The Duchess of Newcastle, by Andrus Kozlov

 

 

 

Zairka

article

Sverkai

In the spring of 1897, the Duchess of Newcastle imported borzois from Russia again. This time from the kennel of the famous breeder Sergei Kareev – Sverkai, born 1895 (Sverkai-Zhemanka Kareev) and

Zairka, born 1894 (Dorogoi-Raskida Kareev). (Photos are attached) The newspaper “Otago Witness” published an article about their arrival in England.

The Duchess with Ch Velsk Votrio

The sale of dogs and changes of ownership were quite common practices in the 19th century and the

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early 20th century. This was done not only by ordinary owners but also by wealthy breeders and kennel owners. Even the famous Borzoi breeder and owner of a large kennel, Duchess of Newcastle, sold her dogs.

In January 1902, advertisements appeared in the American magazine Field and Fancy offering 10 Borzois from her kennel for sale. Among them were the champions Velsk Votrio and Velasquez, as well as Sverkay and Zairka (both had been imported from the Kareev kennel in

Ch Velasquez

Marksman

Russia a few years earlier). Several years before that, she had also sold the imported Borzois Argos and Marksman to buyers in America.

                                                                   
                                                                       
  Duchess of Newcastle article – part 2

Oudar

I have imported a considerable number of Borzois from Russia. Oudar, from the Grand Duke’s

Zavlada

kennels, was a large dog with a coarse head, light eyes, and cow hocks. He had little beneficial influence as a stud dog in my kennel, nor did Outeshai and Zavlada from the Boldareff kennels. These had excellent heads but straight backs, upright hocks, and poor limbs and feet. I believe both had won prizes in Russia.

Nagrazhdai and Champion Milka came from Colonel Tchebyshev, one of Russia’s greatest authorities. According to him, the pure Borzoi is small and white with only slight lemon markings. All dogs of his strain displayed this colour.

Nagrazdai II

Nagrazdai II had a thick head but was otherwise a very good dog and a Russian prize winner. He

Vikhra

was sired by a dog that had won the Gold Medal for Colonel Tchebyshev. He rendered me great service in the kennel.

Champion Milka was a beautiful bitch, somewhat short in head and rather sparsely coated, but otherwise faultless. She was the dam of Champion Vikhra.
                                           Duchess of Newcastle article – part 3
Sverkay and Zairka, (Photos in beginning of article) my latest imports, came from the kennels of Mr. Kareev, who has since ceased breeding Borzois. He was generally recognised as

Kaisack

possessing dogs of the very best bloodlines. However, although both were prize winners in St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Nizhny Novgorod, they failed to distinguish themselves in England.

Sverkay certainly has a thicker head than any other Borzoi in my kennels, but in all other respects he is a magnificently built dog with wonderful silky coat.
Of all the imported Borzois, the one that has done most for the breed here is Kaissack. He possessed a magnificent coat, an exquisitely chiselled head, and superb hindquarters. In Moscow he won only a Bronze Medal, yet he gave me Argos II, probably the finest Borzoi I ever owned.
Argos II unfortunately died after having been shown only once. He was also the sire of

Argoss II

Vedma, dam of Champion Vikhra, from whom descend the champions Velsk, Velasquez, Votrio, Vikhra, and White Tsar. The latter is the sire of my young dog Ivan Turgeneff, who won all the prizes at the last Kennel Club show and comes closer to my ideal of the Borzoi than any dog I have ever possessed.

Champion Golub must also be mentioned. He was a large grey dog with many excellent

White Tzar

qualities and proved his worth as a stud dog through his daughters Champion Vikhra and Ina, and through their descendants Champion Caspian, Champion Vassal, and Champion Kieff.

Korotai is another import that should not be forgotten. Although somewhat deficient in head, he possessed a magnificent body and beautiful coat. He was the sire of Champion Windle Courtier and Champion Selwood Olga. From the mating of Champion Vikhra and Korotai came Champion Velsk, Champion Velasquez, and White Tsar, all littermates. A fourth littermate, who won at the first show in which he was exhibited, fell victim to the arch-enemy that has carried off so many of the very best—I mean distemper.
Hoping that I have not abused your hospitality and that these few facts may interest your American Borzoi enthusiasts, I wish them every success in their breeding endeavours.
Believe me, etc.,
Kathleen Newcastle
Clumber, Worksop, England  
Some trivia

1

Ooslad ?

Ooslad

Two paintings by Frank Watkins are for sale. Unfortunately the names of the dogs are unknown. I propose my version. According to the Internet, the artist F. Watkins died in 1894, which means that the dogs in the paintings were those who lived in England in 1891-1894. His painting Spain with puppies (1891) is known. As is known, Spain and puppies belonged to the Duchess of Newcastle. It is logical that these paintings also show the Duchess’s borzois. Painting of the  red/fawn dog reminds me very much of Ooslad, imported in 1891 by the Duchess of Newcastle.

 

Year of Event:

1900

Country:

UK Great Britain

Personal Collections:

 

Source:

 

Author:

Dan Persson

Dogs:

 

Persons: