Profile: UK Judging Appointment
[url=http://www.afghanhoundsinternational.net/showresults/crufts2003.htm]Crufts 2003[/url]
Dog CC, BOB CH AMUDARYA SHAFIR
BREEDING: Since 1962, I have been breeding, exhibiting, importing, and exporting pure bred dogs and have been involved with pure bred dogs all my life, as my family owned Smooth and Wire Fox Terriers and an Irish Setter. My husband Stuart gave me a Maltese Terrier the year we left school and then an Afghan Hound for Christmas the first year we were married.
My major involvement has been with Afghan Hounds, Whippets, Salukis, and Chinese Cresteds although I have also bred and shown Greyhounds, co owned an American-sired Deerhound, and owned and shown a successful Lakeland.
To date at least 205 Championship titles have been conferred on Calahorra-bred Afghan Hounds, 20 plus Whippets, and four Salukis. Titles have also been won in many of the 25 countries to which I have exported stock, including two International Champions, Calahorras having been exported/exhibited in the UK, USA, Canada, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Italy, Spain, Monaco, France, Belgium, Holland, India, Sri Lanka, The Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, New Caledonia, Guam, New Zealand and South Africa.
In reverse, I have imported Afghan Hounds, Whippets and Chinese Cresteds from England, America, and Denmark, a total of twenty to date, and I have become the owner of four more, imported by others. Through judicious use of their valued bloodlines, many have made very significant contributions to their relevant breeds.
I also have the distinction of breeding three Best In Show winning Afghan Hounds at Sydney Royal, arguably the most important in Australia as, like Westminster, dogs have to qualify before their entry is accepted. Also two Best in Show winners at Brisbane Royal. Both are records to my knowledge untouched by any other breeder in any other breed, ever. Opposite Sex in Show at Brisbane Royal with yet another Afghan Hound is a further achievement.
To my knowledge another unique feat is breeding Best Puppy in Show, Sydney Royal, Best Puppy in Show, Brisbane Royal, and Best Opposite Puppy in Show, Sydney Royal, awarded to three different Afghan Hounds. Also many Best and R/Ups in Hound Group at Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne Royals.
PIONEERING WITH FROZEN SEMEN: In 1976, we were the first breeders in the world to obtain puppies from imported frozen semen. In 1992 we scored another world first by successfully using semen which had been stored for sixteen years, the sire being one of our American imports, then deceased for twelve years. The single puppy easily became a champion and multi ALL Breeds RUBIS winner. In 1993 we bred a further nine puppies by AI from frozen semen, this time stored for seventeen years and from one of the greatest dogs we bred. Five of them became champions, one a RUBIS All Breeds winner and another a RUBIS Specialty winner. In 1995 we were again successful and bred a single puppy from one of our other famous early imports, this semen had been stored for nineteen years. In 1997, we had further success with a single puppy from frozen semen imported from America. Now we are breeding puppies incorporating progeny from all three of these historic litters. These include great great grandchildren of the 1956 Westminster BIS winner, Am Can Ven Ch Shirkhan of Grandeur who are also great grandchildren of the Crufts 1983 BIS winner, Eng Ch Montravia Kaskarak Hitari.
Also in the late 1970s we exported semen to Norway, which resulted in two successful litters initially with further success seven years later with semen stored from the original export. Currently we have exported semen in England. The use of frozen semen from one country to another is now of course commonplace, but we are delighted to have been the pioneer breeders in this extremely important field of dog genetics.
JUDGING: I have been an All Breeds judge since 1971 and have officiated on numerous occasions in America, England, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Monaco, Portugal, Switzerland, Belgium, France, Malaysia, Japan, all States of Australia, and New Zealand. Many of these shows are world famous and I have been fortunate to have seen and judged many of the newer breeds now being introduced into other countries.
Some of the highlights of my judging career have been my selection to judge at the prestigious Santa Barbara Kennel Club, at the Saluki Club of America's National Specialty and at The Yorkshire Afghan Hound Club Specialty in England. Also at Eurodog and the World Sighthound Congress in Belgium. I was paid the ultimate compliment of being approved to judge Afghan Hound males at the world famous Crufts in the UK in 2003 and since also officiated on our other breed, Whippets at the famous Southern Counties show in the UK.
I have also had the honour to officiate at two of the famous Australian Royal Shows, at Melbourne in 1995, the largest Canine exhibition in Australia, with an average entry of 7000 dogs. The other appointment was at Darwin Royal.
As is usual with our Royal Shows, appointments are normally given to International judges, and I was only the second Australian judge to officiate at Melbourne in probably twenty years and to my knowledge the first Australian woman.
Over the years, I have judged numerous Specialties in Afghan Hounds, Wolfhounds, Salukis, Whippets, Dachshunds, Basenjis, Samoyeds, Great Danes, Dalmatians, Keeshonds, Lhasa Apsos, Pekingese, Australian Terriers, Bull Terriers, Australian Cattle Dogs, Bearded Collies, St. Bernards, Chihuahuas, French Bulldogs, Boxers, German Shorthaired Pointers, Springer Spaniels, Cavalier King Charles, Schnauzers (all varieties), American Cocker Spaniels, Poodles, and Bouviers de Flandres, many of these breeds I have judged at more than one Specialty per breed and in more than one country. Also many semi-Specialities such as Hound Clubs, Sighthound Clubs, Working Dog Clubs, Gundog Clubs, Toy Dog Clubs, Spitz Clubs etc.
I have also judged many prestigious Contests of Champions in various countries, including at the famous event in Finland on two occasions and most recently as one of the "selectors" for the renowned Gran Prix at St Gallen in Switzerland.
CANINE ADMINISTRATION: For almost my entire time in the dog world I have been deeply involved in canine administration, serving for many years on numerous committees of what is now the Royal NSW Canine Council Inc and was formerly the NSWCC and before that the RAS Kennel Control.
This included a term as President during which time the decision to proceed with the development of the RNSWCC's own Administration and Exhibition Complex was taken and the construction finally commenced after many years of indecision. I served as Vice President for the remainder of my term on Management Committee.
My NSWCC administrative experience commenced in 1976 with my appointment to the former Consultative Committee, and included Chairmanship of the NSWCC Judges' Training Scheme. I remained on the Consultative Committee until September of 1983.
In 1987 I won nomination to the newly formed democratically elected NSWCC Management Committee, where I spent a further five years.
During that time I chaired the Journal and External Relations Committee and served on Planning, Finance, and Breed Standards, subsequently spending some time on the RNSWCC Sponsorship Committee on which I now serve as a consultant if called upon.
I have been an NSWCC delegate to the Australian National Kennel Council Conferences on three occasions, also serving on several subcommittees and I represented the NSWCC on the Joint Animal Welfare Advisory Committee and on the initial body established by the Department of Local Government to investigate changes to the Dog Act.
I have been an official representative to the Australian Veterinary Association/Petcare Joint Committee conducting National Pet Week and World Animal Day, and was a member of the NSWCC's negotiating team re the initial Tail Docking Meetings with the Australian Veterinary Association. I have also worked closely with such bodies as Barkbusters, Canine Good Citizens and Prevent-A-Bite being deeply involved in responsible dog ownership, the role of the dog in the community, and in promoting the importance of owning companion animals.
As part of this commitment to increase the awareness of the importance of dogs, I was instrumental many years ago in developing the Junior Showmanship Competition in NSW into the important position it now holds.
I have given lectures in many countries on the Australian dog scene in general, and specifically on our Judges Training Schemes and Australia's successful pioneering of computerisation and record keeping. In 1998 I was honoured by being awarded Life Membership of the RNSWCC.
CAREER: Worked in the Publishing and Public Relations field from 1957-1959, and then as an airline stewardess with Airlines of NSW and BOAC (British Airways). With my husband Stuart, in January 1998 we commenced publishing Australia's newest Canine enterprise, Ring LEADER - THE Dog Paper, Ring LEADER - THE Dog Annual, and THE Afghan Hound Australasia Annuals. In June of 2001, we acquired Australia's oldest Canine publication, NationalDOG and have now amalgamated them into Australia's most prestigious production, a full colour monthly, known as NationalDOG - THE Ring LEADER Way. We also produce Ring LEADER - the NationalDOG Annual.
BORN: October 4, 1939.
EDUCATED: Roseville Preparatory School and Ravenswood College, graduated with First Class Honours in English in 1956 and successfully completed three years of English at Sydney University.
MARRIED since 1962: we have one son, a Graduate of the Royal Military College, Duntroon, a Blackhawk instructor, and currently flying with the NSW Ambulance Rescue Service.