Stuart gave me my first Afghan Hound for Christmas in 1962. To date at least 246 Championship titles have been conferred worldwide on Afghan Hounds we have bred and we have exported the breed to at least 25 countries, and have imported a number of famous Afghan Hounds over the years, from England, America and Denmark, several going on to become truly significant in the breed. We also have the distinction of breeding three Best In Show winning Afghan Hounds at Sydney Royal and two plus an Opposite Sex in Show at Brisbane.
Also Puppy in Show at both shows, plus Opposite Sex Puppy at Sydney Royal.
In 1976, we were the first breeders in the world to obtain puppies from imported frozen semen. In 1992 we scored another world first by successfully using semen from one of our imported sires which had been stored for sixteen years.
A Glimpse Into The Past …
Our involvement with the breed started in 1962, which now seems so far back that it really was THE PAST. However, due to our successes with long-term frozen semen, our past is actually our PRESENT and therefore our FUTURE.
In the meantime, at least 227 conformation championship titles have been granted to Afghan Hounds carrying our Calahorra Prefix, plus 2 CD and a FCh, of which we are equally proud. In that time we have had the great good fortune to be the ONLY breeders in any breed ever to have the distinction of producing THREE individual BIS winners at the world famous Sydney Royal (CHs CALAHORRA TURBAN, BENEDICTUS and BOCCACCIO) and TWO at Brisbane Royal (CHs CALAHORRA REQUIEM (sister of Benedictus) and BOCCACCIO, making him extremely special, plus an Opposite in Show (Ch CALAHORRA MOSQUE) there as well. Add to this, three more famous individuals, the first – and for many years only – Afghan Hound to win Best Puppy in Show at the famous Sydney Royal (Ch) CALAHORRA ISHMAEL, the only Afghan Hound EVER to win Opposite Puppy in Show at Sydney Royal (Ch) CALAHORRA CATACLYSM, and the only Afghan Hound EVER to win Puppy in Show at Brisbane Royal (Ch) CALAHORRA THE HAWK.
Frozen Semen and Artificial Insemination
‘World Pioneers’
Way back in 1976 we were the first breeders in the world to obtain puppies from frozen semen, when we imported straws from England to Australia because at the time this country was closed to all importation due to a rabies scare in England.
In those days we could only import from or via England and dogs from America and Europe etc all had to go there first for a period of twelve months before continuing their quarantine in Australia. We decided, with the help of a famous Australian veterinarian, Dr Harry Spira, to try to find a method of ensuring that fresh bloodlines could come to Australia if the rabies ban was not lifted.
We selected Eng and Ir Ch Saringa’s Abra Cadabra, as his bloodlines tied in very well with those already well established in our breeding programme, and he was an excellent representative of our interpretation of Afghan Hound type.