(Afghan Hound Database and Breed Information Exchange)
(AHI Magazine 1968, By Donald A Smith. Past President AHCA)
One of the most active and influential of the early breeders and fanciers in this country was De Eugene C Beck. His breedings are behind some of the all-time great Afghan hounds, and he was a founder and the second president of the Afghan Hound Club Of America and judged its first specialty show in 1940 Once he left the scene, however, the Norwalk, Connecticut, surgeon and his dogs rather quickly lapsed into obscurity. Other than through is appearance in 1955 to Judge the parent cub specialty again, most fanciers coming to the breed in the past 10 years know almost nothing about Dr Beck and his accomplishments.
At least three factors, I believe, were involved in the sudden and undeserved anonymity; The Doctor did not own or breed any major show-ring winners. He used no kennel name. And his breedings were somewhat "off beat" and their most valuable issue proved to be some "homebody" brood bitches. Indeed, Dr Beck's own career as a breeder pretty much centered on one such matron - the first Afghan hound registered to him. She was plain red in color, and her name was just plain "Cleopatra". Her breeder was Miss Lulu Catron of Lockland, Ohio and she was whelped September 10 1935 and acquired by Dr Beck while still a puppy. Her sire was Ch Badshah of Ainsdart and her dam the imported Westmill Taree. My records on the subject are reasonably complete only through the latter part of 1938, but over this period in spite of owing a variety of other afghan hounds - all of Dr Beck's breedings seem to have consisted of mating Cleopatra with various sons of Badshah. Perhaps he had some theory about doubling on Badshah and lining to Sirdar x Shireen In any case, in 1936 he bred Cleopatra of Makhmal of Prides Hill, a fawn dog he owned by Badshah out of an Omar-Asra daughter named Sultana of Prides Hill. The three registered offspring were all "golden fawn" as were the four from Beck's next litter, whelped in June 1937. The dam again Cleopatra, and the sire was a black son of Badshah out of Asra named Sarikol of Prides Hill and owned by Dr Beck A bitch from this second litter named Sari-I-Mat went to Laurence Peters from whom Beck had earlier acquired three puppies from a 1936 breeding of Tazi Of Beg Tute to Saki Of Paghman. Sari-i-Mat was later bred to Tazi and produced the maternal grand dam of Ch Felt's Thief OF Baghdad, Sunni of Tazi
LATER IN 1937, Dr Beck bred Cleopatra again - this time to Shaitan Bedar, a black son of Badshah out of Zareha of Prides Hill (OImar x Asra) - a dog which he had acquired much earlier from Margaret L Nison. This time the registered colors were more varied, and the combination proved a very important one in the future development of the breed. Actually, I believe that the key products of Shaitan Bedar x Cleopatra were from a later, repeat mating, possibly made by Marjorie Walker, since they include Far Away Zam Zameh, Far Away Jadoo, Far Away Bhut, Far Away Hubshi - all of which occur in some modern pedigrees and most important of all - far Away Loo
The last-named commonly known as "Ginger" must be rated as one of the greatest producing bitches of all time. Bred to Ali Khyber in 1945 by Leah McConaha, she produced three champions Khanhasset Kush of Five Mile, Khanhasset Ginger of Grandeur and Khanhasset Kairouan. Sunny Shay bred her to Duke Alfridi of Cyan from which came another productive bitch, Ayeshah of Grandeur and others. And of course in 1946 Marjorie Jagger (Lathop) bred her to Ch Karach Of Khanasset to get Ch Majara Mahabat and five other champions Thus although Dr Eugene C Beck's name may be little known today, though his somewhat individualistic breeding program and his leadership in the launching of the parent club, he laid the groundwork for a lot that has happened in Afghan Hounds in this country over the past 25 years Pedigree of far away loo is shown photo of Sari-I-Mat is shown n article Related content Margaret L Nison |
