodles which have done extremely well in the ring and are behind many top winners.
I now judge groups, 4,9 and 10 and also B.I.S FCI.
I have been extremely lucky to have judged at many top shows around Europe and also CC in UK I’m my breeds.
My first love is in the breeding box, I find breeding to be a wonderful challenge and very gratifying. We breed very little nowadays.
I’ve been a member of the Spanish RSCE since 1977.In Afghans as well as Whippets the first thing I look for is overall balance and not like a caricature.
In Afghans I look for a good eye, solid chin, not over refined nor too heavy and good chiselling. Movement should be easy, with a good springy reach and drive, not a high fling front action or heads carried almost touching the back. These are some of the traits that I feel are appearing in many dogs and many exhibitors tend to look for this.
I also appreciate a good ring to the tail, another trait that sadly is getting hard to find.
In Whippets I feel that the breed is in general good at this particular moment it’s just that sometimes we find too much roach as prefered to a slight rise and drop over the rear giving it that smooth look, making some dogs look too short in back. Movement …
the breed has a unique easy wide side gait without lifting the front too high, a Whippet is supposed to show plenty of reach and strong drive, not short mincey steps that is completely wrong for the breed but seem to be obvious is some exhibits. The Whippet is not a breed shown strung up like a Terrier as they carry their head slightly forward not high like some other breeds.
Alain Dumortier - France - "Graal Quest" Greyhounds
Dear friends,
I think many of you will know who I am, so I will make it short.
I got my first greyhound in 1988 from Mr André Renard’s kennel ‘des Saintes Croisades’; that was D’Lutèce des Saints Croisades, a lovely black bitch, from whom all my dogs descend. This amiable Lutèce was unlucky in having to put up with my first handling steps! Nevertheless she brought home several CACIBs, among others that in Longchamps in 1992. She was bred to Ch. A’ICare des Saintes Croisades and there were only to puppies: Isis and Ipsos des Saintes Croisades, the elderly among you will surely remember them.
That was the first litter that was born here with me. Isis was bred to Solstrand Cold Standard and had fourteen puppies. All of them black, and several of them became champions. The most famous one is my unforgettable Graal Quest Now and Ever who got five champion titles, among them the British one, and went BOB and Reserve Best in Group at Crufts 2002. Now gave the first part of her name to the kennel name Graalquest.
Many others have prolonged our history and still do so, among them GQ Urostar (with Mrs Mueller in the USA), GQ Utter (with Mrs Belgherbi), GQ Unice (with Mr Renard), GQ Burbury, GQ Bikini, GQ Forever, GQ Héloise, GQ James Bond and GQ Just one more. In 2018 we had our tenth litter and Ornella, Oriel and Once look very promising.
In 2001 the CAGF (Club des Amateurs de Greyhounds de France) suggested I should go in for the course for judging, and in December I was appointed to judge. Since then I judge Group X and I also judge parts of other groups (III, V, VII and IX).
I was lucky to judge in about ten countries and especially at some National Championship Shows and National Breed Shows.
Judging is really a pleasure, especially when the breed of my heart is concerned. It is my habit to prefer dogs that are well balanced, well built and most of all have type.
Elisabet Janzon - Sweden - "Wolf Tone" Irish Wolfhounds
I have been in sighthounds since 1971 when my husband and I bought our first Irish Wolfhound. We started our breeding with dogs from the Eaglescrag fame, and the first litter was born 1975.
Scottish Deerhounds came into our lives 1973. It was a male puppy from Mrs Karin Lindhé, Mountebanks Duncan, with mainly Ardkinglas bloodlines. He soon got company from a full sister and later also our breed foundation bitch Airescot Miranda. Our first Deerhound litter was born 1976.
During the years also Norwich terriers and one Bullterrier have been part of our household.
Since 1993 whippet is our main breed and our first litter was born 1997. For the moment we have five whippet bitches here at home as our steady life companions.
In 1996 I got my judging licence and I judge all Sighthound breeds. So far I have judged in about 20 countries.
I feel very honoured to be invited to judge at the prestigious Donaueschingen Sighthound Festival!
I´m very much looking forward to the show and the opportunity to meet you and your dogs!
Per Lundström - Sweden - "Greirish" Irish Wolfhounds
I was born into a home with dogs. My dad used to have Great Danes and I think my fascination for the Irish Wolfhound is born out of his interest in the GD and other big breeds. We also had Kleine Munsterländer at home. But as a child you want to do your own thing…
I initially became involved with Miniature Wire Haired Dachshunds. My first Irish Wolfhound litter was born in 1989 under the (jointly owned) prefix Pre-Eminence’s. I have also lived with Afghan Hounds for many years. Since 1997 I only breed Irish Wolfhounds, now under my prefix Greirish. So far, I have bred and owned more than 75 Champions and top winning lure coursing hounds. Dogs I bred have also earned Champion titles for their owners in Australia, United States, Canada, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Russia, Hungary, Ukraine, Denmark, Finland and Norway.
I have judged Open Shows since 1994 and awarded CC since 2002; I am licensed by The Swedish Kennel Club and FCI. I am authorized (or under education) to judge breeds from all groups except Group 7 and I am a Group ‘Allrounder’ for FCI Groups 4 (Dachshunds) and 10 (Sighthounds). In addition to many specialty breed shows, I have been part of the judging panels for the world’s largest sighthound shows including Skokloster and Donaueschingen. To date I have judged in America, Australia, Belarus, Canada, Czech, England, Estonia, France, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, and Sweden.
I have held workshops in anatomy as well as breed specific seminars since 2005. I am particularly proud of The Afghan Hound World Congress (2008) where I planned and created seminar content for several portions of the program. It was held in Sweden over 2 days with more than 100 guests from all over the world. Through the years I have held various positions under the Swedish Kennel Club, for example, President of the Swedish Sighthound Club and Hallands Kennel Club.
Outside of my involvement with the dog world I work as a Senior Business & Strategic Analyst in a Swedish retail bank called SEB. Previously I have owned a pet shop that included a veterinarian clinic and a large day care center for dogs in Stockholm. Together with my wife Eva we now run a specialized physiotherapy and rehabilitation for dogs, Giertz DogMotion.
I look forward to all judging assignments as they provide opportunities to both learn and instruct, as well as a chance to meet wonderful people involved with fantastic dogs.
Per Lundström
www.greirish.se
Christian Magré - Frace - "Belouyeva" Barsois
Christian Magré lives in Herbignac, France and has had Borzoi ever since 1976 and after starting his kennel named ‘Belouyeva’ in 1977 has bred 24 litters with great care, starting in 1979. In 1977 an Afghan Hound bitch joined the family. She had her main success on the race track. That brought Christian Magré to add a Greyhound to the household. And ever since 1978 there has nearly always been a Greyhound in the house.
In 1977 Magré was one of the founders of the Sighthound Club of Brittany, in 1978 one of the founders of the Sighthound Racing Club of Brittany. Presently he is president of the Greyhound Amateur Club of France and the Coursing Club de la Côte d’Amour.
He is an FCI judge (and instructor) for FCI Group 10 and the sighthounds of Group 5, which he has judged in many European countries. At the same time he is also a referee for racing and coursing. In all these activities it is very important for him that the structure of the dog is in accordance with the standard and the functionality is not forgotten by overemphasizing mere outer appearance like a heavy coat – the breed is very near to his heart.
Susanne Oschinski - Germany - "Whipcat" Whippets
I got my first Whippet in 1991. A little mouse of very fine build, about 35 cm tall and 8 kilos in weight, but very sweet. After I had shown her a couple of times I knew that she wasn’t a show dog. But I had caught the show fever, and so a second Whippet came into the house a year late. It was the bitch FlicFlac Flying Flame, a daughter of the male Ch Hammonds Simple Simon, a British import. The third Whippet followed after a visit to England in 1993, Courthill Crystal Ring, a daughter of the BIS winner Pencloe Dutch Gold. Since 1995 my husband and I have been breeding Whippets regularly, our kennel name is “Whipcat“. It is such a wonderful breed that has taken hold of my heart and my soul and will never let go of me.
In 2014 I was awarded the ‘Baron von Gingins Medaille‘ by the VDH, the top award of the Club for persons who have significantly influenced the breeding of purebred dogs by outstanding efforts.
I have judged Whippets since 2005 and since then had the opportunity to judge in Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Russia, Switzerland, Gernany and, of course, the home country of the breed, in the UK. One highlight was, of course, the World Show in Leipzig in 2017. My best bitch in Leipzig went Best in Show at Crufts in March 2018. I am very proud to judge at this special show in Donaueschingen and am looking forward to seeing many wonderful Whippets.
Francisco Ruiz Rodriguez - Spain - "El Gallinero" Podenco Ibicencos
After my studies in Valencia, I have been living in Palma de Mallorca since 1967. I have lived and worked on each of the Balearic islands, Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera. Thus I have come into contact with all the autochtonic breeds of these islands. I am a member of the Sociedad Canina of Mallorca and Ibiza since 1979, of the Real Sociedad Canina de Espana, informer times named RSCRFCE, since 1981.
I have had dogs ever since my childhood and started hunting with the Ibizan Hound and Mallorguin Perdigeros at the age of 17.
I founded the
– Sociedad Canina of the Balearic Islands, earlier called Sociedad Canina of Mallorca and Ibiza
– the SpanishClub fort he Podenco Ibicenco
– the Club for the Mallorquin hunting hound, now called Dogo Mallorquin, or Ca de Bou
– the Club del Rattero Mallorquin
In 1982 I took part in the symposium of the national Spanish breeds at the University of Cordoba, organized by the Department of Veterinary Medicine. I presented 5 papers and an article on the Podenco Andaluz (Iberico), the Ca de Bou, Ibizan Hound, Ca de Bestiar and the Canarian Hound.
I have bred Ibizan Hounds since 1979, kennel name ‘El Gallinero’, and won many championships – Spanish ones, International, World, US, Canadian championships and many others.
I have been an RSCE judge since 1981. I started as a specialist for the Ibizan Hound, later on I took on the Spanish breeds, later I was appointed as a judge for the FCI groups IV, VI, VII and many other breeds, and in Spain I am recognized as specialist for all Spanish breeds, and now international judge for all breeds (allrounder).
I am the author of the standards for the following Spanish breeds:
Podenco Ibicenco (new version), Dogo Mallorquin, Podenco Andaluz, Podenco Canario, Rattero Mallorquin (not internationally recognized).
I have judged at national and international shows, European and World Shows in all five continents.
In Spain I have judged at practically all dog shows. In many cases I judged the Spanish breeds at shows that were organized by the RSCE, including memorial shows ‘Immemoriam David Salamanca en Cuellar’.
I judged and organized conferences in connection with the dog show for the Spanish breeds in Archidon.
I issued the first registrations papers for Dogo Canario, Podenco Canario, Podenco Andaluz, Perro de Agua Espanol and Galgo Espanol. I also judge each of the national Monograficas for these breeds.
I was the first Spanish judge to officiate in Russia and Ukraine (in 1993), and organized a meeting between the president of the FCI and the Russian RKF in Bern/Switzerland during their World Show. As a result Russia was recognized as an associate member of the FCI.
In Palma de Mallorca I contributed to the institutionalising of the law for the protection of animals of the Autonomous Region of the Balearic Islands (1992). I was the founder of the first nature reserve of Spain in the municipality of Palma.
I upgrade the local police of Palma concerning dogs, the transport of animals and bio-piracy.
I have received several awards:
– the award in gold with diamonds of the SCB
– the award in gold of the SCB
– the award in gold of the RSCE and several local awards (Council of Mallorca and the Balearic Islands)
Gabriel Valdez - Brazilia - "Da Vinci"s" Italienische Windspiele
Gabriela Veiga - Portugal - "Pizon's" Whippets & Podengo Portugues
In 1999 she started her judge training with sighthounds. After breeding Podengo Portugues together with her husband Victor for many years now, she had to surrender after this long time, according to her own statements, and fell in love with the shorthaired variety of these original Mediterranean hunting dogs of the FCI group 5. In 2005, the first litter of the small Podengo Portugues in the smooth-haired variety was born in her own kennel.
Over the years, Gabriela Veiga held various positions in the Portuguese Kennel Club and was a member of the Show Committee as well as a board member of the Sighthound Association for almost 15 years. As an internationally renowned group judge for sighthounds and small dogs, Gabriela Veiga can regularly be found at major events and club shows worldwide. – However, her passion as a judge is clearly the family of sighthounds and the Mediterranean breeds of FCI Group 5.