The
Moscow Gray Turmani By
K.D. Spurling
The
Moscow Gray Turmani (Serije Turmani), is by the Western viewpoint, a
rather obscure breed of Russian origin. Despite this, and the fact that
the breed is 99% unknown outside of Western Russia, the Moscow Gray
Turmani is actually regarded as among the most prestigious of Russia's 170
some odd flying breeds, and in Western Russia, especially among the
members of the Russian Turmani cult living within a 100 mile radius of
Moscow, nothing on this earth is considered more valueable and prestigious
than a good specimen of the Serije breed. This sort of value is not
measured in the Russian rubel, but in cold, hard American dollars and
prices of 500, 1000 and 3000 U.S. dollars are certainly not unheard of for
a good Moscow Gray, with a top pair often fetching tens of thousands of
dollars among Russia's wealthy caste. From
a historical standpoint, the Moscow Gray or Serije Turmani is generally
viewed as a refined example of the Moscow Gray Red Turmani which are
thought to have arisen by the blending of the Moscow Red Turmani (Moscovski
KrasnoPegije Turmani), the Kaluga Black Turmani (Kalujski Czernopegije
Turmani) and the Tula Black Turmani (also known as "Tula
Beetles" after its native name: Tulski Shuk). By the Western
definitions, a Moscow Gray Red Turmani would be an Ash Red Checker with
very light colored flights and tails and often ribbontailed after the
Moscow Red ancestory. Through intense selection, the true Moscow Gray
Turmans were produced by selecting birds with finer coloration which
finally resulted in the two variations of "Russian Gray". The
most regarded variant is the so called "true Russian Gray" which
is little more than a very dark variation of Spread Ash Red which is not
seen outside of Russian breeds, quite likely due to a yet to be identified
modifier which has escaped Western pigeon genetics. This variation in
appearence is rather an inbetween between a good pastel shaded Spread Ash
Red and a true Black. To some, certain specimens are reminiscent of Indigo
variations which are now commonly seen in many breeds, yet the true
Russian Gray is not an Indigo factored pigeon. Kazys Scherbatov of
Smolensk City, a leading authority of the East European fancy, the
President of the International Federation of Slavic Breeds Clubs and also
a top breeder and flier of Moscow Grays and Kalugas has suggested that the
prestigious Russian Gray is possibly a result of a mutation of Lebanon
Bronzing via the Turmani. The second variation of Gray is the so called
"light Gray" which would be known in the West as a very fine
Spread Ash Red which has a very light, even coloration throughout. Moscow
Grays are bred in two markings, selfs or Pegije. The Pegije marking is
similiar to a Gansel or a Magpie, but differs somewhat. White are the
wings, belly, thighs, the cheeks, extending around the eyes and then
forming a small beard. The remainder of the bird's head, neck, chest,
shoulders, back and tail are to always be colored. This is the same
marking as seen in other Turmani breeds, such as the Rzhevski, Moscovski
Reds, Morshanski Yellows, Kalujski Blacks and Blues, as well as others.
Despite the marking requirements of Turmani breeds, the emphasis in
judging is actually placed upon the head and beak structures, as well as
upon the type and carriage, more so than upon the markings. The
Moscow Gray, as in Turmani in general, is a small to medium-small pigeon.
The head is square in shape with rounding edges; the frontal rising like a
steep wall from behind a short, thick downset beak. The eye cere is pale
in color and double tiered, often becoming very substantial in cock birds.
The eyes are bull in Pegije marked birds and a gravel pearl in the selfs.
The neck is somewhat thick at the breast, medium-long and
tapering towards the head. The chest is prominent, carried horizontally
and sweeping into a long back and tail. The tail drops off at a steep
angle from the rump and to the ground, is spread slightly and contains 12
to 16 retrices. The wings are long and carried below the tail with the
tips of the primaries just off the ground. The legs and toes are thick and
short and always free of feathers. Moscow Grays occur in plainheaded or
shell crested. By
Western classifications, Turmani, in particular the Rzhev Turmani, have
always been regarded as Tumblers which has been much to the downfall of
Turmani in America due to fanciers "encouraging" tumbling and
rolling, often through breed crossing. The reality is that Turmani are
actually Turmani, having no equiviliant or classification outside of
Russia. In this sense, they are neither Tumblers, nor Highfliers, much in
the same way as the Tutcheresi races, but a seperate branch of the
Tumbler/Highflier family. Any mode of tumbling in any Turmani breed would
be regarded as a damning aerial fault and it cannot be disputed that many
inferior specimens that fit this mould are cultivated not only in the
United States and Canada, but also in Germany, and even within the very
heart of Moscow by the backyard keepers who know no better despite 600 to
800 years of strict aerial culture to an organized aerial standard for
Turmani. By this standard, a true Turmani should hover slightly in place,
its wings flashing straight up over its head and its vivid tail spread
wide and flashing back and forth. In fact, no other class of pigeons has
been cultivated and judged in the air to a set standard for as such a
consecutive period of time as the Turmani. Organized Turmani breeding has
existed in Moscow under accepted physical and aerial ideals spanning as
far back as to the period of approximately 1580 A.D. In those days, the
Bojaren gathered together on a regular basis as an organized society to
evaluate vast numbers of Turmani which were being flown in and around
Moscow. Flown three Turmani at a time from small wooden boxes, the birds
were evaluated by a panel of judges based upon the ideals listed above.
Exclusive exhibitions (shows) were also held amongst this group. During
the reign of the Tsar - Liberator Alexander I, as part of the freeing of
the the Russian vassalage, these actrivities became open to all. This is
despite the often arrogantly ignorant misconception of the Westerner who
assumes that because so little news is shared outside of Russia or other
portions of the world, that the Westerner "invented" the gears
of modern animal breeding in the form of the exhibition, both for
conformation and performance. What is known is this: it is generally
assumed that the West's organized breeding of animals originated with
Western nobility, in particular with the British. Yet when one studies
this history, they will discover that even the earliest Western
organization for pigeons did not exist until after Russian Bojaren forged
a friendship with Western nobility, bringing in their tow, not only gifts
of stock, but the very concept of serious animal breeding for other than
utility usage. Today,
this is largely a shadowy idea in the back of the Russian Fancy's mind
that is about as fallable as the concept of Russian Imperialism and both
went hand in hand. With the destruction of the Bojaren in Russia, Russia's
animal culture, especially the culture of non working animals, largely was
reduced to absolute ruin. Entire stocks of animals were burnt to death
after the Bolsheviks set fire to their loft, aviary, kennel or stables in
their attempts to completely eradicate Autocratic Imperialism from Russia
as they set fire to the palaces and manors of the Bojaren. Russian Animal
Culture was uprooted to the point that 90% of all domestic Russian animals
were either plunged into extinction or so severely damaged that only a few
have truly recovered 90 years later.
Even the famous "Borzoi Russe" (Russian Wolfhound) which is
today one of the most popular dog breeds in the world, was severely
damaged to the extent that by 1919, of the thousands of Borzoi that had
been kept in Moscow prior to the Revolution, only 6 dogs of this breed
remained left in the city. The revolution, followed by Germany's invasion
of Russia during WWII that left cities as large as Kiev 90% destroyed, as
well as 70 years of socialism plunged Russian animal breeding to the dark
ages. During
the communist era, especially in West Russia, many people were moved into
Socialist style high-rise housing in major cities, no different than
occurred in Romania and other portions of East Europe. The socialist idea
was that the people are more easily watched if they are living in large,
cramped housing units. Naturally, this made it very difficult for people
to breed pigeons or other animals successfully. As well, animal breeding
organizations were overseen by the KGB. Agents served as the leadership of
every organization, even if the agent knew nothing about pigeons or other
animals. Ironically,
it was this same Soviet government who would be responsible for saving
many Russian breeds of Pigeons and even restoring many damaged breeds to a
state more reminiscent of the quality of the Imperialist era. The Soviet
government during the late 50's and early 60's began to see Domestic
Animals native to Russian soil as a symbol of national pride and as a
national resource. Government breeding stations were built to house,
preserve and improve the birds. Several such compounds were built across
Russia and the Ukraine, the largest being at Nikolayev in the south
Ukraine which is still operational today. Due to these government breeding
stations, the breeds have survived and there has been a gradual recovery. The
Moscow Gray of today is still rather rare in some locales of Western
Russia, but despite this has a tremendous group of enthusiastic breeders
and fliers. The breed reached North America in 1998 with my importation of
1 cock and 2 hens from Kazys Scherbatov of Smolensk.
|