The Moscow White Turmani
By
K.D. Spurling
The
Moscow White Turmani (Moscovski bela Turmani) is an obscure breed of Russian
origin even tho it is believed to be the ancestor of the Orlov White Turmani
which were created by the Counts Ivan and Alexeis
Orlov
in the early 19th Century. The tale is told by the old Moscow breeders that the
Moscow White Turman originated through the cultivation of over-white Moscow Red
Turmani (Moscovski KrasnoPegije
Turmani)
in and around the vicinity of Moscow, starting with the earliest of Turmani
breeders some 600 to 700 years ago.
As
is indicated by the name "bela", this Turmani race is always self
white. The head is square shaped with rounding edges; the frontal rising like a
wall behind the short, blunt down
set beak with a fine cere. The eyes
are
bull in color and surrounded by a pale, double tiered cere. The neck is medium
long; thick at its base and tapers neatly towards the head. The back is long;
and sweeps into the long tail of 12 to 16 retrices, slightly spread open and
dropping off the rump at a precise angle to the floor. The wings are long and
are carried below the tail with the tips just touching the ground. The breed is
plain
headed and clean legged, its toes
thick and substantial as in all Turmani breeds.
A
century ago, in the time of the Bojaren, the Moscow Whites were popular with the
extensive cult of Turmani breeders within a 100 mile radius of Moscow, but like
most Russian breeds of animals, was severely damaged and nearly plunged into
extinction by the Bolshevik Revolution that uprooted the Bojaren
and destroyed 1000 years of Russian
animal breeding.
Today
(2000), the breed is rare within even the confines of Moscow proper and is
practically unknown elsewhere in the Russian expanse, let alone outside of
Russia. The breed's value within the Russian Turmani cult is rivaled only by the
very finest specimens of the Moscow Gray Turmans (Serije Turmani),
and even mediocre specimens of Moscow
Whites will often fetch upwards of $1000 American currency per bird. Top
specimens have often sold for as much as $25,000 a pair among Russia's wealthy
fanciers.
The
breed is not cultivated outside of Russia, let alone known but by the most
astute students of the
Russian
Turmani.
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