(Afghan Hound Database and Breed Information Exchange)
(Golitha Afghan Hounds Australia) ( by Steve Tilotson and Lyall Payne July 2015) STARTER PAGE - WORK IN PROGRESS
TWO "STARTS" TO AUSTRALIAN BREED HISTORY Just to clarify and avoid possible confusion - there were two "starts" to Australian Afghan hound breed history. (technically there may be three starts. Australia imported camels around 1850 that were used to open up the Australian Outback. The camel drivers came mostly from Afghanistan, but also from Pakistan and the Turkish Empire. In the 50 years following 1850 it is estimated Australia imported 10,000 Camels. Today the Camel population in Australia is in excess of 600,000 - the largest population in the world. Note that many of the camels and their camel drivers (cameleers) came from Afghanistan. Traditionally it is believed that the Afghan cameleers also bought their dogs with them, but we have no details, but it possible the first Afghan hounds in Australia came over with the Camels. The FIRST START occured in 1935 when Mrs. Olive Macdougall (Kandahar) imported a male and two bitches from UK in whelp to top stud dogs and it appears one of the resulting litters produced the first Champion in this country. The progeny of these three bred on, and some half-dozen litters were bred up to the early 40s. However, the breed was considered a novelty and did not become popular. WWII occured an impeded breeding and these first start lines all died out. The SECOND START occured in 1950 when the breed was again seen in Australia when Mrs.Ward (Golitha) migrated from England to Western Australia bringing with her a black masked gold dog, Ch. Devilkin Dasthi Pasha. Some twelve months later she imported a cream bitch Devilkin Dathoobhos in whelp.
From the resulting litter a number of puppies were sold throughout Australia and some were quite successful in the showrings. Mrs. Ward subsequently relocated to Tasmania and it was to this State also that Mrs. Barbara Skilton ( breeder of the Devilkin UK dogs ) migrated from the U.K . Mrs Skilton used a new affix El Tazzi when she started breeding in Australia. It is from this second era of 1950 that form the origins of the Australian afghan hound breed history.
BRIEF BIO INFO ON MR MRS WARD (courtesy Lyall Payne) Norah and Richard Ward were older than most UK migrant families that moved to West Australia in the 1950s. The Wards had already lost a 16 yr old son in England ( their only child i believe) and emigrated with their young adopted son John Ward. They had purchased a puppy from Barbara Skilton (Devilkin, UK) that died, so Barbara agreed to let them have her Devilkin Datoobhos. Meantime they had emigrated and they wanted Datoobhos in whelp. So the hound arrived later in 1950. Barbara and Frank Skilton decided they would also emigrate, and were more typical of the ages of the numerous young British families emigrating to Australia and New Zealand in the 1950s. The Wards were the Skiltons sponsors and also got Frank Skilton his first job in the accounts division of the same firm where he was working. (source Barbara Skilton, via Lyall Payne)
Mr Mrs Ward initially migrated to Parkerviklle W.A. Later they relocated to Tasmania. A newspaper report dated 18 June 1952 documents Mrs Wards arrival - "Dog Breeder - Mrs R W J Ward of West Australia, who arrived by the Taroona yesterday to join her husband at Goerge Town, is well-known for her "Golitha" Stud of Afghan hounds. She brought the dogs overland from West Australia in a station wagon. She was accompanied by her 12 year old son. The trip from Parkerville across the Nullabor Plains to Port Augusta and Melbourne took 11 days. Mrs Ward re-introduced the breed to Australia from England two years ago and achieved successes in shows throughout Australia. She has transferred her kennels and will resume breeding and showing Afghans in Tasmania". (Advocate newspaper, Tasmania, 18 June 1952) Related Content Mrs. Olive Macdougall (Kandahar) Mrs.V B West (Bara-Khel) Mrs. Barbara Skilton, (El Tazzi), by Steve Tilotson and Lyall Payne July 2015 History Of The Breed Down Under by Helen Furber (Furbari, Aust), 1969 ADD FRED LONG LINK HERE An analysis of the breed by Lynette Watson (nee Schelling), 1970's Jim Hickie article on Australian breed history Fear of Possible Mennace -"The Post's" Sydney, Australia, 1935 An Interview with Barbara Skilton Of Eltazzi Kennels Library Of Articles/Main Menu Toolbar Whats New Page |
