By Bo Bengtson

Editor-in-Chief, Sighthound Review

One of the highlights of the year for any Sighthound lover is what's quickly become known as the "Hound Classic" -- an alias that's definitely easier to remember than the official name of the host club: the Western Hound Association of Southern California. It was founded in 1992 and the records printed in the catalog go back to 1996, but the show was very different then to what it is now. For first ten years or so the Hound Classic was held in a different location as part of the Long Beach Kennel Club weekend. It was a beautiful weekend in those days as well, but the best was yet to come.

All photos by Theresa M. Lyons  unless otherwise noted

In 2006 the club made what at the time must have seemed like a risky decision: to hold back-to-back Hound shows without the support of an all-breed show. That it has worked so well is due to several factors. The showground is a major reason: Oak Canyon Park is a private reserve on the old Mexican land grant of Silverado in Orange County outside Los Angeles. I'm not sure who found this park, but I hope those in charge will continue to let the Hound Classic be held there forever. It's one of the most attractive showgrounds I've been to, with huge, old oaks providing shade, large grass rings, plenty of space for exercising the dogs, and ample parking for a show of this size. There are civilized amenities (read: bathrooms) and a pretty good food concession, in addition to which the Afghan people served their usual excellent Saturday lunch at a reasonable price for whoever walked in. (Not to mention the wonderful hospitality offered by the club before Best in Show on Saturday: cake and as much ice cream as you wanted!) This kind of ambience is difficult to find at any all-breed show. No doubt the fact that this is a Hounds-only weekend helps create an atmosphere that's relaxed, informal and obviously dedicated to those of us who love Hounds above all other breeds.

Show Chairman Lou Guerrero with Group Sweepstakes judges Theresa M. Lyons and Denise Flaim.

Of course, most of the credit for the success of an event like this one must go to the Show Chairman, Lou Guerrero, whose "baby" this show so obviously is, although I am sure club president Valerie Stokes, assistant show chairman Hank Nave, and an army of other workers also ought to get their fair share of praise.

It doesn't hurt, of course, that the Hound Classic traditionally attracts some big names from outside the local sphere. AKC President Dennis Sprung and wife Susan (by some considered to be "AKC's best secret weapon") are regular visitors. This year Westminster BIS judge Cindy Vogels from Colorado and multi-Group judge Robert Hutton from Kentucky were both officiating for Sweepstakes classes and watching intently at ringside when not busy with their own judging. AKC Board member Tom Powers of course is both a local and a Sighthound (Irish Wolfhound) specialist; he and wife Lani both judged sweepstakes. Two overseas judges provided an international flavor: Colin Hamilton of the Kjavu Afghan Hounds from Australia is well known as a judge in the U.S., while Carina Ekwall from Sweden is also an Afghan Hound breeder but made her first judging trip to the U.S. (If I remember correctly from my days living over there long ago, Carina's mother started the Xciting prefix in the 1970s.) Other first-time judges, at least on the West Coast, were Dr. Barbara Henderson, who has bred Whippets for decades before finally deciding to become an AKC judge, and Anna Stromberg, who won BOB in Afghans at both Crufts and Westminster this year and now judged Sweepstakes for several Sighthound breeds.

I'm not sure why California hosts so many more of the biggest Sighthound events in the U.S. than any other state. The "other" all-Hound show, the Inland Empire Hound Club of Southern California, is held during the Palm Springs weekend in January; these two are by far the biggest Hound shows in the country. Then there's the Western Sighthound Combined Specialties in Lompoc in July, the wonderful Sighthound Extravaganza that Santa Barbara Kennel Club will host again in August, and finally the Del Valle KC weekend in October, which probably attracts more Sighthounds than most of the above, although it's technically an all-breed show that now hosts a large number of specialty shows.

For the record, the Hound Classic this year attracted an impressive grand total of 1,833 Hound entries over the three days, consisting of various breed specialties on Friday and two days of Hound shows. That includes sweepstakes and is, of course, considerably enhanced by the current trend for breed clubs to hold two specialties in one day. The Afghan Hound Club of California had 54 entries at their AM show, 45 in the PM. The Southern California Ibizan Hound Club held its two inaugural specialties with 31 (AM) and 29 (PM) entries. The Southern California Whippet Association had 62 (AM) and 78 (PM) specialty entries. On the other hand, the Orange Coast Rhodesian Ridgeback Club hosted just one single specialty with a total entry of 215, which meant that a second specialty that day would have been neither required nor possible, and finally the San Angeles Saluki Club had moved their specialty to the Hound Classic showgrounds this year and attracted 79 entries total.

The Saturday Hound Classic had an entry of 508 dogs making 634 entries, while the next day there were 480 Hounds making 586 entries. Of the 508 Hounds that were entered on Saturday, no fewer than 358 were Sighthounds. Not that we Sighthound people mind sharing the Hound Classic with our Scenthound friends, but it's nice that -- for once, perhaps -- Sighthounds were in the majority.

It was also a big day for Sighthound Review, for a couple of different reason. The Spring issue of the magazine came out right on time before the show, and the compliments from those who had either received their copies in the mail before they left home or saw it at the

Sighthound Review instead of judging AKC shows in the future ... but that's a different subject.) Also, Sighthound Review's Editor-at-Large Denise Flaim and Art Director Theresa Lyons had been invited to judge the very important Sweepstakes finals. They were divided, so that on Saturday Denise judged Best Scenthound, with Theresa deciding Best Sighthound in Sweepstakes, and the next day they reversed roles. Following this, Colin Hamilton (Saturday) and Robert Frost (Sunday) decided which of the two winners would be Best Hound in Sweepstakes before going on to the "regular" Best in Show judging.

Best Sighthound in Sweepstakes on Saturday, Ibizan Hound Kamars Final Laugh.

Best in Hound Sweepstakes on Sunday, Rhodesian Ridgeback Oakhurst Up Up And Away, with owner-breeder-handler Barbara Rupert. Photo: Bettina Bienefeld

Both the official Best in Show awards went to Sighthounds. On the first day Colin Hamilton chose as his winner the young Afghan Hound bitch Ch. Agha Djari's Eye Candy of Sura, whom many will remember winning the Sighthound sweepstakes at this show last year. "Katy" was bred by Stefan Boieck in Germany

Best in Show the first day, Afghan Hound Ch. Agha Djari's Eye Candy of Sura with handler Alicia Jones.

but is sired by the top U.S. sire Ch. Sura's Hollywood Nights, JC, out of Ch. Agha Djari's Zanzaibar, and was beautifully shown by Alicia Morrison Jones for owners James Dalton, Dr. J. Turjoman and Suzanne Neil. Runner-up was the Saluki Ch. Zabarre Mokhtare Marceline, who had won a big breed entry under Mr. Hamilton a little earlier in the day. (I don't have all the results, but am pretty sure he also gave SBIS to the Afghan the previous day.) Third place went to the top-winning Norwegian Elkhound, with another Sighthound in fourth place, Rhodesian Ridgeback Ch. Diablo's Back Alley Brawler.

Sunday's Best in Show winner, Pharaoh Hound GCh. Shalimar Wild Fire Osiris with breeder, co-owner and handler La Ree Drolet.

We are lucky to have an event like the Hound Classic to look forward to each April. If you haven't made a visit yet, make plans to do so in the future. I don't think you will be disappointed.

Official results and photos from the Hound Classic as well as other Hound shows in the U.S. and Sighthound events worldwide will be published in the Summer issue of Sighthound Review. To order a copy or a subscription, go to www.sighthoundreview.com. To advertise, contact Theresa M. Lyons at 908 256-9534 or write to SighthoundAds@aol.com.  

The deadline for the Summer 2014 issue of Sighthound Review is May 15.