About Us

President: Megan Joy Rice Atwater, CA PureJoyAfghanHounds@gmail.com Megan’s first Afghan Hound, a black and brindle female, came to live with her family in 2017. She has bred three litters, including five Champions and two Grand Champions. Her dogs have competed in conformation, fast cat, lure coursing, nose work, agility, canine good citizen, and trick dog events. Megan lives with her husband, daughter, four Afghan Hounds, a Miniature Schnauzer, and some cats. She is a National Certified Master Groomer through the National Dog Groomers Association and an AKC Master Groomer. Megan owns Pure Joy Pet Salon, a successful grooming salon in the Central Valley of California. She is a member of the Monterey Bay Afghan Hound Club, Northern California Afghan Hound Club, and Yosemite Kennel Club.
Vice President: Krystin Hicks West Townsend, MA KrystinHicks@gmail.com

There were Afghan Hounds living in Krystin’s Texas home before she was born. One of her favorite anecdotes is that she learned to walk by holding onto an Afghan Hound tail. Krystin was Best Pee Wee Handler in Match at age 4. Her first Afghan Hound that slept in her childhood bed was Sally Sue. In the 2010’s, she worked as a Canine Rehabilitation Swim Therapist. During and after college, Krystin was somewhat transient for several years, and finally settled in Massachusetts and got the first Afghan Hound registered to her in September 2023. Her name is “Sunday” Suni’s Lucky Charm, currently showing in conformation and training in Agility. Krystin plans on trying Sunday on a coursing field in the near future, having coursed many times at her parents’ ranch with their dogs and with her bitch Sunday.
Secretary: Stir Greer Shepherdstown, WV StirGreer@gmail.com Stir Greer started in Afghan Hounds in 1993. She showed, bred, lure-coursed, tracked and photographed them. In 2017 she started showing and breeding Pekingese. She is a member in good standing of the Afghan Hound Club of America and The Pekingese Club of America, and an AKC Breeder of Merit. Her professional background includes animal shelter management, pet grooming, vetmed and research administration. Stir currently works as a photographer in the Greater Washington DC area.
Treasurer: Brian Wood Loma, MT Brian@ShiningMtn.com Brian and Laura got their first Afghan Hound from a shelter in 1986. Sasha was a much loved family pet. The couple had their first litter in 2008. They have shown and own the youngest Afghan Hound to ever become an AKC Champion. The 3rd Afghan Hound bitch to achieve Gold Level Grand Championship status came from their kennel. Brian bred and owns the Best Bred by Exhibitor bitch from the 2023 Afghan Hound Club of America National Specialty. Several of his dogs are currently being shown and active in performance events around the US, Canada, and Europe. Brian is a member of the Afghan Hound Club of America, an American Kennel Club Breeder of Merit, and past president of the Electric City Kennel Club.
Director: Karen Irazabal Talladega, AL AzariAfghans@aol.com Karen fell in love with the Afghan Hound as a teen in the early 1970’s. She had never seen one in the flesh, just on television in dog shows. Karen spent the next few years begging her parents for one. She didn’t want anything else for Christmas or birthday. Finally for Christmas in 1974, there she was – an Afghan puppy, 8-10 weeks old. Just a pet, with a white blaze on her muzzle, she grew up with Karen and her sister, ran the woods with them, went biking alongside them, etc. She was with the family until Karen was in her late 20s. After she passed, life happened: marriage, kids, work, etc. Once Karen’s boys were in their pre-teens her longing for another Afghan Hound returned. She decided this time she wanted a show quality puppy and though Karen had never shown and only been to a couple of local dog shows, she decided her girl was going to be a Champion. They started with conformation classes and by the time she was 3 years old they had her AKC and Canadian Championship titles. She had hip and eye testing done and was bred to a Jorogz Heartbreaker son via frozen semen. Karen kept two from that litter, finished both of their conformation titles with one winning Best Bred by Exhibitor Bitch at the Afghan Hound Club of America National Specialty in 1995. A proud moment for Karen as a first time breeder and Azari Afghans was born.
Director: Bev Thompson Kamloops, BC Canada Zappa@shaw.ca

Bev bought her first Afghan Hound in 1978 as a pet from a local newspaper ad. She got talked into taking him to a sanction match with 20 Afghans entered and he WON Best of Breed. Bev got a Canadian Championship on him and then imported dogs from the US with Coastwind breeding that won specialities in Canada and the US. Throughout the years Bev has imported dogs from different blood lines from Greece, France, South Korea, Finland and Sweden. They were all finished in Canada and US at Afghan Hound Specialities and all breed shows. Bev has been involved in conformation, lure coursing and obedience. She currently owns three young Afghan Hounds from the US as well as some retired show dogs living the good life. Bev bred 8 litters from the dogs she imported that did well in conformation and lure coursing. Her last litter was in 2012. Bev got discouraged from breeding by the then climate of looking down on people that bred litters.