Page 290 - ShowSight - December 2019
P. 290

                  Reflections on Borzoi Type
BY PRUDENCE G. HLATKY continued
   One-year old bitch Valeska I Lightly Sparkle. Matured to win 2014 & 2016 NACA Borzoi Fall Classic (OFC) - Classic type, nothing overdone
CH. Ah-Gwah-Ching Snow Falcon. One of the top open field coursing athletes ever. Borzoi Spring Cup Winner -1990. Multi group placer.
Before the advent of the Czarist hunts, with the wildly extravagant 100s of dogs participating, the Borzoi were originally expected to be multi-functional hound, working alongside huntsmen.
It could be said for most, that life was difficult and Borzoi were expected to assist you. They fed you, clothed you and protect- ed you. If you grew crops, you or the hare could eat them. Borzoi helped keep their numbers under control, besides giving you meat of the hare kill to eat and they pro- vided you with fur pelts for clothing. If you were raising ducks, chickens, sheep, goats or other food sources that were subject to prey by foxes, lynx or coyotes in America, once again the Borzoi kept the predators under control and again provided you with fur. If wolves were eating your cattle, horses
and, yes, even your serfs, the Borzoi were once again expected to hunt them and kept the populations under control. Remember, Borzoi were around a long time before the advent of firearms.
Today, live game coursing is prohibited in most parts of the world, but included are some photos of live game coursing from Kazakhstan. This coursing was not for sport, but to feed the family of the hunt- ers. As the pictures show these Borzoi were more than capable of doing what they were bred to do. They are putting food on the table.
Borzoi, both in historic Russia and con- temporary times are subject to ancestral and regional style variations. Please remember the purpose of Borzoi when breeding or
judging and not get lost in regional type or flavor-of-the-month type.
Select the best combination of elegance, balance and power. Faults negatively affect- ing movement and ability to perform the Borzoi’s function are vastly more impor- tant than faults of bite, expression or color preference. Please select the Borzoi with the most virtues, not the Borzoi with the least faults.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Prudence Hlatky has been breeding and exhibiting Borzoi since 1971. Breeding, owning and handling many champions, BIS, BISS, #1 Borzoi, Top Producers, ROM and BIF winners. She is also an AKC judge, BCOA Delegate and Chair BCOA Member Ed.
  Form and Function
286 • ShowSight Magazine, DeceMber 2019
“PLEASE REMEMBER THE PURPOSE OF BORZOI WHEN BREEDING OR JUDGING AND NOT GET LOST IN REGIONAL TYPE OR FLAVOR-OF-THE-MONTH TYPE.”



















































































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