Baby Puppy Dogs(3-6)
1    Khandhu Excelsior The first place puppy had a more relaxed stancewhich allowed him a little more freedom on the move.
2.   Khandhu Quintessential Second and third place puppies were very nice puppies but tended to bunch up in the middle which threw off their balance. They could have been placed either way.
3. Khandhu Ambience      Khandhu Ambience The three were obviously litter mates. They were all very similar, with good overall front assemblies. All had beautiful dark triangular eyes. It was a difficult choice amongst the three.
Baby Puppy Bitches
1. Khandhu Rendezvoux A domino brindle. She had good proportions and was nice to go over, although I would have liked more neck.
2. Rajmal Sweet Infatuation Leggy red brindle. Leggy and more appealing than the first place. She was not as sound coming and going and tended to be butt high at this age, or on this day. Puppies look different from hour to hour it seems.
3. Khandhu Opulence An obvious littermate to puppy #1. She toed out and her tail came over on the day. Otherwise, she was very similar to her sisters

MINOR PUPPIES (6-9)
1.   Lowenhart Its Supanatral First place was an orange brindle dog with big feet, relatively sound coming and going, held his outline going around the ring. He could use a little more leg and his head was a bit strong for my taste.
2. Khandhu Andretti Second place was overall a nice puppy. He had some problems with timing which could be attributed to the fact that he was carrying too much weight.
3. Karakush in Champagne The third place dog was a leggier balanced dog which is attractive to me. However, his lack of maturity in body kept him from placing higher in the class.
MINOR PUPPY BITCH
1. Lowenhart Shes Charmed Leggy pretty bitch. She was lacking a little in front for me.
2. Taejon Tonights Th Night Although not really a lesser puppy, I preferred some of the details on the other puppy, specifically the head and tail. This puppy lacked in front as well.

PUPPIES (6-12)
1. Alaqadar Cobol First place was the most beautiful in type - beautiful head and a good topline. When this dog matures and carries himself more naturally he will do very well.
2. Taejon Mercury Rising Second place dog was a beautifully groomed and presented domino who had moments that showed promise. His topline was his weak point on the day.
3. Satang Independence Day Third place dog was a black and silver with good length of leg. He got around the ring nicely. His head was a little strong for me.
PUPPY BITCH
1. Taejon No Regrets Black and tan bitch. Pretty mover from the side. She is at the age where she doesn't want to stand over her front. She was however, an easy choice to win this class.
2. Alaqadar Xara This puppy had quality although I would like more movement and a strong, more arched neck.
3. Satang My Cinda Again, a nice puppy. A little narrow and againlacking in strength of neck.

JUNIOR DOGS (12-18)
1. Karakush Adrenalin Rush First place dog was a very upstanding, leggy brindle dog. He carried himself well and got around the ring with great ease. His headpiece was a bit strong for me, but he had a beautiful eye and good arch of neck
2. Sadozai Warrior Baron The second place dog, though not my style (I prefer a shorter back) had an easy way of getting around the ring.
3. Wishuz Shakn Not Stirred The third place went to a red brindle dog.
JUNIOR BITCH
1. Karakush Anastasia A black masked orange brindle. WOW. When she exploded into the ring she took my breath away. I would bring her down a little in size and give her less coat volume. Those two things are really nit-picking. She is in one word "FANTASTIC".
2. Quom Alice in Wonderland In another class, I would be thrilled by this bitch as well. Having to nit-pick, I thought the first place bitch to be a little stronger in neck and perhaps have a little prettier tail. The movement may have been as strong, however, the handler wasn't. A very lovely bitch.
3. Kjavu Gold N Diamonds She had the misfortune of being in a class with such quality in it. This black masked red had a pretty topline, rear, and a nice head. She lacked in front, however, and that hindered her movement which put her in the 3rd spot.

INTERMEDIATE DOGS
1. Kjavu Bishi Bashi First place went to a cream dog with beautiful side gait. One of the most balanced side gaits of the day. I would like him to have been cleaner coming and going. He was very well presented.
2. Quom Bourbon and Bordellos The second place went to an even more beautiful cream dog - exquisite head and eye, beautiful topline, tail and tail set. I would like him to have more in the way of side gait.
3. Khandhu Brunate The third place was a black dog with a lovely head and eye. He moved well, however, I would have preferred a shorter, stronger back.
INTERMEDIATE BITCH
1. Quom Creole and Cakewalk This beautifully patterned blue brindle was exquisite. Everything about her fit together. She was the nicest of my entire entry to go over. Pretty head and after that the long arched neck flowed seamlessly into shoulder with and excellent topline, croup, tail and tailset. She was damn near perfect. Her lack of maturity
caused her to act hesitant and unsure of herself. She was one of my favorite entries in this National.
2. Khandhu Lucia Popp This blue bitch had the confidence the 1st place lacked. She, however, was not of the same quality. her topline was off and she was a little long cast for me. Her tail was also tight for my taste. She did excel in sidegait.
3. Ch. Stonecrest Skye Antics This was an overall nice bitch. She was well made, particularly in front. I would have given her more neck.

AUSTRALIAN BRED
1. Ch. Karakush the Heat is On First place dog was a cream dog who was eventually awarded the Dog Challenge. This dog had wonderful proportions and a beautifully chiseled head atop a long arched neck. His hindquarters were exquisite - he was perfect going away, but could have been a little stronger coming at you. I would like to have seen more strength in his pasterns.
2. Ch. Khandhu Amore Amalfi Second place dog was a black masked red. Obviously much younger and less experienced than the first place dog. This dog was quite beautiful. He is a dog to watch in the future.
3. Ch. Khandhu Pagliache Blue dog with OK movement. This dog was an interesting type but not the proportions I would like to see.
AUSTRALIAN BRED BITCH
1. Khandhu Madame Butterfly This blue bitch was smooth and pleasant to go over. her movement was balanced and easy. It was a tough choice between first and second in this class. I would have shortened this bitch and given her more neck. She was in beautiful condition.
2. Ch. Karakush Unforgettable U This red brindle girl had an exquisite head and eye. Her balance was outstanding. I would have given her better withers and a prettier tail. She could win this class on another day.
3. Ch. Aviva Change Ofheart This bitch was a nice size, feminine and was a nice picture standing. Her movement was lacking and that along with her eye color moved her to 3rd place.

OPEN
1. Grand Ch. Seistan's Heart T' Beat Black dog with many virtues. Neck into shoulder was excellent. Front assembly very good. Masculine, but elegant. His top could have been a little stronger and I would like a shorter back. He was presented beautifully and deserved the class.
2. Grand Ch. Kjavu Air Jordan Another black dog. His proportions were better than the first place dog. His shoulder was not as good and the transition from neck into shoulder not as smooth as the first place. The handler had trouble keeping up and the dog suffered as a result.
3. Fr. It. Aust. Ch. Xenos Joselito This is a dog who I had seen in the U.S. and liked very much. In this competition a third was the best I could do for him. His side gait fell a little short of the first and second place dogs.
OPEN BITCH
1. Ch. Karakush Spice of Life This bitch was interesting. The package was better than the parts, and she just got better and better. Of course, many of her parts were incredible. She excelled in breed type. Her chiseled head and perfect eye along with a long arched neck. She had beautiful patterning, excellent topline, tail, croup, and tailset. Her proportions were wonderful and she covered the ground with everything she had. She had heart and athleticism. As I said, the
whole was better than the parts. A very special bitch.
2. Ch. Ibadan Dressed F Success This black bitch is so easy to love. She is good all over and I could easily gone with her. I do, however, have to judge them and ultimately fall in love and that is what the first place bitch did for me. That is not to say that this bitch is lesser in any way. I truly loved her as well.
3. Ch. Rajmal Khadeeja A lovely black bitch with a lovely head. Her movement lacked which gave her third.
DOG CHALLENGE
The obvious competition was between the Open winner and the Australian bred dogs. Although the black dog may have been the better mover, particularly in the front, it was the essence of the cream dog, the intangible qualities, the absolutely 100% Afghan quality of the cream dog, Ch. Karakush The Heat is On, that garnered him the Dog Challenge.
This dog is incapable of standing wrong. His houndiness and rawness are what an Afghan hound is all about. He is athletic and elegant, and no one can deny that his look and the way he looked through you is what made us fall in love with this breed. Reserve Challenge went to the first place dog from the Open class, Grand Ch. Seistan's Heart T' Beat.
CHALLENGE BITCH
My mind was racing at this point knowing that I would have to choose between the Open bitch and the Junior bitch. They were alike in ways and yet so different. Similar in shape and ironically similar in color. One was patterned and the other heavily coated. Before they came in I had a definite idea of what I would do. Well that got thrown out! I have to say that as heartrending as that decision was to make, I have never enjoyed making a decision more. I had to go with the mature one, Ch. Karakush Spice of Life. That bitch gave 150%. She never faltered. A very well deserved win. Reserve went to Karakush Anastasia. This youngster will be a TOP contender and I can only hope that one day I will see her again.

BEST IN SHOW
This choice was made for a number of reasons. First, the Challenge Bitch stole my heart. The depth of quality at this national was definitely in bitches. This is not meant to take anything away from the Challenge Dog. As it turned out, the Challenge Dog and Bitch were littermates, so I couldn't go wrong, at least where the breeders and owners were concerned. The bitches performance was nothing less than spectacular. A very well deserved win and one I am personally proud to have awarded. Congratulations to the owners and breeders. Well done! My runner up Best in Show went to the Reserve Challenge Bitch. She was so beautifully made and came on strong again, like she did in her class. An easy choice. Again, congratulations to her owners and breeders. My BOS went to the Challenge Dog. Interestingly enough all three were bred by the same kennel.

CONCLUSION
In our search for the perfect front and big sidegait, we have perfected long backs, bad toplines and overangulated fronts and rears. BALANCE IS THE KEY!!!! The dog has to hold its' topline and outline on the move. Only the legs should move. If that is accomplished then they can be as open from the side as that will allow. Give up outline and topline for
sidegait, NEVER!!! One more word on fronts. Fronts are only as good as they function. A front may feel wonderful, but function is key. My eyes have to agree with my hands or my eyes win EVERY TIME!!! In closing, let me say that I loved my assignment in Australia. It was like a trip back in time. It was a time when a dog could be extraordinary in spite of a very noticeable flaw. Virtues were remarkable and outweighed a dogs' imperfections. In the USA, we have replaced that with mediocrity in many ways. In our search for a safe dog; one that has no big holes, we have a more middle of the road,
generic dog. I have been around long enough to remember how it was. Coming here helped me realize that it wasn't just a Pollyanna memory.It was real.
Jay T Hafford