The Borzoi in Western Europe (Part 4)

 

Part IV [Conclusion]

By Ursula-Vera Trueb, Malleray [Switzerland]

Translated from “Der Windhundfreund”#131, February 1983 by Jean Vandongen

[Editor’s Note: This is the conclusion of the article which describes development of the Borzoi breed in Europe through major kennels and their influence. The integrity of this article has been kept as true as possible, including sentence structure]

VOM SILBERHOF [Mrs. A. Schaaf M.D.]

Founded in 1924, this kennel gave to breeders and lovers of the breed in the whole world – during decades and still nowadays – a borzoi type that belonged to the best ever produced outside of Russia. As a veterinarian, she not only knew the answers to breeding problems and was in the position to find the best solutions for them, but a chain of lucky accidental chances added to it to preserve in the vom Silberhof dogs the inner –as well as outer – qualities to a climax which happened only once in the history of borzoi.

koldun

In expression, carriage, and flowing of lines, the vom Silberhofs were the closest to the ideal Perchino type. For serious breeders and owners who would like to know the origins of the ancestors of their dogs, a detailed set-up of this kennel follows:

insert I

 

 

*

 

insert II

***The missing dates as well as colors were not available from the Stud Book of the “German Windhound Racing and Breeding Club”.

It will be noticeable how small in this case the base was from which precious offspring were produced for almost 50 years. The above is only a selection of the famous names that we see over and over which have influenced borzoi breeding decisively.

The 2nd World War wiped out this glory. Dr. Schaaf died of starvation shortly after peace and confidence had returned to the country. The few dogs who had lived through the times of distress were destroyed, and the precious Silberhof heritage seemed to be doomed. This was especially sad, as these dogs were the last carriers of an irreplaceable inheritance.Now the history becomes a fairy tale of sorts; it is unexpected how all of this ties in. The person chosen by fate to save this precious inheritance appeared in the form of an officer of the Russian occupation troops. I.A. Nevezhin came from Saratov; he was a passionate hunter and knew a little about borzoi. When he heard of this borzoi kennel, he visited it and bought the male Hermelin vom Silberhof [ed.note: this was actually Hermelin vom der Alck 95] [Gotz vom Silberhof ex Jamba vom Silberhof].  This is how some of the last Perchino blood carriers came to Moscow, where he was most welcome for blood refreshing.

Hermelin

This dog was renamed “Oriel I” and he was bred to the glorious Gaza. In the litter was a dream of a white female named Plutovka. Bred to Giaur, himself a grandson of Oriel I, Plutovka produced two pups, Zagar and Zoluschka. Zagar was a beautiful deep red coated male who even today is known as one of the most beautiful borzoi that ever lived in Russia [he who saw the Russian movie “war and Peace” could admire Zagar in the lead role of the beautiful hunting scene]. Nobody planned to breed him to his sister Zolushka, but Zagar knew the right moment to breed her and so together they had a litter which would be qualified to bring the Silberhof blood with new strength back into Westesn European borzoi breeding!

valdai

The two males Waldaj [aka Valdai 1003- ed.] and Warjag along with their sister Wjuga [born March 13, 1957 – ed.] were prominent representatives of the breed with the beautiful heads that we knew from the Bielaja, Rasswet etc lines. Fate, which had good intentions with the breed, determined that a Waldaj son and daughter went to Finland. Wjuga herself went to Germany. It’s hard to understand that these dogs did not attract more interest neither here nor there. It would not have taken much for them to have disappeared from the earth.

But their ancestors guarded them, and the way was paved for a chain of good fortune, thanks to which these carriers of a glorious past did not die out! This happened as follows: From Finland, a grandson of Waldaj/Warjag named Udaloi came to Switzerland. Unfortunately, he was not favored by the reknown kennels of that time, but he did leave behind three offspring who honored their ancestors. These were Russlan, Rasboij and Radneda de Norois.

Meanwhile, more good fortune brought two Wjuga granddaughters to Switzerland, Tschaika Uspenskoje [Vangsborgs Vladimir ex Angara Uspenskoje] and Soluschka Uspenskoje [Waldai Uspenskoje ex Tajna Uspenskoje]. Tschaika was bred to Russland and a female from this litter, Angara, was bred to Rasboij. Then a son of the two last ones, Choudak, was bred to Soluschka Uspenskoje.

The result of this condensation which was based upon 80 years of line and inbreeding produced five wonderful offspring: Barin, Buran, Bistri, Burja and Bukachka [du Grand Veneur]. All were healthy with black eyes, full dentition, beautiful curly, fine coat, copper red in color with black mask, white chest, leg and tail, fabulous, beautiful fine long heads with small high set ears, trustworthy and lovely in temperament. They are a synthesis of the best that came from the former German bloodline of the three stars: Ch. Asmodey Perchino, Ch. Ptitschka Perchino and Ch. Chack Bielaja.

These five show not only quality, they will be able to produce it with full strength. The material is here – who feels qualified to see to it that this precious bloodline lives on and stays preserved for future generation?

 

Year of Event:

1983

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Author:

Sue Vasick

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