Judge Profile

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, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, China, South Africa 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 and rarer breeds before they have even been introduced into Australia
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 prestigious Southern Counties show in the UK.

I have also had the honour to officiate at three of the famous Australian Royal Shows, Melbourne in 1995. (Melbourne Royal is the largest Canine exhibition in Australia, with an average entry of 7000 dogs, As is usual with our major Royal Shows, appointments are normally given to International judges, and I was only the second Australian judge to officiate there in probably twenty years and to my knowledge the first Australian woman). At Darwin Royal, and most recently the Stakes Classes at Adelaide.

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, Australian Kelpies, Bearded Collies, St. Bernards, Chihuahuas, French Bulldogs, Boxers, German Shorthaired Pointers, Springer Spaniels, Cavalier King Charles, Schnauzers (all varieties), American Cocker Spaniels, Poodles, Bulldogs 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.

BREEDING: Since 1962, under the Calahorra prefix, we have been breeding, exhibiting, importing, and exporting pure bred dogs, our major involvement has been with Afghan Hounds and Whippets, we also owned and bred some wonderful Salukis, were amongst the earliest importers of Chinese Cresteds, and have also bred and shown Greyhounds, co owned an American-sired Deerhound, and owned and shown a successful Lakeland.
To date at least 209 Championship titles have been conferred on Calahorra-bred Afghan Hounds worldwide, plus 58 Whippets, and four Salukis. Titles have also been won in many of the 25 countries to which we have exported stock, including a number of 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, we have imported Afghan Hounds, Whippets and Chinese Cresteds from England, America, and Denmark, at least twenty four to date, and 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.
We 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 up until 2007, had to qualify before their entry is accepted. We also bred two Best in Show winners at Brisbane Royal. Both are records to our knowledge untouched by any other breeder in any other breed, ever. Runner up and Opposite Sex in Show at Brisbane Royal with yet another Afghan Hound is a further achievement.

Also unique 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 over the years, we bred 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. We subsequently exported semen to England, both times the bitches conceived gut both times the litters did not survive. 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.
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 and in 2010 by receiving the Master Dog Breeders & Associates award for Excellence in Contribution and/or Leadership in Canine Affairs.

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) until our marriage.
We have subsequently spent a huge proportion of our lives successfully involved with many and varied aspects of the purebred dog world, and specifically with publishing first Ring Leader and then subsequently National Dog – The Ring Leader Way.

Judging Appointments (Australia and NZ Only)

Appointments are based on shows entered in our system since 2012. Please inform us of any errors.