Mrs. Barbara Skilton
(El Tazzi Afghan Hounds Australia) -
by Steve Tilotson and Lyall Payne July 2015
(AHT Note - In addition to some new research and discovery of some lovely old photographs, we have also extracted some information from an Interview Barbara gave for the 1990 Australian Afghan hound year book (see link at bottom of page) in compiling this section. We are also grateful to Barbara who kindly provided us additional information via contact with Lyall).
Barbara worked with Mrs Riley of Bletchingley, mainly to learn more about Cocker Spaniels, but 18 months later she left, convinced she could not live without an Afghan hound. Blelchingley Tajomeer had become a special favourite, sharing her room and even accompanying her on many of her days off, it was a sad parting when Barbara left. Barbara states that she was attracted to the Bletchingley hounds, they were largely based on Chaman, the stock which had really impressed her at that first show. Barbara thought they were beautiful, especially Int Ch Taj Of Chaman. One old black/tan bitch Barbara really fell in love with was Tullah Of Pushtikuh an inbred daughter of Ch Sirdar Of Ghazni. Tullah was 13 years old when Barbara saw her but she certainly did not look it, her movement was quite breathtaking. Barbara explaines - maybe this is why I have favoured the mountain type of Afghan hound, in those days they certainly had something the others lacked - they still do if kept comparatively unadulterated.
Ms Catt (Skilton) UK Press cuting re
Australia exports and Devilkin at- Crufts 1950
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Barbara's obtained her first Afghan in 1944 - Babook Of Bletchingley. She was a self masked cream/apricot whom Barbara called 'Saidi'. She was a daughter of the small rich red, self masked Int. Ch Garrymhor Faiz-bu-Hassid X Ravelly Badrea a creamy fawn with lovely bluey mauve shadings. Her grandfather was the Afghanistan import Ardmor Anthony. Basically she was a mountain type of GhaznI breedingFaiz-Bu-Hassid was a legend on the race-track. Barbara only showed Saidi at smaller shows where she won a place everytime. She really made her mark more as a brood bitch and under Barbara's English prefix "Devilkin", her children and grandchildren started to win all types of shows. One daughter Devilkin Datoobhos sired by Ch Bletchingley Tamomeer ultimately became the foundation dam of Australian Afghans post W.W.2.
In the 1990 yaer book Barbara was asked the following question "So your breeding was responsible for the resuscitation of the Afghan Hound breed in Australia after W.W.2? and Barbara responded as follows -
Yes. A Mrs Ward was emigrating to Australia and took with herDevilkin Dasti Pasha a rich red male sired by Ch Netheroyd Alibaba, and prevailed upon Barbara to later send her Devilkin Datoobos after she had been mated to Meshki Baz-I-Pushtikuh. The litter was born in Australian quarantine - one of the progeny Ch. Golitha Abdullah was a multiple Best In Show winner.
Mr Mrs Skilton Aboard Ship to Australia 1954
With Aghai Of Hawkfield
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The Skiltons arrived in Australia in 1954 , bringing with them a B/T son of Meshki Baz-I-Pushtikuh called Aghai Of Hawkfield. Previously, when taking Datoobhos to this kennel for her mating, when seeing this Meshki Baz son ,Barbara fell in love with him. For clarity, in England Barbara bred using the Devilkin affix. After arriving in Australia Barbara registered and used a new affix - El Tazzi
Barbara Skilton - Best Sporting Dog Launceton 1954
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Barbara explained that it was extremely difficut to get the Afghan hound accepted in Australia - "whenever we moved into a different area the farmers would warn us they would shoot any of our dogs if they saw them in their paddocks. The Greyhound people who used to show their dogs, refused to compete against 'those hairy crossbreds', and, when I showed for the first time at the Melbourne Royal, the most frequent comment was 'How often do ya shear 'em?' We got quite a lot of publicity at that Royal because an Afghan had strayed in the Woodend area, and was being hunted by an armed posse because it was mistaken for a lion. Luckily the dog returned home before the posse caught up with it! Many judges at first, did not appreciate the coat pattern and refused Challenges because they thought the Afghans were out of coat, or recovering from some skin disease. Others penalised them for being too thin because they could see their hipbones, and so on.
(Escaped Afghan hound - Lioness )
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Just a starter page, to be continued.....
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Mrs. Olive Macdougall (Kandahar)
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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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