Meanwhile we had commenced our own search for bloodlines to incorporate in our long term plans, and had contacted Frank and Robbin Vasquez who had recently imported INT. DUTCH GER. BELG. FR. & LUX. CH. BARDI vdOM (imp Holland) into America, her brother INT. DUTCH GER. LUX (and later Aust.) CH. BADIN being already in Australia with Barbara Skilton and we had purchased a daughter from her to mate to Wali. Bardi was by INT. DUTCH CH. NABOD vdOM from an Ophaal daughter, INT. DUTCH CH. INEKE vdOM and was to be bred to MR UNIVERSE, but unfortunately he died before that could take place and we more or less forgot about any plans to incorporate Bardi via America. Then, on Kay's advice, Bardi was mated to AM. MEX. CH. CHARIKAR WAZIR, a most interesting combination of old Scandinavian, vdOM and Crown Crest lines - and guess what? Just one week after EMIR OF GRAY DAWN entered Australian quarantine, we received a letter from the Vasquezes (no email or faxes in those days, and intercontinental phone calls were almost unheard of) to say they had reserved a dog puppy for us from the litter and would we please advise urgently if we were still interested, as they were by then about three weeks old!! It is hard now to recall the ensuing panic, the phone calls that HAD to be made, and the "leap into the deep end" with committing an American import to the totally unknown area of English quarantine prior to bringing him to Australia for further quarantine here.

THE FLYING DUTCHMAN OF ISFAHAN (imp U.S A.), born 19.1.68, sire of at least 40 champions including CHS CALAHORRA MOSQUE, MUSTAPHA, JAPONICA and RENOIR, and outstanding multi champion litters for Fermoy, Anjalou, Furbari, Hanrovia and other notable kennels. In 1992, by 16 year old frozen semen, CH. CALAHORRA BELOW ZERO (Al), pictured here prior to winning Sires Progeny at the Sheila Devitt Specialty wvhere his son and daughter took B.l.S. and Best Opp. Photo: Michael Trafford

At this stage we had been in the breed only five years, there were no videos or even lightweight movie cameras, and hardly any dog magazines, much less breed-orientated specialised publications. There were not even any express film developing outlets!! Australia was very isolated, transport of livestock allowed only by sea, and the overall costs, including all the freight and the English quarantine, enormous.

Dogs were purchased sight unseen and basically because of their pedigrees rather than anything else. Very few people could afford to buy adults and very few breeders were prepared to allow an adult to come to the colonies anyway. So it was a matter very much of "gut instinct" first and lots of finger crossing afterwards. A dog of true show quality was an unexpected bonus.

And so the b/m gold FLYING DUTCHMAN OF ISFAHAN (imp U.S.A.) arrived in Australia on January 19th, 1969. It was his birthday, our wedding anniversary and also the day our son Lachlan was supposed to be born! Lachlan obligingly waited until January 29th, so I got to see Dutchy on the cargo ship the day he arrived. He had travelled out in the cabin of one of the officers and had showered with him daily ! He had then dripped dry . . . the state of his coat had to be seen to be believed and his ears were so matted that he looked like a koala bear. He had also systematically chewed every bit of leather that he could find in the cabin, photo frame, shoes, binocular and slide rule cases, buttons on jackets etc., but the officer was simply entranced with his intelligence, his confidence and all round fantastic personality, his commanding and regal presence that in a split second turned into an absolute clown, and so he let Dutchy do as he pleased - and even enjoyed the resultant havoc. Dutchy became the sire of at least 39 champions during his lifetime and now of one more so far from frozen semen. Another insemination with Dutchy semen is planned shortly.

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