(Afghan Hound Database and Breed Information Exchange)
FULL CIRCLE  By Steve Tillotson Afghan Hound Breed Information Exchange, March 1999 Updated March 2010 Page1 Grandeur is the USA kennel established in the early 1940''s by Sunny Shay. Branwen is the Spanish kennel established in the early 1950's by Cynthia Madigan. The historic link between Grandeur and Branwen is that Mrs Madigan's kennel was founded on Grandeur stock. The link became circular with the return of Branwen lines to Grandeur 30 years later.
The photo top left shows Sunny Shay with Far Away Loo (Born 08/02/1939, color = Red, parents = Shaitan Bedar x Cleopatra) , a Grandeur foundation bitch born in 1939. Loo's pedigree traces back exclusively within the US breed's foundation imports from the UK of Badshah Of Ainsdart, Ashna of Ghazni. Westmill Omar, and, interestingly also includes the later UK import Westmill Taree. Photo of Diablo Of Grandeur property of Cynthia Boissevain (Branwen) from the collection of Ignacio of Sumava Persians and Afghan Hounds and used with Ignacio's permission. Please do not copy or take.
The photo top right shows Diablo of Grandeur (Born 03/02/1956, Color = Black and Tan, Parents = Kakashah Larch Tree x Amber Of Grandeur), the Branwen foundation dog born in 1956. Diablo's pedigree is the epitome of all that is Grandeur, and it is also a pedigree that reflects the first 20 years development of the Afghan Hound in the USA.
Kakashah Larch Tree (bred in the UK by Mr Morris Cole) was exported to Sunny Shay and became a very influential stud dog. Remarkably, three other Afghans from this Kakashah litter were also exported to other breeders in the US. The littermates exported were Kakashah Tiger Lily, Lakme of Kakashah and Kaguli of Kakashah. This Kakashah pedigree is very rich in Turkuman lines. Noting that Sunny Shay had imported Turkuman Nissim's Laurel several years earlier, (another pedigree rich in Turkuman lines), the decision to import Larch Tree was truly "inspirational". Later of course, Larch Tree and Laurel's breedings came together, a good example being Laurel Ridges Boy Blue (dog, born 1959), sired by Larch Tree, dam's pedigree contains Blue Boy Of Grandeur and Turkuman Nissim's Laurel.
Luz Lancha Dominguez (Juliette De Bairacli Levy's daughter) above with Turkuman Brawen Fleur D'Afghan bred by Cynthia Boissevain (Branwen) and Turkuman Chiron Laurel Wreath. Photo of DTurkuman Brawen Fleur D'Afghan property of, and from the collection of Ignacio of Sumava Persians and Afghan Hounds and used with Ignacio's permission. Please do not copy or take. I could wax lyrical for ages about this particular era in Grandeur breeding, but will save that for another article some time in the future. Suffice to say, that Diablo's pedigree is so full of interest, not only containing the Turkuman roots via Larch Tree, but also the Grandeur roots via Blue Boy Of Grandeur and lines back to Far Away Loo and her US breed foundation ancestors. This then is the legacy of Grandeur, perpetuated by the Branwens who bred almost exclusively within their imported Grandeur lines. TURKUMAN (click here for the Turkuman Afghan Hound page/s) Whilst most of us have heard of Turkuman, some of you may not be familiar with Turkuman Pomegranate who is the double grandsire of Turkuman Nissim's Laurel. Below is a stunning photograph of Pomegrante provided by Sue Virgo (Sumahari UK). Also shown below is a hitherto unbublished photograph of Natara Of Westover from my own archives, Natara also occurs in the above pedigree in the 4th generation Associated article. UK - Brantwood Kennels where Juliette De Bairacli Levy (Turkuman) was "kennel maid".
(Photo of Turkukman Nissim's Laurel property of Cynthia Boissevain (Branwen) from the collection of Ignacio of Sumava Persians and Afghan Hounds and used with Ignacio's permission. Please do not copy or take))
Let us conclude this first page with the pedigree of a modern Grandeur Afghan which shows the Branwen influence, and some of the ancestors mentioned earlier
One particular Branwen breeding stands out as being significant in the development of modern Grandeur (USA), Sumava (Spain) , Chahcheran (UK/France) , Sumahari (UK) and Jatabe (Spain) Afghans. This breeding involved the mating of Branwen Firang with Branwen Laurel Rose and was the last Branwen litter bred. Let's move onto the next page to study this further.. Inbreeding analysis for Tried and True Of Grandeur  The pedigree above shows Tried and True was the product of a father/daughter mating, and that is reflected in the inbreeding analysis shown above Copyright(c) 1999/2010 Steve Tillotson
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