Mrs. Olive Macdougall.
(Kandahar Afghan Hounds Australia)
( by Steve Tilotson and Lyall Payne July 2015)
Jim Hickie in his article on Australian breed history informs us - "It is generally conceded that the first Afghan Hounds to come to
Australia were the strangely patterned dogs that accompanied the Afghan camel drivers in the Australian "outback" from the middle of the last century until early this century. With the advent of
motor transport and the railways the camel drivers and their dogs gradually disappeared leaving only the camels as evidence of their earlier presence. It was in April 1935 that the first pedigreed
Afghan hounds arrived in Australia. Thee hounds were brought in by Mrs. Olive Macdougall. and comprised a fawn bitch (Farkhoonda El Kabul ) in whelp to Lehki Marwal ( sire of an English Champion) and then the
following year a black masked gold dog Dharma Reja of Geufron and a a grey-blue bitch Morita arrived also in whelp". From the resulting litter came the first Australian Best in Show winning Afghan. This is no surprise as Mrs. Macdougall. had concentrated on acquiring stock from lines that were already producing winners. Her first import was by Omar, the sire of eight English Champions, and he was the grandsire of both of her subsequent imports, each of which was from an English Champion. It was unfortunate that during World War 11 with no breeding being done these lines were lost."
(Farkhoonda El Kabul )
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(Farkhoonda El Kabul )
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Farkhoonda was born 9/19/1933 (Omar Of Geufron x Rani Of Ainsdart), bred by Dr Betsy Porter of El Kabul Afghan hounds. A littermate was the bitch Roshanara el Kabul who was purchased by Mrs Couper of Garrymhor (UK) Afghan hounds. Farkhoonda's pedigree provided a good start for the Australians because it contained the founding Ghazni and Bell Murray lines as well as the blendeded Geufron lines of Shahzada and Bell Murray. Farkhoonda was imported in whelp to Lakki Marwat, another UK import foundation line from Afghanistan. Lakki Marwat was imported to the UK by Mrs Mariott in 1930 but his ancestry, date of birth and breeder details are unknown. He was an important stud dog. He was used extensively by Eileen Drinkwater (Geuffron) and he provided an alternative choice for those early/foundation breeders to the earlier established Ghazni and Bell Murray imports.
The photograph of Farkhoonda at the top of this page is dated 12th April 1935 which is one day after her arrival date in Australia. The journey from England to Australia by cargo ship took several weeks in those days. Interestingly, Farkhoonda whelped her litter 21st April 1935 only 9 days after this photograph was taken. Here's the pedigree of the litter
Farkhoonda July 1935 and two pups from her litter |
We are aware of 4 offspring from Farkhoonda's litter -
Statrunya of Kandahar (see photo below) Cream Dog.
Ghazi Bin Marwat of Kandahar, Gold Dog
Ghulam Khan of Kandahar , Gold dog
Nadir Khan of Kandahar , Fawn dog
Morita
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Press Item re Morita's arrival in Australia
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Mrs Macdougall with Dalmatian and Afghan hound 1936
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Mrs Macdougall with Dalmatian and Afghan hound 1935
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Press Item re Mr James Macdougall and also Afghan hounds
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Advertisments and info about Mr and Mrs Macdougall's Afghan hounds 1935/1936
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Dharma Raja Of Geufron |
Firdausi of Kandahar, New Zealand’s first afghan hound, was imported as a puppy from Australia in 1938. Firdausi spent much of his life with the late Mr Ernie Schache, a former well known New Zealand All Breeds Judge. Firdausi was not bred and no further afghan hounds were imported for some twenty years. In 1935 and 1936 Mrs. Olive Macdougall. imported a male and two bitches from UK in whelp to top stud dogs (one an Afghanistan import) 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, and indeed was considered a threat to stock by the pastoral community. These bloodlines died out after World War 2. Barbara Skilton wrote that Olive Macdougall. was most impressed with Aghai Of Hawkfield (a later import to Aus) and was most co-operative in helping with information. Olive became the first Patroness of the A.H.C. of N.S.W. when it was formed in 1956 - a club I was instrumental in setting up. Afghan history in Australia is in a book written by Christine Stevens – 'Tin Mosques and Ghan Towns' published by Oxford Press. A hard to get copy
First Australian Bred Afghan Hound 1937
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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
Norah and Richard Ward (Golithar,Aust), by Steve Tilotson and Lyall Payne July 2015
ADD FRED LONG LINK HERE
ADD SCHELLING/WATSON LINK HERE
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
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