(Tscheljabinski bela)
The Ural or Tscheljabinsk Whites
By K.D. Spurling (2001)
The so called Ural White Tumbler (Tscheljabinski bela Golubi) is one of the youngest of Russian breeds. Hailing from the town of Tscheljabinsk in the Urals region of Lower Siberia, it is Russia's most recent newcomer of its 200+ breeds and only came upon the scene some 20 years ago. The breed is still young enough that some of its characteristics are not yet genetically fixed. That is to say, that the breed is not yet 100% homogenous.
Among the 660+ Tumbler basis breeds found throughout the world, this is one of the mere handfull that actually features a neck frill.
The pictured bird is a fairly good example of the breed and represents fully what is aspired for in a top calibre Tscheljabinski.
Some specimens may also feature a shell crest. Oddly enough, this breed is known to break some typical Western genetical rules in that crested birds often produced plainheaded young and frilled specimens often produce youngsters without frill. Still, when one studies genetical texts, you must realize that nearly all of the research results were combed from the western world and there is alot about East European Tumbler races that is unknown to most fanciers in the west. This includes quite a number of mutations that we don't have in western breeds and also some different genetical variations of mutations known to the West, about which I may write of at another time.
The Tscheljabinsk Whites are extremely rare in Russia due to their young age and barely known outside the confines of a 30 mile radius. It is a complete unknown to the West, save the few specimens that recently reached Germany. If the breed does make it further west (and believe me, we're trying!), this will be one that really goes places!
