IAN RASMUSSEN AHMADI SALUKIS, AUSTRALIA BIO Having owned and bred Salukis for nearly 40 years I have been the owner and or breeder of top winning Salukis in Australia, Japan, Sweden and America. I have been judg- ing for over 20 years and I am an All Breeds judge with the Australian National Kennel Council. 1. There is a disagreement about brindle Salukis. How do you feel about them and should the parent club get involved? Whether or not brindle should be allowed is an argu- ment that I feel will never be agreed on. There are argu- ments for and against it and both sides of the discussion will never agree on it. In all the shows I have judged Salukis at around the world, I have never judged one myself. 2. What, if anything, do you feel all-breed judges get wrong about the breed? I feel that some judges forget that Salukis are a moder- ate breed and should not be extreme in any way. This also includes rewarding flat top lines, which are far from correct for the breed. When it comes to high awards, some judges also expect Salukis to show like Poodles and Terriers, not like the reserved, aloof Sighthound that they should be. 3. What do handlers do in presentation that you wish they would not? We do not have handlers in Australia like you do in the US, but I think the only thing that non-Saluki people might do that they shouldn’t is remove whiskers. 4. In order, name the five most important traits you look for in the ring. 1. Moderation
overall balance and details such as good feet and flexible pasterns. The feet should be strong and supple. As a breeder, my personal preference is to have large, strong and pliable feet. I do not prefer small, tight feet nor rigid pasterns (although a straighter pastern may appear to move straighter coming at the judge). Lastly, the expres- sion should be taken into consideration—it should be dignified and gentle with deep, faithful, far seeing eyes and never give a ‘startled’ appearance. 3. What do handlers do in presentation that you wish they would not? I think there are many superb handlers who present Salu- kis well; however, some handlers may over stack/stretch their dogs at times. It looks dramatic, but certainly moves away from a balanced and functional look. 4. In order, name the five most important traits you look for in the ring. 1. Type--it needs to look like a Saluki! 2. Balance 3. Effortless movement (you can see the complete struc- ture when on the move) 4. The details (good feet, lovely expression and head) 5. Overall soundness 5. What traits do you see popping up these days that are going in the wrong direction? What is getting better? As mentioned above, I often see very small, tight feet and straighter pasterns. Logic tells you that these dogs would have less endurance and the ability to maneuver over rough terrain. However, overall I think there are many lovely and functional Salukis today. 6. What previously campaigned Saluki(s) come close to your ideal? Please explain. One of my own! Multiple BIS and Multiple SBIS Ch. Baklava’s Rafi Rasil of Khiva—he was a lovely mover, very balanced and had the beautiful details that are character- istic of the breed. He was awarded by both breed experts and all-rounder judges. 7. What is the overall showmanship of the Saluki?
2. Correct basic dog structure 3. Correct moderate movement 4. Overall condition 5. Temperament
5. What traits do you see popping up these days that are going in the wrong direction? What is getting better?
Some are lucky to have Salukis that LOVE to show. They are dramatic and dynamic in the ring; however, the Saluki can be aloof and not care about present- ing themselves. This should not be penal- ized; a good Saluki is a good Saluki.
It worries me that some judges are giving high awards to generic Salukis rather than ones that I feel are correct. This includes forward set upright shoulders with over angulated hindquarters. This generic style of Saluki is often an over-the-top show dog which to me is not cor- rect Saluki temperament. I think in general, overall temperament in Salukis is better than many years ago, but in regards to structural improvements, it depends which country you are look- ing at the breed in as some countries do different things better.
Valerie & Ch. Baklava’s Rafi Rasil of Khiva.
276 • S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , A UGUST 2015
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