The Moscow Gray Turmani
By
K.D. Spurling
The
Moscow Gray Turmani (Serije Turmani), is by the Western viewpoint, a rather
obscure pigeon 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.
e-mail the author
e-mail me