2. What, if anything, do you feel all-breed judges get wrong about the breed? EXCESSIVE REAR ANGULATION, AND TRAD [Tre- mendous Reach and Drive]. The Saluki is a MODERATE breed, allowing it to work all day in the field. The over- angulated rears will break down long before it’s time to “bring home dinner”. Gait is to be an easy, efficient, moderate stride. With the excessive reach and excessive kick behind, having both the front and rear legs off the ground for so long at a time, efficiency is lost and again unable to “bring home dinner”. 3. What do handlers do in presentation that you wish they would not? Our breed is not a free stacking breed as are so many of the sporting dogs. The attitude of the Saluki is, ‘There, I gave you a quick free stack, but that’s long enough.’ We don’t need, nor do we want, a statuesque robot in the ring. 4. In order, name the five most important traits you look for in the ring. I’m assuming traits to mean characteristics. 1. Overall picture of type 2. Soundness on the side gait 3. Moderation 4. Combination of topline to underline 5. Soundness of going and coming The expression should dignified and gentle. Without type you don’t have a Saluki. Actually type is a combination of all the other 4 points. 5. What traits do you see popping up these days that are going in the wrong direction? What is getting better? Going in the wrong direction… EXCESSIVE REAR ANGULATION AND TRAD. As for the right direction… temperaments and better grooming and conditioning. Not the heavily groomed, but the neat clean appearance that makes us all proud. 6. What previously campaigned Saluki(s) come close to your ideal? Please explain. Am Mex Ch. Srinagar Sakuna Indra of Ken and Mary Ellen Gorske around the 70s and Ch. Ziba Indus of John and
Tracy Skupny about the early 2000s. Neither dog was specialed much, but both had the proper mix of the five traits I look for. 7. How do you approach the conundrum of having numerous correct styles in the Saluki? My response goes back to the five traits. In each of the styles, each of the points are there, a judge just needs to look through preconceived ideas and see them. VALERIE HAMILTON KHIVA, US BIO Having always admired their elegance and dignified spirit, we obtained our first Saluki in 1975; our kennel was established in 1964. We were very fortunate as our first Saluki became a Group winner, and multiple Group placer and Best of Breed winner. Valerie won her first Best in Show with a Saluki in 1981 and had a very suc- cessful specials campaign with Multiple BIS and Multiple SBIS Ch. Baklava’s Rafi Rasil of Khiva; he holds the record as the all time most winning parti-color in the breed. He was ranked as the Number 1 Saluki in America in 2002, 2003 and 2004. The Khiva Salukis have achieved multiple Best in Shows, over 50 Specialty awards, have been ranked as the top-ten Salukis in the nation for many years, and have been awarded many running/field and obedience achievements. We continue to show and breed Salukis under the kennel name of Khiva. Valerie is licensed to judge 14 of the hound breeds and junior showmanship. She obtained her judging license in 1996. 1. There is a disagreement about brindle Salukis. How do you feel about them and should the parent club get involved? I personally have no color bias, but the Saluki must display the type and characteristics of the breed. At this point, the brindle markings are not addressed in the Salu- ki standard. I think to eliminate confusion and to provide additional clarity, it should be addressed as a color and/or marking by the parent club. 2. What, if anything, do you feel all-breed judges get wrong about the breed? I feel that many breed judges do not take the original function of the breed in consideration when judging Salukis. I have often seen judges simply look at a class and select placements based on up-and-back move- ment. The breed is a graceful and avid hunter that should display the ability to chase game over long distances and difficult terrain. This translates into a dog that must be physically fit. Much emphasis should be placed on
Left to right: Am Mex Ch. Srinagar Sakuna Indra (photo courtesy ofsirianniacres.com) and Ch. Ziba Indus (photo courtesy of J. & T. Skupny).
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