PHARAOH HOUND ‘QUICK HIT’ JUDGING CONSIDERATIONS
T he Pharaoh Hound is fortunate to have a well-written, descriptive, yet concise Breed Standard that was created based upon the tried and true “form follows function” per- spective. Our Standard contains several nuances that are not common to any other Hound breed. In this article, the Pharaoh Hound Club of America Judges’ Education Committee wishes to quickly hit on several overarching elements of our Standard from which we have seen notable deviations in recent years, and which we hope to see judges contemplating and prioritizing. Correctness in these areas is key to breed function as well as classic, unmistakable, and unique breed type. An element of the Pharaoh Hound Breed Standard that is both unique and objective is the description of correct breed proportions: “ Length of body from breast to haunch bone slightly longer than height of withers to ground. ” Where numerous Standards for other breeds call for “slightly longer than tall” proportions, the Pharaoh Hound Standard explicitly defines point-to-point length measurements. When viewed in profile from across the ring, a correctly proportioned Pharaoh Hound will resemble a rectangle only slightly more than a square. This is because length measurement must be taken from the forechest (breast) to the point of buttocks/ischium (haunch bone). It is important to note that the Pharaoh Hound’s length is not in the back or loin (as we see an increasing number of long bodies with overly rectangular profiles), potentially leading to a lack of agility as well as topline issues. Another priority apparent in a Pharaoh Hound's profile is balance. The Standard stresses, “ All-over balance must be maintained. ” The shoul- der is well laid back, with a smooth transition of strong neck into shoul- ders, and the rear is equally angled to the front with only a moderate sweep of stifle. A high neck, which sets abruptly into an upright shoul- der, paired with an over-angled rear assembly (wherein the perpendicular hocks fall significantly behind the point of buttocks) is often seen as “flashy” construction, but is not breed-typical or balanced and will abso- lutely lead to incorrect movement.
SUBMITTED BY SHEILA HOFFMAN (PHCA JUDGE’S EDUCATION CHAIRPERSON) & EMILY KERRIDGE (PHCA JUDGE’S EDUCATION COMMITTEE MEMBER)
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, DECEMBER 2022 | 317
Powered by FlippingBook