Best in Show

Having won Best in Show in the dog competition at the Royal Melbourne Show in 2018 and the Royal Adelaide Show in 2019, Riggs the Afghan Hound is a cut above the rest.

Owners Wayne Douglas OAM and Dr Arnold Tan say the Adelaide Show win was the “icing on the cake” after Riggs was named Best of Breed and Reserve Best Hound in 2018 at the internationally-renown dog show, Crufts, in the United Kingdom.

“I have been showing dogs since 1977 and have been fortunate to have won many Best in Shows, but to win a Royal Best in Show is something every exhibitor or breeder dreams of and aspires to,” Wayne said.

Riggs was also declared the number one Afghan in the UK for 2018 and won major awards in the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany and Luxembourg – including being the only Australian-bred dog to make the top ten at the World Dog Show in 2018.

As the name suggests, the Afghan Hound originated in Afghanistan and was introduced to the UK in the early 1900s. Their long silky coat is a key breed characteristic, however judges also look for a dog that carries their head high and has a smooth, but springy, trotting style.

“A great Afghan, both standing and when they are gaiting, can be really breathtaking, and this can make them very appealing to a judge, but many other breeds can also be very competitive, so it takes more than just the aesthetic picture - it will require strength and correct conformation as well as soundness.”

Wayne says Riggs has achieved more than he’d ever hoped to in his showing career, but Riggs isn’t retiring just yet.

“Afghans are in their prime at around five years of age. Riggs is nearly now nine so there must come a time when we say enough is enough and there certainly is nothing left for him to prove. As they say, never say never.”