A Tribute to Alf, Swed.Ch, Dan.Ch.El Khyrias Tell Me a Secret
- by Marc Linner
I received word from Marc Linner that "Alf," Swed.Ch, Dan.Ch.El Khyrias Tell Me a Secret, died of cancer on Saturday, October 26, 1996. Not being as familiar with Afghan Hounds in Europe as we'd like (other than seeing an occasional article and series of ads in the Afghan Hound Review), we had asked Marc before Alf's death to let us include an article about Alf in our anniversary issue. In memory of Alf we present that article now. We believe that you will enjoy getting to know Marc and his Afghan, "Alf."
Alf was my second Afghan Hound. My first Afghan Hound was a black masked cream male named Starchasers Charon, "Chappi". Chappi was from a litter that had suffered from the parvo virus. Some of the pups had died before 8 weeks old. I think the last Afghan from this litter died when it was 3yrs old of diseases related to the bad start that these poor pups had.
I was 13 years old when I got Chappi after I noticed an ad in the local newspaper. When I got him he was about 10 months old. He looked like a smooth haired Afghan, but to me he was the most beautiful animal on earth, and I took him to several dogshows to show him off........
Later he died when he was about 2years old. He suffered an oxygen loss to the brain, caused by the vets during surgery..... It took me six years to get over his loss. You can imagine the "eyes" in "Afghan Sweden" when I went to the famous El Khyria Kennel to pick out a pup from another sick litter!!!!
Alf was three months old when I got him, very thin, small in size and in need to be hand fed. This was the start for what was soon to be one of the top producing Afghans, and winner of a great many shows..... Swed.Ch, Dan.Ch. El Khyrias Tell Me a Secret, "Alf".
Alf got his health back rather fast (he had to be hand fed almost every day until he was two years old though) and started to win some 6-9 month puppy classes. It was really hard to not notice this very, very heavy coated bluebrindle dog, with the great movement.....a movement that he kept all his life......
His show career really kicked off when he was shown at the famous Skokloster summershow. Alf was entered in the 9-15 months youngster class. Judge Lotte Jvrgensen (DEN) wrote in the Swedish Afghan magazine, "Into the ring entered a brindle boy packed in coat from the nose to the top of his tail. WHAT A MOVER!!! When he moved it looked like he could move on the thinnest ice of a lake."
Day two, judged by the late Mr.Carlos de Bango (USA), Alf was the winner of the prestigeous prize "Best Mover at Skokloster," a competition that encluded all dogs entered at the show, both sexes, from the 9 months to the veteran classes in a huge ring containing over 40 exhibitors with their Afghans......
I think Alf is the youngest dog ever to win that prize.
As a veteran he has won several SBIS-Veteran and BIS-placements at allbreed shows, including his Danish Champion title. He won that when he was almost seven years old.
Alf just needed one Cacib to finish his Int.Ch. title.....but we didn't get the time.....
Alf was very hard linebred on the old El Khyria bloodlines, especially on one dog, the great El Khyrias Hazztafer,"Hans." That was soon to show in the typical El Khyria Afghans that Alf produced later. In Alfs first litter, 2 Champions were produced. The other ones would surely be at least Swed.Ch if they gotten to show homes. The brindle male looks just like Alf and is an SBIS-winner.
The 2nd litter Alf produced was with an El Khyria bitch (Ch.El Khyrias Rag a Muffin, "Betty"). In that litter a fantastic black masked gold male was born, Dan.Ch,Swed.Ch.KLB.Ch El Khyrias Your Worst Nightmare, "Metis".
Metis is the first dog in allbreeds in Denmark recieving the Swedish champion title after the borderlines reopened following a near ten year closedown. Metis was"Afghan Male of the Year" in Denmark-95. The same year, Metis was the sire of "Young Afghan of the Year-95" listed:1,2,4 on males, 1,3 (I think) on bitches +"Youngster of the Year in Finland-95" ... all from his first litter!!!!!
Alf's third litter was born at the famous Mandrill kennel. The bitch Int.Nordic.Ch.Mandrills Nike, "Nikki," was bred on a different nordic bloodline then Alf. From that litter, one has become Swed.Norw.Fin.Ch, another is Swed.Norw.Ch, and a third is Swed.Ch. Several others from the litter have become CAC-winners.
The 4th and last litter Alf sired are only youngsters now. They were born in Denmark at the Exxos kennel. The well known Else Holmegaard, is the owner of "Metis" and the Exxos Kennel. The Dam of that litter is an Alf grandchild, born in the "young.......-95" litter.
I'm very, very pleased with that litter. Most of them have already begun their winning ways around the world. I'm never gonna forgive myself that I didn't keep one in that litter. I know that I could get one of Alf's grandchildren soon, but I don't think now's the time......
Alf has children and grandchildren in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, and Israel.
As for myself.....
My profession is singing. I've released three records in Europe and I've done alot of touring. Alf was always with me on my trips, both in Sweden and later, in Europe. I also brought him with me in my all day-life, to meetings, Interviews, photojobs, cocktail parties, etc. - He was with me all the time.....I miss him.
Marc Linner & Trooper (A Chinese Crested)
