Best in ShowMagazine Summer/Fall 2017 by Best in Show Magazine

Publishers Jovana Danilovic Ruth Rauherz Managing Editor Ruth Rauherz editor@bestinshowmagazine.com Art Director Jovana Danilovic jovana@bestinshowmagazine.com Marketing Manager Juraj Sokolic ads@bestinshowmagazine.com Contributin Writers Anne Tureen, Richard Hellman, Juha Kares, Karl Donvil, Lisa Croft-Elliott Jovana Danilovic, Bo Bengtson, Ante Lucin, Viltė Šokaitytė, Mihaela Kosic Contributing Photographers Selene Favretto, Karl Donvil, Anna Szabo, Lisa Croft-Elliott, Jeffrey Hanlin, Tommaso Urciuolo, Jovana Danilovic Web Designers Jovana Danilovic Sanja Jukic

intro Dear Best in Show readers and followers, time really flies! It is time for the 17th edition of Best in Show Magazine. In this edition you will be able to enjoy beautiful photos from shows around the Europe including reports from European Dog Show in Kiev, 4 amazing night shows in Split, Devon dog show in America, Windsor in the United Kingdom and Sighthound Specialty Donanschingen. As well there are lovely articles which is one of them written by Anne Tureen “Dogs in Motion”, and great number of interviews with breeders and handlers of American Staffordshire Terriers. I truly hope you will enjoy spending time reading our new edition with a cup of coffee or tea until our next edition which will be Annual 2018. Enjoy!

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Best in Show Magazine

Jovana Danilovic publisher & art director

Content

European Dog Show

Donaueschingen

Devon Dog Show, USA

112

Dogs in Motion

128

Windsor

152

4 Summer Split Shows

204

Meet the Breed: American Staffordshire Terriers

by Ukrain kennel club by Anna Szabo

by Jovana Danilovic by Anne Tureen by Anna Szabo

by Boris Glukharev & Tommaso Urciuolo

Romagnolo raduno 346 Lagtto by Katrien van Gemert

88 152

204

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2017 Euro Dog Show 2017 KYIV, UKRAINE â&#x20AC;˘ 25-27 AUGUST th

Text by Karl Donvil Photo credits: Aleksandr Dvernitskiy & Yuriy Belokobylskiy

Kiev, capital of Ukraine, was the host town for the FCI European Dog Show of 2017. Ukraine belongs to the largest countries in the world and is the largest of Europe. It has almost 45 million inhabitants. The Ukrainian Kennel Union, the UKU, has around 250.000 members and some 100 breed clubs. With 9000 litters/year and 40.000 puppies/year the UKU is certainly one of the big FCI members. It is also a very young member. The club was established in 1991 and joined the FCI in 1996. With their candidature for the European Dog Show they wanted to show that they can organize a show of this size. The regular conflicts with big neighbor Russia were certainly a issue and the fact that one needed a visa to cross the border. Fortunately, a few months prior to the show it was announced that a visa was no longer necessary, but that news came probably too late to convince hesitators to enter for the show. Ukraine is on the very edge of Europe and for many exhibitors its very far away, over 2000km

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starting from the West coast of Europe. But the hard core of exhibitors have no problem with that. 6114 Dogs were entered, the major part from Ukraine, but besides that, there were entries from no less than 55 Countries worldwide. Russia had only 466 dogs entered. That had probably to do with the political tension between the countries, notwithstanding the fact that there is nothing such as a tension between dog fanciers. If there would not be a political problem, there would certainly have been a few thousand entries from Russia. Poland was well represented with 261 dogs, Belarus too with 185, although this could have been a lot more. Italy came 5th with 157 entries and it is remarkable that they beat Hungary that had 149 entries. The most exceptional countries are China, Korea, India and Australia and there were a number entries from the UK too. The European Dog Show took 3 days but prior to this show there was another all breed CACIB show on Thursday, while on Friday and Sat-

urday you could also compete in the CAC show. All this was good for a total of 9556 entries for all the shows. Probably the participants for the extra shows were all participants for the European Show. The most popular breeds of the show were the Cane Corso with 146 entries, the American Staffordshires with 145 entries, followed by the Labradors with 143, the Chihuahuas with 139 examples and the Beagles and the Pugs, both with 114 entries. On Friday, on the side shows, you could meet a few unrecognized and rare breeds. The East European Shepherd for example could be discovered in 23 specimen. They are like German Shepherds, but with less articulated hind legs. Another breed was the ODIS, a breed that holds the middle between a mini bobtail and a small Tibetan Terrier. On the eve of the European Show there was also well attended judges congress, where health issues and standard interpretations were updated and finetuned. That’s a very good thing and should be held every year. For the shows 101 judges were invited from 52 different countries. Among them are very familiar faces and that is somewhat normal. When you know that a lot of presidents of Kennel Clubs from all the FCI countries will attend the general meeting that is always held by occasion of such events like World and European Dog Shows, then it makes things a lot cheaper instead of inviting other judges. On the other hand, it probably affects the number of entries in some breeds and certain results will be predictive. It is hard to tell in how far this is the case, but it is inevitable. Organizing a European Dog Show is always a risky business and financially the organizers must have a good financial reserve to cover the initial expenses like hiring the halls, the tickets and hotels for the judges and all the other facilities that are required. Only after having spend all that money one can only hope that more will come in. I think that the UKU must have been in tension for many months due to the political situation with Russia. One incident is enough to ruin everything and keep exhibitors away. But it was OK and the organizers were happy and relieved in the end. There were over 8000 visitors after all. There was no support of the government but logistical one like police assistance etc. It was mostly thanks to the support of the sponsor Royal Canin that they were able

to build up a very nice show. From the 3 halls of the Expo Centre Hall one was almost completely reserved for the main ring, except for the Breed Club Stands. Hall 2 was a long hall and together with Hall 3 they contained 32 rings. The main ring for the CACIB was in Hall 3. During the European Show this ring served as the ring for the European Championship Junior Handling. Outside the halls was parking available for 900 cars. The front of the expo centre was facing the riverside. In and around the rings it was relatively easy walking with enough space available and it was bright inside. But it would have been better if the UKU had adopted the system of Helsinki with roads and specific areas for the cages and trimming. All the rings were surrounded by panels and inside with bleu carpets, sometimes complete and sometimes in walkways. The main ring was nice, stairs for the public on each side, a huge video screen in front and the photographers facing it, with the VIP’s behind them on a higher level. In fact it was a perfect copy of the European Dog Show of Brussels. The podium was slightly elevated and the dogs could just walk up and be placed without climbing up something. In fact this is the ideal setup for a main ring. All dogs stayed in the ring for the selection, allowing the spectators to have time to see them all. On some editions like in Norway, only the dogs that were selected in the pre-selection ring were allowed to stay in the main ring, while all others just came up en left immediately. Of course not such a big ring is required in that case and things go much faster in general, but I prefer this. The entertainment was OK, good speakers in English and in the native language. For the opening ceremony a group dancers in traditional dresses gave an impressive 50 minutes performance. On Saturday there was a band with 2 singers, good for 30 minutes entertainment and on Sunday it was the polish delegation, organizers of next years ‘edition that took care of a nice performance of a pop-violist, starting with the European Hymn. There was less press attendance as usual but it was one of the most disciplined editions ever. Everything in the main went smoothly and nobody could suspect that this show had only little over 6000 entries. It was a very nice show, well organized and leaving a very professional impression, a “great” show, a great European Dog Show. Best in Show Magazine

FCI GROUP 1

Sheepdogs and Cattledogs JUDGED BY MR. ANDRAS KOROSZ (HUNGARY)

1st place

2place nd

BOTTOM SHAKER ZEPHYR DREAM

Old English Sheepdog Owned by Jozsef Koroknai

OPS I DID IT AGAIN DEL CUORE IMPAVIDO Bearded Collie

Owned by Olga Klimova

3place rd

BUBBLETON BOLLINGER Puli

Owned by Arune Andrulioniene

FCI GROUP 2

Pinscher and Schnauzer - Molossoid and Swiss Mountain and Cattledogs JUDGED BY MR. GEORGIY ONISHCHENKO (UKRAÏNE)

1st place

2place nd

3place rd

TAJINASTES ÉPICO Miniature Schnauzer Black

Owned by Luis Martin del Rio

URSINUS VELUTUS ZESTY GUY Newfoundland

Owned by Zoltan Bartus

MAFIA SANVITA Boxer

Owned by Pogodina Viktoriia

FCI GROUP 3

Terriers

JUDGED BY MR. HANS VAN DEN BERG (THE NETHERLANDS)

1st place

VICTORY IN THE GAME VERTRAGUS West Highland White Terrier

Owned by Beata Przygodzka

2place nd

3place rd

HUNDERWOOD IDOL Yorkshire Terrier

Owned by Nanta Tansacha

FINNSKY KRYSTALL Skye Terrier

Owned by Carina Kitti

FCI GROUP 4

Dachshunds JUDGED BY MR. WALTER JUNGBLUT (GERMANY)

1st place

2place nd

3place rd

THOR DEL WANHELSING Dachshund Miniature Wire H.

Owned by Silvestro Debora

PICOLLO TECKEL INFANTA Dachshund Smooth H. Rabbit Size

Owned by Ekaterina Pikul

POSH PRIDE BOMB OF THE RINGS Dachshund Miniature Smooth H.

Owned by TaeHwan Kim

FCI GROUP 5

Spitz and primitive types JUDGED BY MR. DENIS KUZELJ (BULGARIA)

1st place

TOKIE TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE Pomeranian

Owned by Chaivat Tangkaravakun

2place nd

3place rd

FOGO ITURY PUZZLE ITAPUCA Basenji

Owned by Balova E. & Zaderenko T.

MANI DAENG LEE OF LUCKY STAR Thai Ridgeback Dog

Owned by Kristina Kasko

FCI GROUP 6

Scent hounds and related breeds JUDGED BY MR. JOHN WAUBEN (THE NETHERLANDS)

1st place

FANTAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BRAND MAKES PEOPLE TALK Beagle

Owned by Anastasia Krylova

2place nd

3place rd

HUNCWOT KLUSUJACA SFORA Polish Hunting Dog

Owned by Dariusz Bielecki

AMBER HOPE ANITA Bavarian Mountain Scent Hound

Owned by Nadezhda Drozdova

FCI GROUP 7

Pointing Dogs JUDGED BY MR. LAURENT PICHARD (SWITZERLAND)

1st place

GREY CLASSICâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MAKE MINE A DOUBLE Weimaraner

Owned by Edwin Lenaerts

2place nd

3place rd

ZENS MOUSETRAP HEART English Pointer

Owned by B. Pozzebon & F. Rodrigues

BICE Italian Pointing Dog

Owned by Francesconi Manuel

FCI GROUP 8

Retrievers, Flushing Dogs & Water Dogs JUDGED BY MR. MIGUEL ANGEL MARTINEZ (ARGENTINA)

1st place

AMBROSIAL ALLEGRA BIG CITY LIFE English Cocker Spaniel

Owned by Nora Lukacs

2place nd

3place rd

GLESKA GOODY-GOODY Lagotto Romagnolo

Owned by Katrien van Gemert

ALMANZA END OF DISCUSSION Flat Coated Retriever

Owned by Bengt Danielsson

FCI GROUP 9

Companion and Toy Dogs JUDGED BY MRS. TATJANA UREK (SLOVENIA)

1st place

FALAMANDUS REMASTERED EDITION Tibetan Terrier

Owned by Rauhut Sabine & Katja

2place nd

3place rd

EVAK’S WATERMARK Toy Poodle

Owned by Stepkina A. & Mankova N.

A’VIGDORS PROJECTEUR DANS L’AVENIR French Bulldog

Owned by Rene Thirup

FCI GROUP 10

Sighthounds JUDGED BY MR. RAFAEL DE SANTIAGO (PUERTO RICO)

1st place

2place nd

BRILLIANT NIGHT JP DEAR ZEUS Afghan Hound

Owned by Juan Miranda Saucedo

ABSOLUTE MANN BOMBER JACK Whippet

Owned by Daria Kin

3place rd

CROWNED HEAD IL BAHARA Saluki

Owned by Vaiva Jurate Velickaite

1st place BOTTOM SHAKER ZEPHYR DREAM Old English Sheepdog

Owned by Jozsef Koroknai Judged by Mrs. Zoia Oleinikova (Ukraine)

2nd place BRILLIANT NIGHT JP DEAR ZEUS Afghan Hound

Owned by Juan Miranda Saucedo

3rd place TAJINASTES EPICO Miniature Black Schnauzer

Owned by Luis Martin del Rio

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I dare say no Sighthound event is more eagerly awaited in Europe than the great Donaueschingen Sighthound Festival at present, hosted by the German Sighthound Club (DWZRV) on the beautiful equestrian grounds of Donaueschingen, a charming little town in the South of Germany. The show always offers much quality and quantity in entries, much drama, excitement and fun... but this year, the enormous undertaking by the Olaf Knauber - Angelika Heydrich twosome and their handful, but ever dedicated team, yielded an event that, even if not flawless, was just sheer magic. This year, I have also decided to join the team and taste the Donaueschingen experience to the fullest. And what a rewarding decision that was… I’m not sure my skills as a chronicler are adequate enough to put such a deeply impassioned and immense affair into words properly, but I shall try my best to do so. 74

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Despite ever decreasing entries at dog shows, they continue to flourish at Donaueschingen, and the 2017 edition of the show once again set a new record entry for itself with close to 1500 combined entries (822 on Saturday!). No doubt the excellent composition of the show’s judging panel contributed greatly to this. International attendance was just as abundant as ever. It is quite flattering to the show that quite a few of the international dog fancy are sufficiently impressed with the quality of competition to want to compete here in the first place. And, they realise, that in order to win, they have to show the very best they have. The opening ceremony with horses and the vendors were as impressive as ever. Much to my pleasure, the organizing team were aided by two golf cars as well this year. Direction Reedly Road

Not many breeders in Russia have been able to distinguish themselves by their talent and contribution to the sport in such a short time as Maria Evteeva, and her right hand Olga Popova. Their devotion and passion to Pharaoh Hounds go way beyond just collecting fancy wins in the ring. A true connoisseur of the breed, Maria is a most generous mentor to newcomers and enjoys dog journalism as well. It was her SBIS WW’16 Int.Nord.Multi.Ch. Reedly Road Lynway, handled by Olga, who won Supreme Best in Show, having won Best in Show under Stephen J. Wheeler of Jacosta from Australia on Saturday, under Molly Rule-Steele of Taejeen, also from Australia. There was a great deal of pressure put on ‘Mario’s’ shoulders when he was to take over the reins from his hugely successful half sister, SBIS BIS Int.Multi.Ch. Reedly Road Illuminated, but the young lad has so far lived up beautifully to the expecta-

tions. A Group Winner at the FCI World Dog Show in 2016, he is now a three time Best of Breed winner at Donaueschingen, having won the Eukanuba Supreme BIS here as well as a Reserve Best in Show last year. He is also a three time Best in Show winner at the Finnish Pharaoh Hound Club National Specialty, the largest of its kind in Europe. ‘Mario’s’ Swedish-bred daughter, owned by Maria, won Best of the Breed under Pamela MarstonPollock of Falconcrag from the UK on Sunday, and home bred Reedly Road Qosmos Quest, owned by Alexander Foresti in Russia won Best Baby in Show on Saturday.

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The Xenos Afghans return On Sunday, Best in Show, under Annette Bystrup from Denmark, was the very selectively shown SBIS Xenos Dralion, bred and handled by Roberto Bongiovanni and owned by Marika Bramini in Italy and handled by Roberto. This was Xenos’ 5th overall triumph in Donaueschingen, which is the record number of Best in Show wins any kennel, or individual, have won at this show. Three of them were claimed by Roberto’s iconic ‘JJ’, SBIS BIS WW’03 Int.Am.Aus.Multi.Ch. Xenos Joselito, who was a BIS/SBIS winner on three different continents, World Winner and Italy’s Top Dog All Breeds in 2003 and Best of Winners at the Afghan Hound Club of American National Specialty the previous year. Before him, the first of his kennel to win Best in Show at Donaueschingen was SBIS BIS Int.It.Swiss. Ch. Xenos Marnero, Italy’s Nr Afghan Hound in 2001 and a Multiple Best in Show winner all-breed and specialty level. Both him and ‘JJ’ can be found in ‘Dralion’s’ pedigree.

Greyhound extravaganza Greyhounds truly are a spectacle to watch at Donaueschingen. The depth of quality that pervades the numerically also high entry is just exceptional . Anyone wanting to learn about the breed are strongly advised to attend the show - and 76

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especially on the side of a long-time expert who can provide mentorship ringside. Hence, it perhaps doesn’t come as a surprise that the Greyhound Best of Breed winners won Reserve Best in Show both days this year. Saturday’s victor (breed and BIS were both judged by Stephen Wheeler) was SBIS Ch. Fortheringhay’s Awakening of Love, bred and owned by a novice in the breed, Cristina Wüger in Germany. ‘Astrid’ is a Junior Champion in several countries, Group winner at International All-Breed show level, and what I know her breeder owner takes most pride in is that she is a proven Hound on the coursing field as well, having championed International and National coursings and placed third at the European Coursing Championships this year. Sunday’s winner, sent through to the finals by Maggie Holder of Mascott’s from the UK, was Ch. Sobers Xtravaganza, bred and owned by Bitte Ahrens and Pierluigi Primavera in Italy. The main ring is no unknown territory to ‘Ginger’, having won numerous Group firsts and placements in Best in Show at International All-Breed show level. She is now a three time Best of Breed winner at Donaueschingen, and this year, won Best of Breed at Italy’s largest Sighthound Specialty as well in Padenghe. She was also Italy’s Top Greyhound in 2016.

Donaueschingen in tears An added charm to the show this year was a ‘coup’ I hoped to carry through, which, in a way, ended up as defining aspect of the event’s 2017 edition: earlier this year in March, whilst at the Pawscars gala dinner the night before Crufts, I was much inspired by the idea of recognizing fellow dog fanciers, hence came the idea of organizing a surprise award in Donaueschingen for two notable breeders for their efforts and achievement in the sport, who celebrate their 60th and 20th anniversaries this year: Bitte Ahrens and Pierluigi Primavera of Sobers and Annalisa Rovani and Arnaldo Cotugno of Sobresalto respectively, both from Italy. I have much to thank Olaf and his partner Ina Koulermou for, as well as my partners in crime Giovanni Liguori from Italy and Nathalie Jaklewicz from Poland, without whom this project wouldn’t have been allowed to come into realization. Even though decided in the last minute that I’d actually give a speech to the jubilants, I had, of course, been thinking of one for weeks before the show. I came to realization that no matter what text I was to flower up, it wouldn’t have been as deep and meaningful as compliments from the very peers of the celebrated. So, I asked Espen Engh of Jet’s fame (unfortunately unable to attend due to judging duties at Bournemouth Championship Show in the UK) to write some lines to Sobers, and Jan Willem Aker-

boom and Kris van de Schaaf of Créme Anglaise from Holland to do the same to Sobresalto, which I would then read up to the jubilants along with my own thoughts. Needless to say, all were to be done and arranged in secrecy, so that the surprise would remain a surprise till the very last moment. A genius of an idea was of Ina to put forth our accolades during the Breeders Groups competition. Just what extraordinary opportunity it gave us to have both jubilants present their beautiful breeders groups at the very same show, I cannot tell. The ringside was packed with their ‘families’ as well as with countless notables of the Sighthound fancy from numerous countries. It was more perfect than I could have ever dreamt of. After the placements had been decided, Olaf stopped the judging, and it was then my very good honour to walk into the main ring, escorted by the finest of gentlemen, Enrico de Gaspari from Italy (owner of both day’s BOB winning Whippet bred by Sobresalto), to deliver my speech to the celebrated - still not suspecting what we were up to. When the music stopped, everyone seemed to have understood that something moving would come about, and an intense calmness; serenity fell upon the show. If only to be broken by my admittedly trembling rhetoric: jubilants, ringside and judges alike just burst into tears. The well-established and the newcomer, the Best in Show Magazine

successful and unlucky, the local and the overseas, friends and strangers, and the easily affected and insensitive all cried, and united as one. I’ll never this powerful energy that streamed through us all during the awards. It’s imprinted in my memory for the rest of my life, and as I understand, not only in mine. I don’t know whether Bitte and Pierluigi’s tears, which seemed unstoppable even the morning after, whether Enrico’s rush to hug Annalisa and Arnaldo, whether the lines addressed to the jubilants, whether finding Mrs Wilfriede Schwerm Hahne in tears or the response of the ringside were more touching, but I do know it took for a while to comprehend what overwhelming result this little idea at Crufts produced.

But what is there to know about Sobers and Sobresalto? It’s THEIR journey after all that touched us all the most. I wish I could give you a proper account of the two kennel’s history, but each would require an 8000 word article to give you adequate background on their story, so I’ll have to restrict myself a little. (Best in Show featured an interview with both breeders in our previous issue) Former’s story begins with Bitte Ahrens Primavera’s grandmother, Mrs Astrid Jonsson in Sweden in 1957. Mrs Jonsson was extremely successful in Greyhounds (and Italian Greyhounds as well). Her home-bred Sobers Nugget was a third generation Sobers-bred bitch, out of Treetops Rising Pheasant and Sobers Kame. She was to become the mother of Ch. Guld, the foundation bitch of Ann Gustaffson’s renowned Guld’s Greyhounds in Sweden, who was the mother of Kari and Espen Engh’s Jet’s kennel’s foundation bitch Ch. Guld’s Choice Comine. Aforementioned Nugget’s litter sister, Ch Sobers Nova became the foundation bitch of Dagmar Kenis Pordham’s incredibly successful Solstrand kennel. How ironic, that after several years of Sobers’ absence from the Greyhound scene, it was Ch. Trecarne Amber of Solstrand who became the new Sobers foundation bitch. She went straight back through several generations of Solstrand breeding to Mrs Jonssons Sobers bitchline, and was therefore 78

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the perfect link for Bitte to carry on with her grandmother’s immense legacy. That she did so with success, is as an understatement. Bitte and Pierluigi’s Sobers Greyhounds have reigned supreme in the show ring in so many countries and on SO many occasions that I’d have a hard time listing them all for you. Today based in Rome, Italy, the kennel has been extremely successful in Whippets, Bracco Italiano and Italian Greyhounds as well. We have long lost count of their Specialty wins, Group and BIS wins at International All-breed show level, or kennels of which breeding programs Sobers played a significant role in, but I certainly do keep account of the number of Crufts BOB wins the kennel has so far gained - and that, ladies and gentlemen, is no less than twelve. No better way to sum up the importance of Sobers than with Espen Engh’s words he wrote to Bitte and Pierluigi on this very special occasion: “So very much within our breed has depended upon Sobers and still does, perhaps now more than ever.” I can’t possibly think of anything more telling of Sobers than this... The magnificent Sobers breeders group of ten Greyhounds won Best Breeders Group in Show both days in Donaueschingen. Now, that alone was a sight to bring tears in one’s eyes! The Sobresalto saga starts elsewhere in the South of Italy, and even though somewhat more recently, it’s been an adventure anyone in the sport would be pleased to have taken part of. The international success in which Annalisa Rovani and Arnaldo Cotugno’s home-bred Sobresaltos and imports have revelled in have elevated their hometown Naples worthy of note within the sport, and have

made it a destination to more of the dog fancy than any other kennel in the region ever did. They have bred well over a 100 Champions, covering many countries around the world, numerous International Champions, All-Breed and Specialty Best in Show winners, and have been extremely successful at FCI World and European Dog Shows as well as in the whelping box, having made a positive impact on the breed’s gene pool worldwide. I believe there is no better representative of the kennel to illustrate their importance and success than their hugely successful European Winner & Veteran World Winner, Int.Multi.Ch. Sobresalto Jamiroquai. Having sired 29 Champion offspring, ‘Jami’ became a highly influential sire in the breed and a breakthrough stud his breeders. At the height of his show career, he won Best in Show at both the Swedish Whippet National in Sweden (the non-Scandinavian owned dog to do so!) and Supreme Best in Show at Donaueschingen’s 2005 edition, as well as Beauty and Performance winner at the French Whippet National. He waved ‘Good Bye’ to the show ring in grand style by going Veteran Best in Show at the FCI World Dog Show in Paris in 2011.

(Sobers Ingrid)

Spirits sky high around the Whippet ring

There are many more notable Sobresaltos I could list, but I must highlight one above all on this occasion, and that would be SBIS BIS WW’16 Int.Multi. Ch. Sobers XXX. Owned by aforementioned Enrico de Gaspari in Italy and handled by breeder Arnaldo. She won Best of Breed both on Saturday and Sunday under breed judges Paulo Coelho of Roseira Brava from Portugal and Molly Rule-Steele of Taejeen from Australia, sweetened with a placement in Best in Show both days. Sounds absolutely remarkable, doesn’t it. Well, what if I said all this was done from the record ever entry of Whippets Donaueschingen ever saw? From an entry of 236 on Saturday, and 206 on Sunday, to be exact. To win Best of Breed, she had to go toe to toe with a previous Best in Show winner in Donaueschingen: WW’15 Int.Multi.Ch. Jesrae Game of Thrones, bred by Diana Hansen in South Africa and owned by Jan Willem Akerboom and Kris van de Schaaf in

Best Opposite Sex • Pan the Netherlands. ‘Pan’ himself is one of the breed’s most accomplished specimen of recent times, and has left quite a mark on the breed as a sire. A two time RCC winner at Crufts, he recently gained his UK Champion title at Belfast Championship Show, which is a most impressive accomplishment, considering the level of competition one has to face in this breed in Britain. Also, Jan and Kris’ young males, Creme Anglaise ́s Dom Perignon won Best Puppy in Breed and Best Puppy in Show both days and Creme Anglaise ́s Beau Rivage won Junior Best Best in Show Magazine

Best in Show Puppy

Junior Best in Show Whippet

Best in Show Whippet 80

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in Show on Sunday. In addition to this, on Saturday, home-bred Ch. Sobresalto Vuelta Ganar claimed the CC and second Best Bitch to ‘Sexy’ and SBIS Ch. Sobresalto Buscar Besos placed second in Champion males and was Best Male with BOS on Sunday. In fact, ‘Leone’ won Best in Show at Italy’s largest Sighthound Specialty in Padenghe this year and was, as a matter of fact, sired by a prominent stud Sobers imported from Scandinavia. Bitte and Pieri’s close to 10 years old all-star and Crufts’11 BOB winner, SBIS WW’10 Int.Multi.Ch. Sobers Ingrid won Best Veteran in Breed both days, and Best Veteran in Show on Saturday. It’s quite safe to say the Sobresaltos walked away with an absolute grandslam from Donaueschingen this year. ‘Sexy’s’ account of show wins is becoming ever more impressive, as of this time encompassing 8 All-Breed Best in Shows, 28 Group wins, the FCI World Winner title, a previous Donaueschingen win in 2015 and Best in Specialty Show at the Whippet World Club Show in 2015. To top it all, she was Italy’s Nr 2 Dog All Breeds (both systems) and Top Sighthound (ENCI system) in 2016. This year, she gained her crown in Sweden as well and placed second in an extremely strong competition of Whippet bitches at the Strömsholm ‘Skokloster’ Sighthound Specialty just a few weeks prior to Donaueschingen.

The ‘Skokloster’ victors

This year’s Best in Show winning Azawakh at the Strömsholm ‘Skokloster’ Sighthound Show, Jari-Pekka Kahelin, and Jussi Lindholm’s home-bred Japejukan Az ́Ajman payed a visit at Donaueschingen, too, and won Best of Breed in an entry of 19 (which is quite remarkable for the breed) from Junior class with a Reserve Junior Best in Show and Best in Show-4 on Saturday. The breed was judged the highly esteemed Dagmar Hintzenberg-Freisleben of Sawahin Salukis from Germany. On Sunday, he was Best of Opposite to Frieda van der Mast’s home-bred Ch.Swala ́s Shamarani from the Netherlands, under Annette Bystrup from Denmark. Another ‘Skokloster’ BIS victor competing in Donaueschingen this year was Renato Dal Cero’s SBIS Int.Multi.Ch. Rivarco Tinuviel, bred by Gaetano

Best of Breed Azawak

Turrini and as always, handled by Rivarco’s frontman, Mauro Perna in Italy. She placed second to aforementioned Ingrid both days. Earlier this year, she won Veteran Best in Show at the Padenghe Sighthound Specialty (Sunday) in Italy. The end of a fairy tale As much as we all looked forward to Molly bestowing the Supreme Best in Show winner’s crown on her favourite of the two top winners, we didn’t actually want the weekend to end, and just hoped she would go on moving them around just always one more time… Sadly, the fairy tale had to come to an end at one point, and even with a series of hugs and tears from friends, this wasn’t an easy farewell to Donaueschingen!

Best of Breed Irish Wolfhound

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Best in Show

ON SAT URDAY, U N DER M R . ST E P H E N J . WHEELER FROM AUS TRALIA

C H . R E E D LY R O A D LY N WA Y P H A R A O H H OU N D OWNED & BRED BY MARIA EVTEEVA HANDLED BY OLGA POPOVA 76

Best in Show Magazine

Best in Show

ON SUN DAY, U N DER MR S. AN N E T T E BYST RUP FROM DENMARK

C H . X E NO S D R A L IO N A F G H A N H OU N D HANDLED & BRED BY ROBERTO BONGIOVANNI OWNED BY MARIKA BRAMINI Best in Show Magazine

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The Literary Dog “DOGS IN MOTION” Kari Jarvinen comment on the book Interviewed by Anne Tureen

Dogs in Motion is merely the title. Inside the book is everything that is inside your dog, specifically, canine biology. Professor Martin Fisher and Dr. Karin Lije have presented their work in this museum quality volume both scientifically and artistically, using top quality paper and binding, able to withstand constant use. In fact, this is the sort of book that is frequently consulted, much like a dictionary, by judges, breeders and dog lovers who want to know exactly why their dog is an ergonomic miracle. A large part of the book focuses on The Jena Study. ‘The question of the Jena Study was what similarities and differences exist in the locomotion of

different breeds of dog. In order to answer this question, gait analyses were carried out on over 300 dogs. The Jena Study is thus the most extensive study into dog locomotion to have taken place anywhere in the world to date. ‘

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The anatomical presentation focuses on the elements fundamental to motion such as the bones, muscles, and ligaments constantly linking anatomy to kinematics, which is the study of movement, and what we commonly refer to as gait.

‘In the trot in particular, the dog’s favorite gait, three quarters of the work performed is recovered and harnessed – it is no wonder, with such a low energy input, that dogs rarely tire. It must also be emphasized, however that any kind of maneuver involving acceleration and deceleration does require extensive muscle work. The energy saving mechanisms only come into play during regular, constant locomotion.’ The text relentlessly pursues the question like water flooding a valley it fills the tiny spaces as well as the large expanse. Any question you ever had concerning the movement of dogs is answered here, from the structure of the animal to the very generation and nature of energy. The book opens with a look at the genetics of evolution in dogs from the study of wolves and the beginning of their domestication over 31,000 years ago, to the fascinating case of a 50 year Russian breeding program in which the Silver Fox was domesticated. The fenotype of this species actually changed as the successive generations of wild fox became more closely involved with humans, they began to develop dog like characteristics. This naturally leads into a discussion of the origin of dog breeds and their classification as interpreted by the FCI, KC, and AKC.

‘Dog breeds are thus defined not by biological characters, but by humans.’

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‘Dogs have a four wheel drive, The propulsive forces supplied by the forelimbs are close to those of the hindlimb in both the trot and gallop.’ Though the book is clear and extensively illustrated, it is by no means what could be termed a ‘popular’ book. This is not a page turner, nor is it light reading for a long train ride. The subject is approached in a thoroughly scientific and academic manner, studded with citations of colleague’s work, measurement analyses, and a rich vocabulary. A discreet command of English is essential. (The original is in German, but Lucy Cathrow’s sublime translation makes the text available to us in English.) The visual aspects of the book from Jonas Laustroer and Amir Andikfar however, have an almost equal importance to the text. Tables and graphs of every kind are employed. The illustrations of the muscles and bones are the best ever produced and of interest to any handler or groomer who considers themselves a ‘professional’. More-

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over, the pages are ornamented by drawings in pencil and paint bringing forth the spirit of the dog, which is clearly the moving force behind such a momentous effort. The project was published in 2011 by VDH (Verban fur das Deutche Hundewesen), and we all know that everything done in Germany is done with perfection in mind. Passion for the subject and for beautiful books is expressed on each of the 207 pages, there is even a CD included on the back cover with an extensive appendix of film documenting dogs gaiting. Speaking about this book with the Literary Dog is the Finnish judge Kari Jarvinen. Mr. Jarvinen has been an all round breed judge since 1991. He has judged in over 80 countries covering the most prestigious appointments. However perhaps his most outstanding mo114

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ment was his appointment as Chairmen of the Helsinki WDS organization, recognized as one of the best events in the history of the WDS. He has dedicated much of his lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work to the Finnish and Estonian kennel clubs, as well as many other organizational groups including positions on the Board of Directors of the FCI for 19 years. He was central to the introduction of both Agility and Junior Handling in Finland. As a breeder, he started in Boxers (Dog of the year in Sweden 1972,) and continued in other breeds including West Highland Terriers and Scottish Terriers with his wife Raija. BIS: I see you have Dogs in Motion in your own libraryâ&#x20AC;Ś. K.J.: Yes, I bought it when it first came out, and I still use it!

BIS: What role do books have in Finland’s training program for judges? K.J.: We have about 40 people who would like to become judges every year, and we must determine if they understand dogs and see dogs, we have 4 or 5 weekends and we require a great deal of reading before their exam. Our kennel club has translated some foreign texts into Finnish, but we have also produced a number of new original volumes. Good books are a priority for us. We must be doing something right, just recently, the KC came to visit us and learn about our judge’s training program, which was a great honor. BIS: Do you feel books can help us improve our breeding, handling or judging? K.J.: Most definitely. Other valuable materials are films, discussions, and of course, experience. BIS: You were the moving force behind the introduction of Agility in Finland in the 1980’s. This is a discipline based on efficient movement…. K.J.: Certainly, and it’s good fun for the dogs who love the interaction with people. It is a great sport, the limit is that it is not equally competitive for all of the breeds. You will never see a Scottie winning an agility competition. Shows have this advantage, each breed is judged for its own specific movement. I would say that the evaluation of movement in the ring is an extremely important part of the judging process. BIS: You are one of the most authoritive all round breed judges active today, and you are called on to see masses of dogs, native breeds in countries around the world, is it difficult to keep in mind each specific gait? K.J.: Not really, because it is the very construc-

tion of the dog that will determine the movement you can expect. Just for example if you take the Finnish Spitz, which is a hunting dog, he must see the bird high in a tree, and show the hunter where the bird is. This is a galloping breed, fairly square. The Finnish Hound, which hunts hare, he is not so speedy but his longer body and longer steps allow him to walk for hours. The Pekingese, has yet another movement, it’s due to the pear shaped body, tapering behind and the legs are not straight, they should be close behind, and they start left then right, left right…the front legs are carrying and the hind legs are turning. The construction determines the movement. BIS: How can exhibitors present their dogs so that their movement is appreciated? K.J.: The people who present their dogs must be aware of these differences among the breeds. However, even with the classic long legged trotting or galloping dog there is no point in racing around the ring at top speed. I have to say ‘Stop everyone! Please walk your dogs.’ Poor movement can be somewhat improved by clever training but not enough to change matters substantially. In any case, the judge will go over the dog, and maybe you’ve seen some Hackney movement, maybe the handler was trying to hide that, but you will feel that the anterior assembly is off when you go over the dog. There is no hiding poor construction. Something that every exhibitor can do is to keep the dog in good condition. If a dog is out of condition, it does not have any chance to move well. I have a Chihuahua now, so I understand the tendency to let them lie around on the sofa, but they need to run and have good food too. BIS: You have dedicated considerable energies to show organization including the fabuBest in Show Magazine

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lous Helsinki WDS, what can organizers do to ensure that the dogs can be properly gaited? K.J.: As far as movement is concerned, the larger breeds need attention. If the space is simply divided equally into a number of rings, the larger breeds are cramped in their movement, so many organizational committees will organize some larger breed rings and arrange the breeds by size as well as group, for example the Czerny Terrier may not be with the other Terriers, but over with the Greyhounds and Saint Bernards. This is something we do in Helsinki. The smaller breeds need less space. Of course, space is not the only ingredient to a successful show. Our first thoughts are always to the judging panel. In Finland we have licensed ring stewards. Just like our breeders and judges the stewards must pass an exam and they receive a card, moreover, they are paid as much as the judge to do their job. We have 60,000 dogs most years at our show, the largest after Crufts, so we do everything to guarantee it runs smoothly, and we try to make it fun, with great shopping right before Christmas- plenty of good books for sale! BIS: Looking back on your experience, would you say movement is improving or worsening in various breeds today? K.J.: When I started in the early 70’s, the larger breeds were much worse off. Rear construction was not solid. Today that is not true. Most breeds are much improved in health and construction. We still have work to do keeping type, avoiding hyper type. In movement, we still can expect some improvement in French Bulldogs or similar breeds. We also need to avoid the banana back or other extreme elements, but on the whole dogs are improved compared to the past. BIS: Dogs in Motion is more scientific than most 116

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books on dogs. Many branches of science are relevant to our subject: the dog. Various branches of biology, genetics, physics, even mathematics, statistics and psychology are directly related to breeding and understanding dogs. This contrasts with the old world view of our sport which was much more empirical, and basically required a good eye for a dog, good kennel management, and good luck. How much concrete study do you think is advisable for ‘professional’ breeders, handlers, and judges? K.J.: The Finnish kennel club supports quality training for all who want to undertake one of the challenging paths that the dog world offers. I believe you need to have both feet on solid ground in order to have the best possible chance for success in the future. In breeding for example, here in Finland, our breeders pass a test to get a kennel name for which they are required to study all aspects of their discipline. The breeder has a lot of responsibility, which we feel is correct. The breed club ought not to take on decisional powers since the breeder is the one paying for the results. We have put in place a sort of ‘safety net’, consisting in a few general rules to safeguard the various breeds that are based on the most recent research. We do not allow close inbreeding such as sire to daughter, and we limit the number of litters a male can register especially in rare breeds in order to keep the gene pool varied. In other ways, our breeders make their own decisions and we want to support them with training, test databases, everything is very open. Knowledge, technology, transparency, this is the way forward. Dr. Kirsi Sainio is one of the treasures that the northern countries bring to the dog world. An adjunct professor at Helsinki University (Biomedicine), she acts as chair of the FKC Scientific Committee and sits on the board of the

some things ought to be brought into question. This is a fruitful way of approaching anatomy. Each dog and each breed is different. There are common things, the same muscles the same bones, but in breeds and in individuals the length and strength of the bone is different, the use of the muscles is also different. I don’t think any two dogs are 100% the same.

Finnish Kennel Club. She is a breeder and judge of outstanding merit, having dominated Skye Terrier rings almost from her beginning in 1974, and still today ranks top of the breed in the USA and Europe. She has been invited to judge the key shows of her breed including specialties in various countries down to the Isle of Skye, as well as major breed events such as the Skye terrier Club Diamond Jubilee show 2006, Montgomery 2008, and Crufts 2015. BIS: Who should read this book? K.J.: I use this book in breeder education courses and in breed club meetings. I refer to it for anatomy, general construction and movement. I use the CD, and some of the pictures to illustrate certain points, and I recommend the book for anyone interested in deepening their knowledge. One reason that this particular text is useful is that it raises discussion, which is a good thing, people tend to take everything for granted, but

BIS: What is special about the Jena study, how has it influenced your thinking? K.J.: Their study is very interesting, for example, they can measure the exact weight that each leg carries, and one thing that you can see, is that if there is something wrong with the construction then the dog puts weight on the other parts. It is fascinating that dogs can do that. I think we need to get away from a black and white view of movement, because dogs are individuals. I have been speaking with Martin Fischer, one of the authors of Dogs in Motion, to see if they could formulate a similar study with dysplasia in mind. I would like to see a comparison of healthy dogs and dogs affected with hip or elbow dysplasia in various degrees and see how each moves. Can we tell even more about the dogs from their movement? I don’t know if such a study would be possible, they would need renewed funding, but what they have achieved is already monumental. The pictures alone are groundbreaking but then the analysis they carried out is extremely valuable. BIS: I never thought of anatomy as a controversial subject. K.J.: Controversy is a hallmark of good science, what is not useful is criticism. I know that there are some who question the results of the Jena study, especially in comparison with the initial hypothesis, but as a scientist myself, I don’t see much margin for criticism for the study or for the Best in Show Magazine

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results. I see new questions opening up. There is much to learn here. Moreover, I am a judge, and I have heard some comments that this study is not relevant to what goes on in the ring, that it is no substitute for experience. Well, there are facts and there is opinion, and each has a role to play. Sometimes we see what we want to see, what we assume, but this study is based purely on fact and brings valuable information to judges and breeders. The basic anatomy of the dog cannot be underestimated as a tool. Breeders may acquiesce when a judge awards their dog, but the breeder is the first who must know where that dog can be improved. Are the dogs used in this study champions? There are champions and champions. The dogs used are not in show condition. There are some who are overweight, some have clearly whelped recently and their muscle condition is not the best. They were all x-rayed and found to be healthy, which does not make them a champion, but they represent their breed, no doubt. BIS: What sort of questions do you see opening up after reading this book? K.J.: This group could do so much more, different study groups of dogs with dysplasia, with patella problems, studies of how whelping affects movement, if they could get the funding it would be a wonderful contribution to cynology. BIS: Where does science and dog showing meet on common ground? K.J.: Many of the breed standards leave room for interpretation. You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t necessarily get the breed specific differences. The assumption

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is that when a judge starts to work, they are versant with anatomy. Occasionally, I have my doubts about this, whether the breeders and judges are clear on the anatomy of the dog. The training programs in various countries are of different qualities. It is not that years must go by, time is not the fundamental element, some people can take decades and still not quite understand. People are different. Some people in the show world are educated some are not and some are talented and some not. I hope that basic understanding of soundness and construction will emerge in what we consider excellence among dog people. This book is one very good source for arriving at that goal. In some parts it is very complicated, it is not easy to understand. It is not an easy read because there is so much information. It must be approached with time and thought. You can miss half of what it is saying if you just read through, which is sad. Give Dogs in Motion time and effort, and it will pay you back tenfold.

Best in Show Magazine

Gundog Group

J U D G E D B Y M I S S A N N I NGR A M ( I R E L A N D )

GROU P W I N N E R

WILCHRIMANE FRANKEL POINTER MRS A & SIDDLE What a strong group this was with several dogs unlucky not to be shortlisted. After serious consideration I shortlisted the Labrador, Irish Setter, Welsh Springer Spaniel, Irish Water Spaniel as well as the 4 placed dogs. After a further look both on the move and stacked, my winner was the very beautiful 9 months old Pointer bitch,Siddle and Crocker’s Wilchrimane Frankel. She caught my eye as soon as she came into the ring with her classy clean outline and lovely carriage, I couldn’t wait to go over her to see if she was as good as her first impression and if anything she exceeded my expectations with her lovely head, correct stop and lovely intelligent expression, Long arched neck running into well laid shoulders with good bone and feet, good topline and depth of brisket with strong hindquarters and correct tail carriage, so sound on the move with a lovely free stride, one you could move again just for the pleasure of watching her go! 2. Taylor’s Wansleydale Queen Bee JW English Setter Another really typy Bitch with nice oval skull, correct stop and lovely kind expression. Well set on neck running into well laid shoulders, deep rib cage and lovely flowing lines. Another who moved so very well with no exaggeration. 3. Alcorn, Braddeley & Crowther’s Sh. Ch. Lourdace Fulcrum JW Gordon Setter, what a sound, honest workmanlike dog this is, who always does his best. Really nice head with dark expressive eyes, good neck and shoulder, well sprung ribs, strong hindquarters which he uses so well on the move with his lovely ground covering stride and great outline. 4. Cox, Reynolds & Crocker’s Sh.Ch., Ir.Ch. Ned.Ch. Wyclydo’s Fast As The Wind Clumber Spaniel I loved the overall type of this dog combining bone and substance with a great purposeful movement, with his excellent strong head with clean eyes and deep stop, well sprung ribs and strong hindquarters which he uses so well on the move.

Hound Group

J U D G E D B Y M I S S A N N I NGR A M ( I R E L A N D )

GROU P W I N N E R

C H S OL E T R A DE R MA G IC M I K E B A S S E T GR I F F O N V E N DE E N ( P E T I T ) MRS S. ROBERTSON & MRS. W. DOHERTY What a lovely group this was and I was so happy with any and all of my shortlist, which comprised of The Miniature Smooth Dachshund, the Afghan, the Beagle, the Saluki along with the winners. Robertson & Docherty’s Ch. Sole trader Magic Mike, Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen, what a charming dog this is! He oozes personality with the most gorgeous kind expression, and he is so well made that it is a pleasure to watch him move with his easy stride and lovely carriage, correct tail set and strong hindquarters, he strides around the ring with a lovely outline. Shown in great coat and condition and sympathetically handled he was very close up in the Best In Show decisions. Short’s Collooney Tartan Tease Whippet so very feminine with her super flowing lines, it was a very close decision! Long crested neck running into well laid shoulders which gives her that lovely reach in front movement, she has a great body and keeps such a great topline on the move, I really loved her! The Basenji, what a classy bitch this is! She took a while to settle and could be a bit naughty but she was well worth taking a little time with with. She has a lovely head with right amount of wrinkle, well set ears and that lovely inscrutable expression. finely built with long elegant neck, good length of leg with good front and topline, nice twist to her tail, she has lovely carriage on the move and moves with such style, another I could happily give the group too. Abraham’s Ch. Go Go Bolshoi Sundance Kid to Jamarqui (Imp) Borzoi impressive male in excellent coat who had great nobility. Long lean head well filled under the eyes with strong underjaw and nice expression. Nicely crested neck running into well laid shoulders, good depth of brisket and correct topline, so very elegant going around the ring with his easy movement.

Toy Group

J U D G E D B Y M I S S A N N I NGR A M ( I R E L A N D )

GROU P W I N N E R

VERHEYEN ANTON C A VA L I E R K I N G C H A R L E S S P A N I E L MRS M. CUNNINGHAM I shortlisted Griffon Bruxellois, the English Toy Terrier, the Japanese Chin and the Min Pin for another look along with the final winners. After a further look and some really close decisions my winner was Cunningham’s Verheyden Anton Cavalier who caught my eye coming into the ring with his lovely side gait and outline. Not one of the glamour breeds in the group but he is so nice to go over with his lovely gentle expression, well tapered muzzle, well filled under the eyes, not overdone in any way. Nice reach of neck with good front and good body, correct tailset and carriage which is becoming a big problem in the breed, he really scores going around the ring using his strong hindquarters to best advantage, it is lovely to see a Toy breed able to move so easily. Storey’s Ch. Rhodenash Kotten Kylde JW Pug another who really took my eye with his strong powerful movement so typical Pug! Very nice head with wide well padded muzzle, open nostrils and dark expressive eyes. Good front and feet, well ribbed short body with good twist to his tail , strong hindquarters which he used so well on the move. Holman’s Ch. Käki’s Mystical Legend of Brooklyn At Altina Pomeranian I just loved the way this dog looked at me as if he was daring me not too like him! Very nice foxy head with well set small ears, fine bone, compact body, and well carried tail, so very dainty on the move, keeping his nice outline and lovely attitude. Mault’s Limartine Rage In Red , Australian Silky really impressed me with her great coat and colour and overall balance and correct body proportions. Very nice head with good flat skull, correct length of muzzle and bright expression, great neck and shoulder, strong hindquarters which she uses well on the move keeping her excellent top line.

Terrier Group

J U D G E D B Y M I S S A N N I NGR A M ( I R E L A N D )

GROU P W I N N E R

C H S H A R NO R H I G H I ’ M V I K T O R A T K I E R L A N DE R B E D L I NG T O N T E R R I E R MR. P. KIERNAN I shortlisted Border Terrier, Norfolk Terrier, Dandie Dinmont and Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Kiernan’s Ch. Sharnor Hi I’m Viktor At Kierlander , Bedlington Terrier, how correct is this dog! Not the most eye catching on the terrier breeds but this dog must be one of the best Bedlingtons I have ever judged! He is so correct with his lovely head and expression, absolutely correct horse shoe front, really lovely coat texture, good depth of brisket and correct top line, he has the breed specific mincing movement keeping his lovely outline, presented in wonderful coat and condition. Malzoni’s Am. Ch. Hampton Courts Monte Cristo, Fox Terrier, what an eye catcher this dog is! Presented in excellent coat and so very well handled to make the most of himself he’s a hard dog to go by. Long narrow head with keen expression, great neck and shoulder , short back, good body and topline, moves soundly with great attitude. Mc Court, Eardley & O’Reilly’s Ch. Silhill Red Crackle,Australian Terrier, what a really nice representative of this breed he is. Not the most glamorous in the terrier group but this dog is so well made with a great head, keen expression, well set ears, and, unusually for this breed, a decent front! He has a sturdy lowest body of nice length, great topline, and very nice sound movement, I loved his attitude and overall quality. Chapman, Bradley & Herd’s Mis BrueikTickled Pink By Berrybreeze, Scottish Terrier, very feminine Bitch in great coat and nice size. Long head with sufficient strength and nice bright expression, well set ears, good rib cage , short back ,strong hindquarters, she moved well keeping her nice outline and good carriage.

Utility Group

J U D G E D B Y M I S S A N N I NGR A M ( I R E L A N D )

GROU P W I N N E R

CH STECAL’S LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT A K I TA MS C. & F. BEVIS & MRS R. CORR What a fabulous group this was, I was ablsolutely spoilt for choice but in the end I shortlisted the Dalmatian, Japanese Spitz,Lhasa Apso and Tibetan Terrier, and after a lot of deliberation my winner was the Bevis & Corr’s Ch. Stecal’s Love At First SightJW Akita she caught my eye as soon as she entered the ring with her super movement and wonderful carriage. I loved her head and well set ears which gave her a lovely expression, she combines the power and strength required in the breed whilst keeping her femininity and showing no signs of being too heavy or clumsy. Her overall balance with correct body proportions and lovely crested neck, well laid shoulders and great bone and feet. She has the moderate rear angulations called for in the standard but she really moves so well around the ring, shown in wonderful coat and condition she did everything right to hold off exceptionally strong competition. Seal’s Ch. Sealaville He’s Tyler, Bulldog who really impressed me with his ring presence and the way he moved around the ring, surely he demonstrates that he is fit and well able to stride out, or should I say strut around,without causing himself any distress. He has a great head with wide open nostrils, great upsweep and nicely set eyes. He has a great front with good bone and feet, good body and strong hindquarters loved to see him going around the ring with such great purpose. Isherwood, Howard & Rawley’s Afterglow Foxtrot Oscar, Toy Poodle I really loved this young man, a real toy with the sweetest of heads and small almond eyes which twinkled at me, nicely chiselled foreface and correct chin. Good body and tail set, strong hindquarters, moves so very well with a lovely carriage and outline, he has that lightness of step so typical of correct Poodle movement, he was presented in top class coat and condition, on another day he will surely be a group winner. Harwood’s Ch. Minarets Best Kept Secret, Miniature Poodle what a spectacular dog this is! So very eye catching, shown in superb coat and condition , he is such a classy dog. Long well chiselled foreface, lovely

Working Group

J U D G E D B Y M I S S A N N I NGR A M ( I R E L A N D )

GROU P W I N N E R

CH MEADOWPARK HIGH CLASS B E R N E S E MOU N TA I N D O G MRS C. HARTLEY-MAIR & MR G. DYBDALL I shortlisted the Tibetan Mastiff, Dogue de Bordeaux, Giant Schnauzer and the Bouvier.Hartley-Mair & Dyball’s Ch. MeDowpark High Class, Bernese Mountain Dog, what a close decision this was ! He came into the ring and demanded attention, and on closer inspection, I found a dog with a lovely head and expression, super front, well sprung ribs and strong hindquarters with correct tail set and carriage , this dog powered around the ring demanding attention, and he is so sound coming and going, I could not deny him the number one spot. Bartus & Fantur’s Int. Ch. Ursinus Velutus Zesty Guy,Newfoundland , another eye catching dog who did everything right and made the absolute most of himself. Shown in lovely coat and condition, with a lovely head with well defined stop and nice expression, great rib cage and excellent top line and hindquarters, I was really splitting hairs between these 2, and would have been more than happy to give him the group on another occasion. Webb & Morgan-Evans Ch. Vanmore Stop And Stare At Castleon, Great Dane I loved the clean lines of this dog with his lovely outline and great bone and feet, combining strength with elegance he has such a lovely head and expression with the correct muzzle without the pronounced flews which has become so prevalent in the breed. He moved really well using his strong hindquarters to best advantage, another really nice dog. Griffith’s Ch. lanfrese Ocolardo, Boxer, I loved the overall outline of this dog, he is really well made, with a typical head and expression, Long crested neck running into well laid shoulders, with lovely round bone and great tight feet. Short back, strong hindquarters, he is a great group dog giving his all on the move with super carriage and attitude.

Pastoral Group

J U D G E D B Y M I S S A N N I NGR A M ( I R E L A N D )

GROU P W I N N E R

C H P E MC A DE R T H U N DE R B A L L W E L S H C O RG I ( P E M B R O K E ) MR K. DOVER & MR L. SAETHER

I shortlisted the Border Collie, Norwegian Buhund, Cardigan Corgi and Australian Cattle Dog. Dover & Saether’s Ch. Pemcader Thunderball , Pembroke Corgi, what a truly typical sound dog this is and such good breed type. Not as flashy as the number 2, but he has the most beautiful head with lovely expression, good neck and shoulder with excellent body proportions and strong hindquarters, it was a close decision but his overall breed qualities were so good I thought he was a worthy winner Spavin & Croat’s Ch. & Croat. Jun. Ch. Hearthside Man Of Mystery At Dia, Australian Shepherd, what a showman this dog is, shown in pristine coat and condition, and really making the most of himself. I really loved the way he owns the ring and strides out keeping his lovely outline and covering the ground with ease, he is so very well made with his great front and well laid shoulders, good body proportions and strong hindquarters which he uses so well. Bermingham, Kendrick & Almeida’s Port. Ch. Odi Da Casa De Loss Em Bamcwt EW 16 , (Imp) ,Estrela Mt Dog, unusual to see such a nice example of this breed but I was really impressed with the overall construction and head on this one. Combining strength and vigour without coarseness, he has a short muscular neck, short coupled body with good ribcage, nicely sloping croup and well set tail with the required hook,So very sound on the move. Fulierova’s Ch. & Svk Gr Ch. Smiliesam Syrike Home, Samoyed , very masculine dog with a lovely smiley face, great front and overall outline, shown in great coat and condition, he was handled to best advantage and moved around the ring so well, doing everything that was asked of him.

Best in Show

J U D G E D B Y M I S S A N N I NGR A M ( I R E L A N D )

CH STECALâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT A K I TA MS C. & F. BEVIS & MRS R. CORR

r. Best in Show CH MEADOWPARK HIGH CLASS B E R N E S E MOU N TA I N D O G MRS C. HARTLEY-MAIR & MR G. DYBDALL

Firstly I must thank the committee of Windsor Show for giving me this huge privilege of judging all the groups and best in show , from the bottom of my heart, thank you, I guess this is as good as gets for judging experiences! You run a fabulous show and the welcome and hospitality you gave me was fantastic, thank you so very very much. Sometimes when you are the best in show judge you see your favourites knocked out in the groups so you are left with some winners which you might not necessarily have been the best choice for you! To be given that honour to choose your own best in show lineup has to be one of the most special opportunities for any judge! Of course, it is also a huge responsibility to get it right, the buck most definitely stops with me! I was delighted with my lineup, but then again, why wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t I be, I had chosen them all! I went into the Best Show Competition with truly no set ideas of who would be the winner and it really did depend on the individual performances on the day! I am happy to say that everyone of the 7 group winners returned on the final day to look their best and everyone of them performed their best ! I was very proud of each and everyone of them, not one let me down! In the end I thought 2 dogs outshone the others in their overall performance , the Akita and the Bernese Mountain Dog, both were in immaculate condition, both did everything right, so how to choose? No easy decision! In the end the Akita beguiled me with her gorgeous expression and her lovely outline, she was fabulous in her attitude and a truly great representative of her breed but the Bernese Mountain Dog is a wonderful example of his breed too and I have seldom seen in this breed such wonderful type combined with such sound movement.

Photo credits: Tommaso Urciuolo & Boris Glukharev

FCI 1, JUDGED BY OLGA KUPRYANOVA ŠINKO (SI) KANGASVUOKON SHIRLEY

CSERI-SUBAS CSÖRE Puli, Ow. RÜSZ BODIL

REATA’S Q.I.G.I. Old English Sheepdog, Ow. A. & D. JAVOR

Collie Smooth, Ow. LAINIO RIIKKA

FCI 2, JUDGED BY JADRANKA SMOJVER SELIMOVIC (CRO) CARNUNTUM BULLS AMAZINGADVENTURE Bullmastiff, Ow. JAKITS B. & MANNI F.

URSINUS VELUTUS ZESTY GUY Newfoundland, Ow. FANTUR OTON

REASON TO BELIEVE GOT REAL German Boxer, Ow. ROOVET KRISTIN

FCI 3, JUDGED BY STELIOS MAKARITIS (GR) DIDGERIDOO’S MAMBO NUMBER FIVE Sealyham Terrier, Ow. WISNIEWSKI-BLÄTTGEN ROMINA & IRENE SCHOT

GOLDWING VON DEN SCHOENEN BERGEN Wire Fox Terrier, Ow. F. W. SCHONEBERG

TOUCHSTAR LET PEOPLE TALK

Jack Russell Terrier, Ow. SZORCA FRANCESCA

FCI 4, JUDGED BY IGOR SELIMOVIC (CRO) EX SENTIA DIAMOND FROM TIFFANY D. Standard Wire, H. Ow. MUSATOVA OLGA

PICOLLO TECKEL IDEA FIX D. Miniature Smooth H., Ow. MIHAI SUCIU D. & EKATERINA PIKUL

ALPHERATZ RIGEL D. Rabbit Size Wire H., Ow. NICOTERA F.

FCI 5, JUDGED BY MARTIN CROESER (ZA) DOBERGUARDS`S BLACK STRONG MOCCA Basenji, Ow. HEERING AMALIE

NATIVEBEAR ZEND AVESTA American Akita, Ow. NATALIA LEVINA

AURORA BOREALE Alaskan Malamute, Ow. BRUNS & STAMP SUSY

FCI 6, JUDGED BY DARKO DROBNJAK (SRB) TRADEWIND’S ANDROS Basset Hound, Ow. LAKATOS LÍVIA

MARCUS AURELIUS THE FIRST AT MEDIOLANUM Dalmatian Dog, Ow. DEVIC NENAD

JELANY RED ITONGO Rhodesian Ridgeback, Ow. KAMLE ELENA

FCI 7, JUDGED BY ANCA DIANA GIURA (RO) QUEEN ANNE’S REVENGE Weimaraner, Ow. MEZZINA MIRELLA

FAIRRAY GIVE ME FIVE English Setter, Ow. PÁLOCSKA HENRIETT

SHOWPOINT LIKE A HURRICANE Gordon Setter, Ow. ÖRLING HEIDI

FCI 8, JUDGED BY LUIS MANUEL CALDO CATALAN (PT) GYPSY´S SOUL RAMBUTAN Golden Retriever, Ow. VUNK KYLLI & KALVO

VERY VIGIE LATE NIGHT SHOW American Cocker Spaniel, Ow. VARTIAINEN S. & M.

ZORRAZO ZEUS Perro de Agua Espanol, Ow. FREDRIKSON M.

FCI 9, JUDGED BY FRANK KANE (GB) DARTAN THE VALIANT ALADAR Chihuahua SMooth Hair, Ow. SANTIAGO PIER JOSE LUIS

BAR-NONE SHOW ME THE MONEY Standard Black Poodle, Ow. DREWITT- BARLOW BARRIE & WILSON

JAMMING`S EXTRAVAGANT Chinese Crested Dog, Ow. WIKSTROM SAMU

FCI 10, JUDGED BY PATRICIA NEMIROVSKY DE ALSINA (AR) AZRAVI’S PLAY HIDE N’SEEK Greyhound, Ow. OWARE SIV-HILDE

ULMARRA MOET & CHANDON WITH ACTOLIA Saluki, Ow. HARBINSON KATE

NUGABE BARBIE JUAREZ Whippet, Ow. BUCZYNSKA PATRYCJA

JUNIOR BEST IN SHOW, JUDGED BY JOSE JUAN VIDAL MONTERO (ES) ADEBANKE’S PUMP IT UP Basenji, Ow. BALOVA E. & POPOVA Y.

APLAUSE FOR DIAMELLA WHITEMANTRA Bichon Frise, Ow. GIERKENA INGRIDA

FRIDA DEI COLLI ORIENTALI Bracco Italiano, Ow. FRANCESCONI M. & MANNI

BEST IN SHOW, JUDGED BY GOPI KRISHNAN (MY) VERY VIGIE LATE NIGHT SHOW American Cocker Spaniel, Ow. S. VARTIAINNEN

URSINUS VELUTUS ZESTY GUY Newfoundland, Ow. OTON FANTUR

NATIVEBEAR ZEND AVESTA American Akita, Ow. NATALIA LEVINA

FCI 1, JUDGED BY JADRANKA SMOJVER SELIMOVIC (HR) HEARTHSIDE SMOKING GUN

Australian Shepherd, Ow. LAINIO RIIKKA

CSERI-SUBAS CSÖRE Puli, Ow. RÜSZ BODIL

REATA’S Q.I.G.I. Old English Sheepdog, Ow. A. & D. JAVOR

FCI 2, JUDGED BY DARKO DROBNJAK (SRB) GENTLEMAN GLENN VON ANN-CHATEAU Giant Schnauzer Black, Ow. BLÄTTGEN R. & HAUBENNESTEL G.

MURIMAH BONA CAPONA Affenpinscher, Ow. BIZIN ANDREW

TOPS Tornjak, Ow. FILIPOVIC ROBERT

FCI 3, JUDGED BY IGOR SELIMOVIC (CRO) FINNSKY UPSHOT Skye Terrier, Ow. KITTI CARINA

GOLDWING VON DEN SCHOENEN BERGEN Wire Fox Terrier, Ow. F. W. SCHONEBERG

MONALINE LANCELOT

Welsh Terrier, Ow. PIJUNOVIC V. & BARTOS L. & R YOUNG & C. AND L. DUVAL

FCI 4, JUDGED BY GOPI KRISHNAN (MY) PICOLLO TECKEL IDEA FIX D. Miniature Smooth H., Ow. MIHAI SUCIU D. & EKATERINA PIKUL

EX SENTIA DIAMOND FROM TIFFANY D. Standard Wire H., Ow. MUSATOVA OLGA

P.J. VOM SCHWARZENBERG D. Miniature Wire H., Ow. SCHLOSSER A. & DUCS N. & BERTA O.

FCI 5, JUDGED BY JOSE JUAN VIDAL MONTERO (ES) NATIVEBEAR ZEND AVESTA

IKUMI GO DI BORDAKITAINU

American Akita, Ow. NATALIA LEVINA

Akita, Ow. CACCAVARO LUIGI

RING RIDER GIERONYMUS DE BYZANTIUM Xolointzuintle Standard, Ow. STEVANOVIC M.

FCI 6, JUDGED BY STELIOS MAKARITIS (GR) RED HOT CHILI IZ TERLETSKOY DUBRAVY Dalmatian Dog, Ow. FRANCESCO PRESICCI

TRADEWIND’S ANDROS Basset Hound, Ow. LAKATOS LÍVIA

FANTA`S BRAND MAKES PEOPLE TALK Beagle, Ow. Anastasia Krylova

FCI 7, JUDGED BY LUIS MANUEL CALADO CATALAN (PT) BICE Bracco Italiano, Ow. FRANCESCONI MANUEL

DOUBLE DREAM LOVESET PACIFIC FOXTROT Irish Red Setter, Ow. NINA LAZAREVA

SHOWPOINT LIKE A HURRICANE Gordon Setter, Ow. ORLING HEIDI

FCI 8, JUDGED BY FRANK KANE (UK) SIEGER’S NEVER WALK ALONER English Springer Spaniel, Ow. M. B. VIBE

GYPSY´S SOUL RAMBUTAN Golden Retriever, Ow. VUNK K. & KALVO K.

VERY VIGIE LATE NIGHT SHOW American Cocker Spaniel, Ow. VARTIAINEN S. & M.

FCI 9, JUDGED BY MICHAEL LEONARD (IE) ALKVALON SARDANAPAL Medium Black Poodle, Ow. SHACHKOVA N.

DARTAN THE VALIANT ALADAR Chihuahua Smooth Hair, Ow. SANTIAGO PIER JOSE LUIS

LILILEIAN KEEPER FOR LIFE Tibetan Spaniel, Ow. RANTAKANGAS KATJA

FCI 10, JUDGED BY SANJA VRETENICIC (ME) AZRAVI’S PLAY HIDE N’SEEK Greyhound, Ow. OWARE SIV-HILDE

TWYBORN NEW MOON Whippet, Ow. HEINZE CAMILLA

AGHA DJARI’S NOSTALGIA Afghan Hound, Ow. VEPIERRE-JOLY ROLAND

JUNIOR BEST IN SHOW, JUDGED BY MARTIN CROESER (ZA) APLAUSE FOR DIAMELLA WHITEMANTRA Bichon Frise, Ow. GIERKENA INGRIDA

GRONK AL ZAHRA Saluki, Ow. LAUBE BEDRICH

FAITHFUL HEART LEONA LEWIS Golden Retriever, Ow. HOHMANN SILKE

BEST IN SHOW, JUDGED BY PATRICIA NEMIROVSKY DE ALSINA (AR) TRADEWIND’S ANDROS Basset Hound, Ow. LAKATOS LÍVIA

DARTAN THE VALIANT ALADAR Chihuahua Smooth Hair, Ow. SANTIAGO PIER

GOLDWING VON DEN SCHOENEN BERGEN Wire Fox Terrier, Ow. F. W. SCHONEBERG

FCI 1, JUDGED BY DARKO DROBNJAK (RS) HEARTHSIDE SMOKING GUN

Australian Shepherd, Ow. LAINIO RIIKKA

CSERI-SUBAS CSÖRE Puli, Ow. RÜSZ BODIL

ALBERT EINSTEIN MONACHRISTIE Bearded Collie, Ow. ZDARIL JAN

FCI 2, JUDGED BY JOSE JUAN VIDAL MONTERO (ES) STATU QUO DE AKRA-LEUKA Miniature Schnauzer Black & Silver Ow. MOSKOVA ELENA

FROSYNA OF XAMTHARPYIA Great Dane, Ow. BERNADETT TÓTH

MAXIGOR MORESCO Leonberger, Ow. REINIKAINEN SAILA

FCI 3, JUDGED BY PATRICIA NEMIROVSKY DE ALSINA (AR) NISYROS AMERICAN DREAM Smooth Fox Terrier, Ow. TENNA GRENAAE

GOLDWING VON DEN SCHOENEN BERGEN Wire Fox Terrier, Ow. F. W. SCHONEBERG

GREYNA LADY VOPBULL Bull Terrier, Ow. BARTOS PÉTER

FCI 4, JUDGED BY OLGA KUPRYANOVA ŠINKO (SI) ODESSA VON HUBERHORN D. Standard Wire H., Ow. PAPP VASILE CAROL

PICOLLO TECKEL IDEA FIX D. Miniature Smooth H. Ow. MIHAI SUCIU D. & EKATERINA PIKUL

BASSHUBERT BREAKING HEARTS D. Rabbit size Long H., Ow. DABROWSKA EWA

FCI 5, JUDGED BY SANJA VRETENICIC (ME) KRISTARI’S COMTE Siberian Husky, Ow. PRABHAKARAN VIJAY

IKUMI GO DI BORDAKITAINU Akita, Ow. CACCAVARO LUIGI

BUPE ITAPUCA Basenji, Ow. BALOVA ELIZAVETA & SAVIO STEELE

FCI 6, JUDGED BY IGOR SELIMOVIC (CRO) FANTA`S BRAND MAKES PEOPLE TALK Beagle, Ow. Anastasia Krylova

TRADEWIND’S ANDROS Basset Hound, Ow. LAKATOS LÍVIA

SANDOKAN Posavski Gonic, Ow. Vuckovic Darko

FCI 7, JUDGED BY FRANK KANE (GB) OWBY VAN T WEIMELAND Weimaraner Long Haired Ow. VAN HERREWEGHE GUY & MARIJKE VAN

BICE Bracco Italiano, Ow. FRANCESCONI MANUEL

CILLEIGNE CU CHULAINN AT DRUMLACE Irish Red & White Setter Ow. MCDERMOTT MARK (GB)

FCI 8, JUDGED BY MICHAEL LEONARD (IE) SIEGER’S NEVER WALK ALONER English Springer Spaniel, Ow. M. B. VIBE

GYPSY´S SOUL RAMBUTAN Golden Retriever, Ow. VUNK K. & KALVO K.

SANPARTI’S BORN TO BE VIGIE American Cocker Spaniel, Ow. KANGAS H. & S. VARTIAINEN & P. HUOVILA

FCI 9, JUDGED BY MARTIN CROESER (ZA) EMPORIO OF VERA LYNN Toy Black Poodle, Ow. FLORISOVA VERA

FABOLOUS BLACK DREAM’S MAKE LOVE AT PARIS Black Standard Poodle, Ow. BAKKER K.

A`VIGDORS SERAFINA French Bulldog, Ow. KOMISSAROVA EKATERINA

FCI 10, JUDGED BY GOPI KRISHNAN (MY) NUGABE BARBIE JUAREZ Whippet, Ow. BUCZYNSKA PATRYCJA

AZRAVI’S PLAY HIDE N’SEEK Greyhound, Ow. OWARE SIV-HILDE

RUSICH GRIF TSARSKY Borzoi, Ow. KOPPANY AGNES

JUNIOR BEST IN SHOW, JUDGED BY LUIS MANUEL CALDO CATALAN (PT) FROSYNA OF XAMTHARPYIA Great Dane, Ow. BERNADETT TÓTH

DALMINO ABRACADABRA AMULET Dalmatian Dog, Ow. Z. Halper-Drazic & M. Drazic

REACHY ACTION ONLY THE BEST AT MILUNA American Akita, Ow. VAN MOURIK P. & N.

BEST IN SHOW, JUDGED BY ANCA DIANA GIURA PICOLLO TECKEL IDEA FIX D. Miniature Smooth H. Ow. MIHAI SUCIU D. & EKATERINA PIKUL

TRADEWIND’S ANDROS Basset Hound, Ow. LAKATOS LÍVIA

CSERI-SUBAS CSÖRE Puli, Ow. RÜSZ BODIL

FCI 1, JUDGED BY JOSE JUAN VIDAL MONTERO (ES) REATA’S Q.I.G.I. Old English Sheepdog, Ow. A. & D. Javor

CSERI-SUBAS CSÖRE Puli, Ow. RÜSZ BODIL

HEARTHSIDE SMOKING GUN

Australian Shepherd, Ow. LAINIO RIIKKA

FCI 2, JUDGED BY LUIS MANUEL CALDO CATALAN (PT) SPEEDY GONZALES WSPOMNIENIE O TIGRZE Black Russian Terrier, Ow. MACHOWSKI D. & B. WIETRZYCKA

BEISY BEAUTIFUL BLUE BALLERINES Great Dane, Ow. CERESNAKOVA KATARINA

MURIMAH BONA CAPONA Affenpinscher, Ow. ANDREW BIZIN

FCI 3, JUDGED BY BIRGITTA HASSELGREN (SE) NEWVOLDEMORT AL CAPONE West Highland White Terrier, Ow. SZULZYCKA A.

GOLDWING VON DEN SCHOENEN BERGEN Wire Fox Terrier, Ow. F. W. SCHONEBERG

MONALINE LANCELOT Welsh Terrier, Ow. PIJUNOVIC V. & BARTOS L. & R. YOUNG & CHRISTOPHE & LEANNE DUVAL

FCI 4, JUDGED BY SANJA VRETENICIC (MNE) ODESSA VON HUBERHORN D. Standard Wire H., Ow. PAPP VASILE CAROL

PICOLLO TECKEL IDEA FIX D. Miniature Smooth H. Ow. MIHAI SUCIU D. & EKATERINA PIKUL

MAGIK RAINBOW TOR D. Miniature Wire H., Ow. IVANOVA V. & K.

FCI 5, JUDGED BY DARKO DROBNJAK (RS) IKUMI GO DI BORDAKITAINU

ADEBANKE’S PUMP IT UP

Akita, Ow. CACCAVARO LUIGI

Basenji, Ow. BALOVA ELIZAVETA & YULIANA POPOVA

KRISTARI’S COMTE Siberian Husky, Ow. PRABHAKARAN VIJAY

FCI 6, JUDGED BY MARTIN CRESER (ZA) BORY WOOD OBSESSION Beagle, Ow. KOSZORUS ILDIKO

GAVIVI MONEY IS SWEET SETAPO FOLWARK ZWIERZECY Rhodesian Ridgeback, Ow. KOSCIOLEK A.

NIGHTDREAM RICKY MARTIN PBGV, Ow. BERGSTRÖM KRISTINA

FCI 7, JUDGED BY GOPI KRISHNAN (MY) FAIRRAY GIVE ME FIVE English Setter, Ow. PÁLOCSKA HENRIETT

BICE Bracco Italiano, Ow. FRANCESCONI MANUEL

SHOWPOINT LIKE A HURRICANE Gordon Setter, Ow. ÖRLING HEIDI

FCI 8, JUDGED BY STELIOS MAKARITIS (GR) BIG BOOMS BANDITOS DEX Clumber Spaniel, Ow. Lana Levai

GYPSY´S SOUL RAMBUTAN Golden Retriever, Ow. VUNK K. & KALVO K.

VERY VIGIE LATE NIGHT SHOW American Cocker Spaniel, Ow. SANNA VARTIAINEN

FCI 9, JUDGED BY ANCA DIANA GIURA (RO) A`VIGDORS SERAFINA French Bulldog, Ow. KOMISSAROVA EKATERINA

LILILEIAN KEEPER FOR LIFE Tibetan Spaniel, Ow. RANTAKANGAS KATJA

RUBINI FANTASY BOY Bichon Havanais, Ow. HOIBERG PIA

FCI 10, JUDGED BY OLGA KUPRYANOVA SINKO (SI) KOUROS SIAMO SOLO NOI Afghan Hound, Ow. GIUBBI GABRIELLA

AZRAVI’S PLAY HIDE N’SEEK Greyhound, Ow. OWARE SIV-HILDE

MALA`S AMAL ALADIN IBNIBN RAFI Saluki, Ow. LATSCH MARIKA

JUNIOR BEST IN SHOW, JUDGED BY MICHAEL LEONARD (IE) SANPARTI’S BORN TO BE VIGIE American Cocker Spaniel, Ow. KANGAS H. & VARTIAINEN S. & PIRJO H.

TI LA SHU HEART OF MAGIC SAMPO Tibetan Terrier, GIERKENA I. & DAINA S.

FAIRRAY I AM ADDICTED TO YOU English Setter, Ow. FREDRIKSON MARIKA

BEST IN SHOW, JUDGED BY IGOR SELIMOVIC (CRO) CSERI-SUBAS CSÖRE Puli, Ow. RÜSZ BODIL

GOLDWING VON DEN SCHONEN BERGEN Wire Fox Terrier, Ow. F. W. Schoneberg

PICOLLO TECKEL IDEA FIX D. Miniature Smooth H. Ow. MIHAI SUCIU D. & EKATERINA PIKUL

Supreme Best in Shows of Split Summer Shows, 30. 07. 2016.

JUDGED BY Mr. JAVIER GONZALEZ MENDIKOTE (SPAIN)

SCARLETT BURNSIDE (IE)

JUDGED BY Mr. STELIOS MAKARITIS

TOPLINEPOM STAR LEGEND Pomeranian Ow. SCHULHOFF TIBOR (HU)

JUDGED BY Mrs. OLGA KUPRYANOVA Å INKO (SI)

ZORRAZO ZEUS Spanish Water Dog Ow. FREDRIKSON MARIKA (HR)

JUDGED BY Mrs. JADRANKA SMOJVER SELIMOVIC (CRO)

TOPS Tornjak Ow. FILIPOVIC ROBERT (HR)

Supreme Best in Shows of Split Summer Shows, 30. 07. 2016.

JUDGED BY Mr. FRANK KANE (UK)

APLAUSE FOR DIAMELLA WHITEMANTRA Bichon Frise Ow. GIERKENA INGRIDA (LV)

JUDGED BY Mrs. MONIQUE VAN BREMPT (BE)

DARTAN THE VALIANT ALADAR Chihuahua Short Coated Ow. SANTIAGO PIER JOSE LUIS (ES)

BEST IN SHOW MAGAZINE TROPHY For the first time on 4 Summer Night Shows in Split, a Best in Show Magazine challenge trophy has been presented. It is made out of 9 figures of Supreme Best in Show winners, made by very young and talented artist Josip Rezic and sponsored by Best in Show Magazine. Every year for Supreme BIS winner a figure will be made and add to this trophy.

Best in Show Magazine

Comments on the American Staffordshire Terrier Breed Standard by Manuel Torres, Ngorong Ngorong, Spain

My name is Manuel Torres and I began to show dogs when I was fifteen, in 1981. I breed dogs since 1988. Currently I breed Amstaff, Golden Retriever and Australian Cattle Dog. My kennel name is Ngorong-Ngorong (FCI 2882), one of the Amstaffs oldest kennels in Europe and I live in Spain, in the South-East Coast, in Alicante. As a breeder, my dogs have got more than 200 Championships over the world, including some World and European Champions. I have collaborated with the breed writing a lot of articles for different countries, 4 Amstaff books in Spain, and I founded the Official Amstaff Spanish Club (CEAST). Since 2000, IÂ´m International Judge for Group III (Specialist for Amstaff) and most breeds of Group VIII. I have judged many National Specialties and International Shows over the world and also World Dog Show twice ... Portugal, France, Belgium, Italy, Serbia, Hungary, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Austria, Denmark, Germany, Australia, Check Republic, Lithuania, Ukraine, Poland, Croatia, USA, Mexico and Estonia. IÂ´m at committee of Sociedad Canina de Alicante.

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GENERAL APPEARANCE - This point is basic and primordial, as the first impression we should have of this dog is, above all other details, their strength and agility. The dog should be very lively, active and easy-mannered. We should reject all those that show fear or shyness, or seem apathetic and slow. We should also not tolerate overly aggressive behavior. It has been the temperament of the Amstaff that has helped the breed to achieve this level of popularity and we should never lose it. We should all safeguard it!!

breed. The form should be round and they should be clearly separated. Having the eyes too close together is a sign of an incorrect, narrow skull. We should also keep away from Bull Terrier type narrow slanted eyes. The eyelids should be black even in those dogs whose head is white. We should be extremely careful with some eyelids that can be seen nowadays at the shows. Losing the pigmentation is a step towards illnesses that are already typical in many other breeds...

MUZZLE - The length of the muzzle should be HEAD - The head is probably the most important a bit more than a third part of the head overall. In part of the body of any kind of animal, since just by a simple look at the head we can easily recognize any species from another. This is exactly why we should give the head the importance it deserves. Having a good body with perfect fore and hindquarters and balanced movement would be worth nothing, if the head is not typical of the breed. The head of an Amstaff is medium proportioned, what we would call mesocephalic. This kind of a head should be prismatic or pyramid shaped. We should keep away from brachycephalic (bulldog type) and dolichocephalic (dobermann type) heads. The head should be big and voluminous, but never out of proportion to the rest of the body in order to maintain balance. From the front, we should be able to easily appreciate the impressive cheek bones, which make the dog look like he is smiling when he opens his mouth this is the typical face that characterizes an Amstaff. In profile, the stop should represent a jump between the skull and the top of the muzzle. The skull should be wide and deep, since this is the part that gives size to the head. In the skull, The temporal muscles in the skull helps to create a vision of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;split headâ&#x20AC;?. Lately some Amstaffs seem to have a head which is too voluminous and round skulls, combined with too short a muzzle and lose lips, which alter the typical expression of the breed that should look lively and intelligent. These type of heads often go together with overly large bodies.

other words, almost the half of the length of the skull. As seen from the front, the muzzle should be square, and rectangular from the side. The upper line of the muzzle should be completely straight up to where it connects with the nose, which should be dark black. Lately, there are some heads where the topline of the muzzle is a little ascendant towards the nose, like a pointer. Anyway, we should be very careful with this, since in the future it could bring to our breed the typical respiratory problems of other breeds, which are not welcome in our athletic Amstaffs. A lack of pigmentation of the nose should be penalized. The lips should also be well pigmented and tight, and not hanging by the sides in order to break the square view of the muzzle from the front. As I have mentioned before, we have a problem with loose lips in the breed. The breeders should take note on this issue or we will end up with a slimy dog that will leave his marks all over the house. The teeth should be big and wide in the base, indicating the impressive bite this breed has. Although the standard does not say it, they should have complete teething as any good guard dog, although missing a piece should not be a reason to disqualify any dog. As a specialist judge of the breed, I accept the lack of one premolar tooth on each side of the mouth. The mouth shut should show a perfect scissor bite, and any signs of prognatism or enognatism would be a serious fault, as would a level bite.

EYES - They should be as dark as possible, light colors would change the typical expression of the

EARS - Small in size. We should take into account if they are cut or not in order to judge the expression

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of the dog. The expression of a dog with cut ears should be a lot more serious than an uncropped dog, as uncropped ears give dogs a more friendly look. We should value more the uncropped ears, as long as they are held rose, as in cropped ears we can not evaluate if their form, setting and holding is correct. In both cases, the dog should show interest and attention to stimuli. In the official standard, there is a mistake because it says “held rose or half prick”, and the form of “half prick” does not really exist. It should say “held in rose or semi-erect”.

NECK - It should be strong, muscled and slender. Medium in length, slightly arched, not too long nor too short as this would go against the “type” we are looking for. A good length of neck gives the dog an elegance that makes it look generally more beautiful. Lose skin is undesired, although with each passing day it is more common. It starts to appear in the head, continues in the neck and every time it is more common to find lose skin even in the body... It is easy to see where the lose skin is in the movement. If we don’t stop it, we will soon find wrinkles even in the hindquarters!! SHOULDERS - A good inclination of the shoulder blade is always related to a longer humerus, which translates into better movement as the dog can take wider steps with less effort. We look for well formed and muscled shoulders, although they should not be overmuscled as this would lead to less fluid movement. From the front view of the dog, the shoulders should be clearly marked outwards.

TOPLINE - The topline of a dog goes all the way from the withers, the back, the loins and the croup, which all together should give an image of strength and soundness in each and every one of these points. The withers should be placed slightly higher than the group, with a light descendant inclination, although we do not want exaggerations like in other breeds such as Boxer or Doberman. In adult dogs, the topline will be split in two halves in the middle of the vertebrae. 210

Best in Show Magazine

BODY - The chest should be big, deep and long, as well as arched. This is all due to them having to support and give space to a heart and lungs much bigger than any other dog of their size and weight. The chest should be as wide as possible, always maintaining a harmonic image of the dog and not letting it influence his movement. We should look for deepness in the chest, accepting as normal a chest that is at the same level as the elbows. We should also value a pronounced chest seen from the side. The inferior or ventral line should be ascendant, but not too exaggerated as a hound dog. We should remember that we are talking of a robust dog. It is slightly more long than tall, so we should call it rectangular and not square.

TAIL - The tail of an Amstaff is unique and typical of the breed and therefore it should be given perhaps more importance than in other breeds. We should value relatively short tails. The maximum length of a tail would be down to the hock. The tail is the continuation of the spine so it should be thick in the beginning. A tail that starts very thin could be a sign of a poor spine, and all the problems this could cause (poor back, incorrect movement...) The tail should grow thinner towards the tip and end in a thin tip. It should not have any knots or thicker parts. The coat in this area is very short, so it is not rare to observe eczemas in the skin and these should not be given much importance. The insertion of the tail should be low, although we don’t want to go to exaggerations like in whippets. We should strongly penalize tails that curl over the back or have a high insertion. In movement, the tail should not be lift above the topline, although this could be considered normal when the dog is excited, playing or in a sporting competition. In recent years, I have seen many long tails that curl slightly. Another aspect that we should try to improve! LIMBS - Both fore and hindquarters should have nice round bones. The forequarters should be straight, at right perpendicular angle with the ground and parallel to each other. The metacarpus should be straight, although we should accept a

slight inclination as this would help the dog to have more elastic and healthy movement. The toes should be very close to each other and tight, which is one of the essential characteristics of the breed: cat paws. The dog should stand on the ground mainly on his toes, which is why the paw print of an Amstaff is round and not long. The elbows should be right next to the body. The hindquarters should be visibly muscled, well angulated and parallel to each other. The hock is placed quite low and should not turn inwards nor outwards. What we know has “cow hocks” (hocks turning inwards) is a fault that should be taken into consideration and penalized by the judges at dog shows.

MOVEMENT - Movement is the ability to move from one point to another. This movement should be completely efficient. The less effort it takes, the more effective it is. The most important aspect in movement is to judge the dog’s capacity to push and pull before valuing anything else. From the front view, the legs should have a paralel movement and not cross. We should not value dogs that make extra efforts in their movement, such as padding or hackney (lifting their paws too much in their movement). This kind of paw lifting just requires more effort from the dog, but does not help at all in the movement from one place to another. We should consider it a waste of energy. From the side view, we should be able to value to capability of the dog to push and Best in Show Magazine

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the length of his step, always maintaining a straight topline. From the rear view, the legs should move paralel to each other and the hocks should not turn inwards nor outwards.

COAT - The coat is a reflection of the health of the dog. We should appreciate a short, thick coat, especially in the head and the tail. We should not hope for a velvety or too soft coat.

COLOR - This is a very polemic subject in the breed. Let’s try to get it clear. The standard says clearly that “Any color, solid, particolored, or patched is permissible; but more than 80% white, black and tan, and liver not to be encouraged”. This means that these colors will not add value to the dog, but they are also accepted. I personally think that the color does not have as much importance as many people want to give to it, as long as whatever color the dog is, it has to have good pigmentation in the nose, lips and eyelids. I think the variety of colors that our breed has gives it more richness that many other breeds. It is a plus for us!!

SIZE - In Spain, we have had a lot of polemic on this subject. The standard does not say anything specific about the size and the weight. It recommends a size, but does not exclude any other sizes, and therefore nowadays we can find a variety of heights and weights. The most important thing is that the animal looks well balanced and harmonic. The truth is that the movement of a taller dog always looks more elegant than the movement of a smaller one, which means that at the shows we are unconsciously looking for bigger dog, since movement is so highly valued. I think the STCA (Staffordshire Terrier Club of America) should do something about this issue and state clearly a maximum and minimum of height for the breed. I think this would enormously help us breeders and the judges in our work, as if we don’t have any limits we could lose the essence of the breed.

DEFECTS - During my comments, I have already expressed all the defects that should be penalized and could disqualify a dog, and therefore I would only like to add that the main defect a dog can have, and this is above all the others, is the lack of type. Best in Show Magazine

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Franstal’s Amstaffs by Rade Dakic, Serbia Interviewed by Milla Kanninen & Mihaela Kosic

Q.: It would be nice to hear some history of you and how did you started with this breed, your first Amstaff , etc. What about your Kennel name ? R.D.: Well, this question demand a very long answer. I will try to be short. Simply, I started with amstaffs by accident !!! Before amstaffs I had 2 standard bullterriers. In 1986. I was in one bus, full of dog people who went to visit World Dog Show in Tulln. In that bus I met a couple who were one of first breeders of amstaffs in exYugoslavia. We made a close friendship and after our trip they convienced me that amstaffs are better breed than bullterriers and gave me in coownership one 6 months old amstaff bitch. After a couple of months, I also bought her mother and those 2 bitches were my beginning in the breed. In that time, nobody in Europe did not know so much about amstaffs. My knowledge about breed was also tiny. I did not know to understand well pedigrees. Now I am sorry because

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of that, because I did not know what I had in my hands. Now I understand . And what I had was a real treasure. Both bitches had the best possible blood line – Old ( original ) Fraja , Rolls, Har Wyn…… My kennel was officially established in 1987. under the name “ Franstal “. Franstal is the name of one part a city where I live and because I am a devoted local-patriot, I decide to use this name. It was first officialy registered kennel in my country. But, I must say that I never was a big breeder. I am living in centre of the city and I do not have so much space for a big kennel with many dogs. Also, my style of life , with so many travellings do not allow me to have so many dogs. That’s why I did not bred so many litters in my life. In past, I prefered to have males. I imported from USA some very important stud dogs in Serbia and I influenced a lot breeding programs of other people. That’s why, today is very hard to find some dog in Serbia which do not have

at least some of my dogs in his pedigree. Now, with my age, I prefer females. They are much easier to keep . Q.: I think we all want to see pictures of some of your dogs and maybe read a small story of them all also. ( It would be nice if you can send pictures of these dogs you want to mention). I think most of us know some of them. Sindelar’s Shane is the well known dog of yours i think. R.D.: I will share with you some of photos from my albums. I send you a photo of my first champion. It was “ ARIS OD FRANSTALA” . He was strong dog, with strong head, good bones. He was also one of first Club (specialty) champions in Serbia. Also, I would like to share with you photo of my first International Champion. It was a bitch which I imported from Germany. Her name was Jessy of Tower. One of dogs which was very important for me was Zyrus Vom Simba Camp. He was grandson of Tryarr Diamondback Redbolt and grandgrandson of Sligo McCarthy. Great pedigree !!! And finaly, there is a photo of my first overseas champion. It was Franstal’s Clarion of Ruffian. He was Canadian Champion, N4 dog in Canada for 1997. He also was Second Place at USA National Specialty 1997. Yes, Sindelar’s Shane was one of my most famous dogs. I imported him from my friend Fred Sindelar, in 2000. He was multi champion , but he will stay remembered more as a top producer. By my informations, he is N2 Top producer in breed history. Q.: During all these years, what do you think is different now and back then when you started, how our breed has been changed and what do you think is the best and also the worst thing that has changed. Maybe you can also give us some thoughts of the quality between different 216

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countries you have been judging our breed. R.D.: Well, I must admit that I am old â&#x20AC;&#x201C;fashioned guy. I like classics. You ask me what has been changed ? Like in our every day life, a lot of things changed if we compared life today with life 20 or 30 years ago. I must admit I prefer how life was looking before, no matter if we did not had mobile telephones, internet , or other technical things which are helping us today. In some way they help us, but in some other way, they are forcing us to live a way of life which we maybe do not like. But, this is philosophical question. I will just add that I think that life 20 or 30 years ago was more romantic. The same is with amstaff world. I think everything was with much more romance and love. If you won some show 25 years ago you would be sooooooo happy. Today, people are less happy. Even if you win a World Champion Title . And, this world champion title is important only at the day of the world show and maybe 2 weeks after that, but just 1 month after, everybody forget who was world champion !!!! I have impression that before people had much more love and passion for everything. Today we have insane number of shows all over, insane number of litters and puppies . Quality of amstaffs is different from country to country. 20 years ago, Holland and Germany were leading countries in Europe. Today, they are far away from that quality . By my impression, I think that leading countries in the world today are, Spain, Italy,Serbia, Hungary, USA and Russia. Just see results from World and European shows in last 10 years and you will see where from are coming Top dogs. Of course, you can find some realy nice dogs from other countries and generally, I think today you can find more outstanding dogs than it was 25 years ago. Best in Show Magazine

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Q.: As a breeder what are the most important things when you choose combination? We can consider Franstal’s dog as a line and i would like to know what are are those “principles” that you have been following with your breeding to go there where you are now, worldwide known breeder. Serbia also have a lot of other Amstaff breeders and you have also some very good dogs there and famous stud males, what is your opinion of Serbia as a Amstaff country? R.D.: As I said before, I do not consider myself as a big and famous breeder. I think I did not give so much to the amstaff world as a breeder. I did not bred so many litters and I think we can not speak about “ Franstal’s “ as a blood line. I gave much more to amstaff world as a judge, author of so many books about amstaffs, I gave a lot as a founder of first special Breed Club in my country and as a organizator of so many seminars, specialty shows or as a mentor 218

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to so many rookies in the breed. If you want to be a important breeder, your dogs must be at shows. And for me it was never so important if I will sell my puppy to show home or in ordinary family as a pet. For me was important that my puppy have a good life. Also, if you want to become a important breeder,you should have a lot of dogs. Today , it is very difficult to compete as a hobby breeder with 1 or 2 or 3 dogs, with big professional kennels who produce every year 5 and more litters and come at some important shows with 10 or even more dogs. This is the game of big numbers. I will explain it on example of Europe . Europe is today leading continent for amstaffs. We have so many nice dogs here in Europe. But, did you asked sometimes yourself how many bad amstaffs we have in Europe ? Don’t be shocked when I tell you that In Europe ( all countries ) produce approximately over 20.000 amstaff puppies per year !!!!! If we play game of big numbers, lets imagine that only 10 % of them are of a very high quality. It means that Europe will produce every year around 2.000 high quality amstaffs !!!!! 18.000 will not have that quality, but you will not see them. That’s why, some other continents can not compete with Europea. Using the same logic, I can not compete with some big breeders, because they produce 10 or more times more than me and I can not follow it. That’s why, big breeders will always have 5 or 10 realy nice dogs and I will have only one. If we compete at some show, I will come with 1 dog and they will come with 10. My chances for some big results are much smaller. But, if we are talking about principles for breedings, they are already known to everybody. It is written many years ago and we all know it, but unfortunately so many of us ( in the world ) do not respect those breeding rules, which are the same for all breeds.

Q.: Can you name some of your favorite all time Amstaffs, both males and females. What would be the best ever, maybe give us some information what is the reason you like it. R.D.: Many times I got this question. It is not so easy to answer. I like some of Sindelar dogs, some of Fraja, some Barberycoast, some old Sierra, some Tryarr, some Touch o Class, some of Har Wyn, etc, etc… In every kennel you wil, find good and bad. There is not any kennel in the world , in the history which produced only superb dogs. One of recent dogs which impressed me is a bitch from Castle Rock kennel ( USA ). Her nick name is Maddy. Beautifull, with so much attitude.But, even she can be better in some points. Also, Montgomery BOB 2017 and BOB at USA National Specialty 2017 – brindle male , Roadhouse Life of The Party, is realy nice male. There are some other bitches from Serbia which I liked a lot, then a few dogs from Russia, etc, etc….( I will for sure miss some of them ), so better to skip this question. If we are talking about American dogs from past, I can speak only by looking their photos. I like a lot Redbolt, Barberycoast High Octane, Touch O Class Clancy, Knight Crusader, Knight Bomber and many, many others….. I also liked a lot Italian bitch – De Paco Hollywood Goldbolt, I liked also De Paco Gold Number and his father Fraja EC Gold Standard, I also admire a lot Don King of Rings by his results and as a producer. In the past I liked Tippitt’s Yankee Sunny and his brother Yerry Lee,] In one word, there are a lot of very nice dogs which I liked and which are responsible why I felt in love with this breed.

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with 450 dogs. I agree with you about very different judge’s criterium. Strange criterium. I think it is not a good thing. There are many reasons for this. But one of main reasons is because judges are not well educated. Who is guilty for that ? We can discuss about that too ? FCI system? National Kennel Clubs? Organisation of the shows? Another serious topic is if all judges are honest ? is it possible to bribe some of judges ? There is a many bad things in dog sport, but unfortunately I am too weak to solve all problems. Generally, I think that today we have too many judges and often I am ashamed to say that I am the judge when I see who all are judges. Q.: If you think about this breed in different parts of world, In USA there are maybe a bit different looking dog’s as for example in Europe. What is your opinion about this and why do you think we have so different types at the moment. Also it is interesting how large scale judges we have in breed, i mean that we can see huge difference between judges and their opinion about standard. One dog can be Champion for one judge and for another not even Amstaff, if you know what i mean. R.D.: I do not think there is so big difference in type between USA and Europe. It was maybe the fact before, but today, I think it is not the fact anymore. Today, European breeders are much more educated, they are investing so much in their dogs and in knowledge and we learned what is excellent Amstaff. My personal opinion is that Amstaffs quality is now better in Europe than in USA. We can again speak about game of big numbers. USA is producing around 1000 puppies per year and whole Europe is producing a couple of thousands of puppies ( probably more than 20.000 puppies per year ). The biggest competition in USA was last year with something over 100 dogs and in Europe we have World and European shows even 220

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Q.: Tell us something about you as a judge ? R.D.: I started as a judge when I was realy young. It was in 1992. In the beginning I got my licence just for Bull Type Terriers and a couple of years I was judging only those 4 breeds. After, year by year I was getting more and more breeds and today, 25 years since I started as a judge, I am authorized to judge FCI groups 2,3,6,7,8,9 and American Akita from Group 5. I judged at most prestigious shows in Europe, from far east of Russia to Portugal , as well as in Australia, Canada, USA. Q.: Popular sire syndrome, good or bad for the breed? What will happen if breeders continue to use the most winning dog’s in show rings? We have seen some examples all ready and it looks like right after some male win’s big show, many breeders wants to make litter with him. Also what will happen if breeding rules restrain breeders possibilities to choose combination? Healthy dog is a happy dog, and health tests are important off course! R.D.: From my modest experience as a breeder , I made a conclusion that in breeding 2+2 is not always 4. Can be 5 and can be 3 too.

You do not know if some male will give good or bad puppies if you do not give him a chance. But , of course, it does not mean that you should give a chance to a male who is not healthy. Good breeders are clever persons and usually, with a lot of experience and they know to recognize what is good on some male . I want to believe that breeders are not stupid persons who decide to breed with some male only if he won some big show. We all are witnesses of many dogs which did not deserved to win some show. The best is to look by your own eyes and to see if some dog is good or not good. But you must be objective. I can advice that if you want to use some male for breeding, look what he produced before, with other bitches. You will easily make a small analysis : how many bitches he bred, how many nice dogs that you like he produced, check pedigrees of those breedings, check his health

data and you will easily see which males are the best producers. Some dogs can have both virtues : to be great show dogs and great producer. Some dogs have only one virtue, some noneâ&#x20AC;Ś. Q.: You have also written many very interesting books of Amstaffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, you have new book coming out soon. R.D.: Yes, I wrote over 30 books about dogs and 10 of them are about Amstaffs. Amstaffs were always my big love and I was so curious to research, to find more and more information, facts, photos, to learn as more as possible. My big passion is to share all my information with other people and at the end to create one small but respectable library about Amstaffs.

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How to best describe one of the most impressive and most powerful breeds? Power, clown and loyal friend... In three short words. by Zeljko Vasiljevic • Flamewood Amstaffs, Croatia The American Staffordshire Terrier is a breed that gives an impression of strength and toughness, but that is just a mask, a well put together facade. The Amstaff is above all a versatile, happy and cheerful breed. Most people who do not have active contact with these dogs and know it only from “the streets” get a negative impression of the breed. Newspapers and internet articles reflect the breed in a threatening way, and only see the outer toughness. This leads to support for bans and law restrictions that we have all around the world. Due to the external features of toughness and strength, Amstaff, have to be much better behaved than an “average” breed” in order to be accepted by the population. To achieve that requires considerable socialization from puppyhood to maturity. In Europe things might go a little slower, but in the US, Amstaff`s are now used in many sports as well as therapeutic programs with dogs. However, even in Europe, there has been an increase in the number of women who appreciate the breed, breaking up the “macho men” sterotype. It was precisely this kind of atmosphere that gave the breed its negative image, causing so many bans in many countries. Amstaff began to be bred seriously in

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Europe in the 70s and 80s. It was a relatively unknown breed in those decades and the number of males and females was limited; close linebreeding was frequent. Breed mentors did not exist in Europe, and of course, communication was not what it is today, so breeders were left to themselves. While in the USA, breeders had a lot of experience and were much better informed about both good and bad sides of the breed, Europeans were comparatively beginners. All the way into the late `80s it looked like the breed was frozen in time. It simply did not progress and evolve. There were no new imports, and the dogs all had the same virtues and the same flaws as well as the same temperament. The real boom and an advancement in quality began at the end of the `80s and the beginning of the `90s. At that time, we had a great number of imports. Males and females imported from the USA came with great type, meaningful pedigrees, good health and great temperament. Personally, I consider the `90s to be the most successful years with the biggest step forward in the evolution of breed in Europe. The breed was at its peak in quality and quantity. It was customary to have classes of

20-30 and more dogs, and most of them were title worthy. You couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make a big mistake in awarding most of those dogs. It was a pleasure to see so many stunning dogs in one place. We had another breed boom in 2005-2010. The quantity of Amstaffs had never been higher. However, the quality of many did not follow as it had in the 90s. Repeated popularization of the breed has led to a large number of new people in the breed. Those same people grouped into smaller groups and clans. Today, within these clans, we have a stalled situation recalling the more general condition of the 70s and 80s, but divided by geography; in certain areas we have uniform type. Learning from the past, this might not be the best direction for the breed. The differences within the breed type across Europe are very large. In the era of Facebook and the Internet, many breeders are devoted only to their own breeds, and are focusing on titles and show results. In my more than two decades of breeding, I have seen many breeders coming and going in the breed. Those who became the best, stayed the best, devoting themselves to constant work and study not only of one individual breed, but of other related breeds and dogs in general. Today, many young breeders base their breeding programs on either titled dogs or the breeding stock available in the near vicinity. I would like to see cooperation that is more international. Systematic meaningful breeding that follows lines and superior individuals and not only titles or availability within our area of living. I think the breeders have to open up a little bit and work with each other more in order to be able to improve in quality but also to reduce the difference between type which dominates Europe nowadays. That is how we can achieve growth and evolution in our breed.

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Alpines Amstaffs & Interview with handler by Ed Thomason, USA Interviewed by Milla Kanninen & Mihaela Kosic

BIS: Dear Ed, first of all, thank you for taking your time to do this interview. Please tell us something about your background with dogs. E.T.: Thank you for asking me to be in your publication. It’s a honor. I love dogs! Love everything about them. I have been involved in the sport as a breeder and handler for nearly 20 years now. As a young child my Father had American Staffordshire Terriers and Treeing Walked Coonhounds that he used for boar hunting. After a divorce with my Mother I went without a dog for a long period. In my late teenage years, I attended a dog show near my home in California. I stayed all day long, watched many breeds and all the groups and best in show. That day changed my life. Shortly there after I purchased my first UKC registered American Pit Bull Terriers. I was hooked on showing. A few years later I purchased my first American Staffordshire Terrier from Chris Lee of Hilltop Kennels in Virginia. My first APBT’s came from Ron Ramos of Ramos Kennels.

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BIS: Has it always been Amstaffs, if not what was your involvement in dogs before Amstaffs? Do you have other breeds at the moment? E.T.: For the most part it has always been Amstaffs. They are my passion and what I have dedicated my life to. However, I have also cobred Mastiffs and Tibetan Mastiffs. My wife and I have also owned two different Alaskan Malamutes. While I love all dogs, the Amstaff is and will always be my first choice. BIS: Can you tell us something about your kennel name? E.T.: My first kennel name was “Mustang Kennels” I have owned over 10 different Ford Mustangs from years 1965-1997. When I met my wife (through dogs) we wanted to start fresh, together. We choose Alpine Falls. It represents the area in our country where we live.

It just depends on what we have going on. Currently we have several older ones with a mix of some younger hopefuls. We have never breed a bitch before 2 years old and always after they have passed their health clearances. BIS: Is your kennel a one man show, or do you believe in team work and if so how many people do you have in your team? E.T.: My wife and I do everything together. We work closely with a few others select breeders here in the states and a few in Europe. We are always willing to work with other breeders that share the same passion for the breed and understand the standard the way we see it. BIS: Do you prefer keeping your stud dogs for your own breeding program or do you also give them for outside service? E.T.: All of our males are open to outside breedings.

BIS: Did you have any special influences or mentors in the breed? E.T.: My influences come from other breeders of different breeds. While, Chris Lee was always there for me whenever I needed. My wife was and is a wealth of knowledge as well. Laurie Fenner is my mentor in dogs and handling in general. Pat Craig Trotter is one of my favorite people to talk dogs with. BIS: Please tell us something about your kennel and breeding program? How many dogs do you have? At what age do you generally start to breed a bitch? How often do you breed a bitch during her lifetime? E.T.: We keep between 8-15 Amstaffs at a time. 226

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BIS: Would you say that a brood bitch is the backbone of a breed? E.T.: The “bottom” bitch line in any pedigree is the most important part of a breeding program. A quality brood bitch is far more important than any stud dog. BIS: What does it take to become a reputable judge for Amstaffs? E.T.: Understand that hallmarks of the breed and just the dogs with quality in mind first and shortcomings second. Understand this is a working Terrier not a Sporting breed. It’s not a competition of how fast one can run in a circle. If you reward Breed TYPE first you will be a good judge of this breed. BIS: How would you rate type, temperament and soundness in order of importance? E.T.: For me Type and Temperament are the

same. If an Amstaff does not have the correct fearless, intelligent and fair temperament its not an Amstaff. So to answer your question. Type always first, soundness second. I always say, I can go to a rescue center and find a dog that is sound. Does not mean itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an Amstaff. BIS: On the health front there is good work going on to address health problems. Many breeders test their dogs on hips, elbows, heart, ataxia... Is there more work to be done? How would you rate the health in the breed? E.T.: I believe our breed is a healthy breed. We always do heart, Ataxia and hips. BIS: What are your thoughts about breeding. Do you prefer inbreeding, linebreeding or outcrossing? E.T.: All the above. All the examples you mentioned are useful to a breeder. I much prefer linebreeding to an open pedigree. However, there are times to go outside and bring in new characteristics.

BIS: Some would say that special characteristics in the breed have been taken too far. There are breeders claiming we are on the way (if not there) on having type and conformation problems. What is your opinion on that issue? E.T.: This is an interesting question though rather vague. So, I will just give my opinion on what I see. Our breed in parts of the world is different than other parts of the world. Our breed allows for three distinct types. Terrier, Moderate and Bully. Now, here is the issue. No two people will agree on what is moderate. While, I think we all would agree this is the goal! But you may see moderate differently than I see as moderate. This allows for dogs to look different in different areas of the world. This is our biggest issue. We need to all define moderate and understand why a moderate Amstaff is the goal and be able to explain the advantages of a moderate Amstaff compared to a more bully or terrier Amstaff. As far as conformation problems. We have always lacked upper arm Best in Show Magazine

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and had front end issues. My biggest fear is topline issues. These dogs should not have a level topline from withers to tail set. An Amstaff with this topline loses all flexibility to be a true gladiator. It in fact may be “pretty” in the show ring but is far from what is correct. They should have a slightly slopping topline from withers to the start of the croup. A gentle fall of at croup is very important to the original purpose of our breed. The way I explain this to people is: if you stand up straight and have your back perfectly straight from your neck to your butt are you athletic? Of course not. Your dogs are no different. BIS: What conformation faults bother you the most? E.T.: The topline and croup issues I mentioned above. BIS: How would you describe a perfect Amstaff? E.T.: A moderate blend of Terrier and Bulldog. A dog with a fearless temperament that is always aware of his surroundings and is intelligent enough to realize he is not the bully in the school yard. BUT, he is most certainly the one who could beat up the bully. BIS: Would you say the Amstaff Standard is a good one or should it be re-written? E.T.: Its fine. We need to better educate our breeders to understand that standard. BIS: If we did a comparison of dogs in the 1970s, `80. and `90s, and now would you say we have involved for better or worse? E.T.: Good for the most part. Front ends are much better IMO. Type always changes with fads. BIS: Is there a general decline in the quality of Amstaffs after it`s peak in popularity? What

is the biggest contributing factor for it in your opinion? E.T.: I think the breed is FAR too popular in Europe. For example, you can pick three different countries (Italy, Spain and France) just at random. Those countries product 3X’s the amount of Amstaff we do here in the States. Where are all these puppies going? Are there that many good pet homes available? BIS: How are dog shows shaping the breed? E.T.: Dog shows set trends. We are losing what I consider to be judges who are breed specialists. There are more “all rounders” judging the breed. Some of these may truly have an interest in our breed, however others I believe just judge them to finish the group. This bothers me and I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that they are also the ones who generally miss the hallmarks of the breed when judging them. BIS: Please name 3 of your all time favorite winners bred by you and 3 not owned nor bred by you? E.T.: BIS/BISS GCh Alpines Highwayman, BIS/ BISS GCh Alpines Ring of Fire, BISS GCh Alpines Lonewolf Whiskey River. I will add our youngster who I believe will be a big winner BISS GCh Alpines LBK Living On The Road. Dogs that I like that we have not breed. Ch Castlerocks American Beauty for SBigstaff, BISS GCH LBK’s Enuf Talk about Ruby of Mulecreek, Ch Sindelars Touch O Class Orion. BIS: If you could pinpoint a highlight in your dog career, what would it be? E.T.: I have 3. We have been blessed to win our National Specialty 3 different times with two different dogs. (Chase and Jelly) Jelly also owns the AKC Amstaff record for most best in shows (28). Just last week our youngster Pancho was awarded BIS-Bred by at the prestigious Montgomery County Kennel Club show. Best in Show Magazine

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(1600 TERRIERS where entered) BIS: What are your future plans? And what achievements would you like to be remembered for? E.T.: We just want to be remembered as a good keeper of our breed. Simple but ultimately the most important thing in my opinion. BIS: Is there anything that we did not discuss you would like to address? E.T.: I will close with this. When you have been loved by a Amstaff you will never own a different breed. They truly are the greatest Terrier breed in the world. BIS: How come you decided to become a Professional Handler? E.T.: Quickly after getting into dogs, I realized it. I love many breeds and was blessed to have the ability to show many of them well. BIS: You had tremendous success as a Handler. Please summarize your careerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highlights. E.T.: I have won the Amstaff National a record 3 different times. I have also won the Staffordshire Bull Terrier National and the Glen of Immal National Specialty. I was blessed to also handle the top AKC BIS winning Amstaff GCh Alpines Highwayman as well as the top AKC BIS winning Tibetan Mastiff of all time GCh Seng Khri Bartok of Dawa. I have won 54 AKC Best in shows with 11 total dogs. We have also had several top dogs of many different breeds. One of my favorite things is I have won a BIS on Amtaffs, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Colored Bull Terrier and a White Bull Terrier. BIS: Please mention dogs that were the most successful in your career. E.T.: GCh Alpines Highwayman was a top 230

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ranked group dog, 2 X National Speciatly winner, won over 100 Terrier groups and 28 AKC BIS wins. GCh Seng Khri Bartok of Dawa the great Tibetan Mastiff who still holds the BIS record in the states with 11. BIS: Are you seriously campaigning a dog at the moment? E.T.: I have a top 20 Terrier currently, but NO. I have taken many weekends off this year. We are getting ready for a big campaign for our Pancho. We have a series of goals for him. BIS: What is your handling philosophy? E.T.: To not be noticed. I want you to notice the dog and not me. BIS: What breeds, besides Amstaffs, stands the closest to your heart and why? E.T.: Tibetan Mastiffs will always be close to my heart. Alaskan Malamutes are another. I like many different Terrier breeds. Of course any of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;bullyâ&#x20AC;? breeds. BIS: Which person played an important role on your career, in the past and nowadays? E.T.: Laurie Fenner. She is my mentor. I owe everything to her. Her guidance and friendship means the world to me. Best in Show Magazine

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BIS: What do you consider the greatest quality in a Professional Handler? E.T.: To be able to correctly care for dogs 24 hours a day. The dog shows are the fun part. I care about what the dogs are doing when they are not at shows. Do they get the correct amount of exercise? Are they eating quality food? Is the facility the handler has clean? Is their van clean? These are the most important things. BIS: What is your greatest concern regarding the sport? E.T.: Lack of younger participants.

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BIS: What is your breeding philosophy? E.T.: Protect our bitch line. We never breed for others, always US first. We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sell our top picks to outside kennels. We do breedings to further our pogrom along not to make money. BIS: Would you say there is a difference in people, dogs and dog type in Europe and the USA? E.T.: I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think dog lovers are different. People who love dogs, love dogs. I think type is different in Amstaffs in different countries.

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Royal Court Amstaffs by Diane Guilmentte, USA Interviewed by Milla Kanninen & Mihaela Kosic

BIS: Firstly can You give us some background on yourself? How old were you and how did it all come about? D.G.: At the age of 2 or 3 my father came home with a Pit Bull that was a rescue from the Fighting Ring in Georgia. He was the sweetest and most gentle dog ever. When I was about 9 years old he passed away leaving our home without a dog. At the age of 10 my parents purchased a lovely English Bulldog as a pet/show dog. Often times as a family we would go to local shows in order to enjoy and learn about other breeds. After a time the newness of showing wore off and our family Bulldog became my best friend. As time went by I went to Nursing School, and began my career as a nurse. Ken had a Pit Bull mix as a family pet when he was a young boy and grew up with the breed. At 19 years old he went in the army and served his time. He then went to College and graduated in a similar medical field as mine,hence we met. So as a family we began thinking about a family dog. Both of us having a history with Pit 236

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Bulls as children, the American Staffordshire Terrier was an inevitable and obvious choice.. We met a breeder that convinced us to show and breed the American Staffordshire Terrier. As a result we were in the show ring in1986 and It was then that showing and breeding would become a way of life for our family. BIS: Has it always been Amstaffs, if not what was your involvement in dogs before Amstaffs? Do you have other breeds at the moment? D.G.: At this time, we also have an English Bulldog. We are under contract to show her and breed one litter. Then we will make a decision as to whether we will continue showing Bulldogs. Our love has always been and will continue to be The American Staffordshire Terriers. BIS: Can you tell us something about your kennel name? D.G.: Our Kennel name was Ken’s choice. After considering many names, we chose Royal Court, because the name gave AmStaffs the

prestige and dignity that this breed is entitled to. BIS: From where/whom did you obtain your first dog/s, was that your original stock? D.G.: Our first AmStaff was purchased from a local breeder that was somewhat involved with showing and breeding, but faded out of the show ring. At that time we read as many books possible, went to many shows including The STCA Nationals and began to meet more serious breeders that were successful. This gave us a role model to follow and attempt to surpass. BIS: Did you have any big influences or mentors in the breed?ă&#x20AC;&#x20AC; D.G.: We were fortunate to meet Dr. Eva Lydick (Finwar Kennel) and Ruth Teeter (Storytime Kennel). It was at that time showing became a way of life. Soon after we met Dr. Richard Pascoe (White Rock Kennel) he and his kennel had a great influence on us. John McCarthy along with Kim Rudzik introduced us to the Fraja Line. They both spent time and much effort improving Movement and Rears of this Breed. They were very knowledgeable and helpful in lining our path of breeding and continuing in the show ring. ă&#x20AC;&#x20AC; BIS: Please tell us something about your kennel and breeding program? How many dogs do you have? At what age do you generally start to breed a bitch? How often do you breed a bitch during her lifetime? D.G.: Our breeding program is to continually improve the quality of the breed, but highly accentuating the Temperament, Intelligence and Longevity of this marvelous breed. Our bloodline or breeding program is specifically developed to produce dogs with the quality health, personality, temperament, and disposition 238

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suitable for the show ring and/or companion homes. Our breeding program has dogs that are carefully chosen from the top pedigrees across the country. Our dogs have all the health testing and certificates completed prior to being bred, including Temperament Testing. We have a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 8 in our home. When we were living in West Greenwich Rhode Island we had the accommodations to have a few more than that. However, keep in mind as a responsible breeder and showman you should only keep the best and strive to continually improve the breed. Having a lot of dogs is counterproductive to the breed. Many of our show and breeding dogs are placed in families that will allow us to continue breeding and showing, this still allows our AmStaffs to reside in a family environment, giving the puppy or adult dog the best of both worlds. We breed our females after all the health testing is completed at about 2 ½, or 3 years old. A bitch will reside with us for most of her adult life and will either reside with us indefinitely or retire to a companion home after she is spayed. In the lifetime of a female she will be bred twice, she will never be treated as a commodity as a brood bitch. Again, using a bitch as a brood bitch is counterproductive to the breed. You need to improve the breed not just keep breeding.

must in order to improve and produce better AmStaffs. This will allow all parties to learn and correct their mistakes as well as having comradery in the breed.

BIS: Is your kennel a one man show, or do you believe in team work and if so how many people do you have in your team? D.G.: Our kennel is team work amongst the families that have our dogs and other breeders within our peer group.

BIS: Do you prefer keeping your stud dogs for your own breeding program or do you also give them for outside service? D.G.: Our stud dogs are mostly for our breeding program. We are extremely choosey who we let use our stud dogs. All females bred to our stud dogs must be health tested and cleared for Brucellosis Mycoplasma, or other STD”s before we will use them.

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the stud dog will produce more puppies than a brood bitch making him more important. Keeping in mind that if you choose an excellent and correct male he will improve the qualities of the puppies produced by your brood bitch. BIS: Does it take to become a reputable judge for Amstaffs? D.G.: Breeders need to fulfill the 12-5-4 240

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AKC requires an “open book” test that consist of 25 questions, fee of $35.00 The following criteria are mandatory to apply for initial breed(s):  Completed 6 stewarding assignments at AKC member or licensed shows in the three years immediately preceding application. Stewarding assignments should have entries of (75+) and predominately been completed at All

applied for and fulfill the litter and champion requirements.  Have 12 or more years of experience exhibiting in Conformation in at least one breed that an individual is applying for. (Documentation must include date of exhibiting and must be included in order to process application)  Have bred and raised 5 or more litters on your premises in each breed.  Have bred 4 or more champions in each breed. (whether or not owned or handled by the applicant) Litters and co-owned litters must have been whelped and raised on applicant’s premises. The required four champions must be from litters whelped and raised on applicant’s premises.

Breed shows.  Completed 6 judging assignments at AKC sanctioned matches, specialty matches, sweepstakes, open shows or futurities. Sweepstakes, futurities, open shows and specialty matches count as two. Fun Matches, Junior Showmanship or Obedience assignments are not acceptable.  Must attend a Basic Institute prior to requesting regular status but not earlier than two years prior to submission of initial application.  Met AKC’s occupational eligibility requirements as indicated in Chapter 7, Section 1.  Successfully completed Anatomy and Procedural “open-book” exams.  Successfully completed applicable breed standard exam(s). 12-5-4 Method - Must have 12 or more years exhibiting in conformation in at least one breed

BIS: How would you rate type, temperament and soundness in order of importance? D.G.: Type, temperament and soundness are all important because the whole dog is needed to be a true AmStaff. This breed is a functional breed, so type, temperament and soundness are necessary to make the AmStaff complete. BIS: On the health front there is good work going on to address health problems. Many breeders test their dogs on hips, elbows, heart, ataxia... Is there more work to be done? How would you rate the health in the breed? D.G.: Due to the diligence or careful and persistent work of honest and conscientious breeders the serious health issues of this breed have been addressed. It maybe, in the best interest of this breed to have Thyroid testing completed for AmStaffs. Hypothyroidism is a clinical condition resulting from a lower production and release of hormones, which can be treated with carefully administered medication. Sometimes Coat AlBest in Show Magazine

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lergies, Weaknesses, Weight Loss or Weight Gain, Lethargy, Generalized Weakness, Inactivity, Mental Dullness, Hair Loss, Excessive Hair Shedding, Poor Hair Growth, Dry or Lusterless Hair Coat, Excessive Scaling and Recurring Skin Infections can be caused by Hypothyroidism in dogs. BIS: What are your thoughts about breeding. Do you prefer inbreeding, linebreeding or outcrossing? D.G.: Inbreeding is used to set breed type and defines a certain look of the dog. Meaning you will receive the best of the best and the worst of the worst. Should inbreeding be something that is chosen then the breeder must be ready to take any action to assure the breed will benefit. There have been times when inbreeding is beneficial and other times when it can be a disaster. Of course linebreeding the desirable dominant genes will be visible as well as hidden recessive genes. It is at this time when the recessive genes may become a concern. The breeder must be knowable of each the dog in the pedigree, and not just look at the pedigree on paper. The breeder must recognize faults and correct once again through outcrossing. Linebreeding is our preferred form of breeding. Linebreeding involves arranging a mating so that one or more relatives occur more than once in a pedigree, while avoiding close inbreeding. Breeding relatives is used to make the traits stronger, the goal being to make the offspring pure or homozygous in order to produce the strongest characteristics that the breeder is looking for. Pure or homozygous dogs tend to be pre potent and produce offspring that look like themselves, thus creating less diversity. BIS: Some would say that special characteris242

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tics in the breed have been taken too far. There are breeders claiming we are on the way (if not there) on having type and conformation problems. What is your opinion on that issue? D.G.: We believe that maybe correct. Often times when trying to perfect the movement in this breed the tail set and head type are beginning to be lost in the offspring. The temperaments of this breed have improved greatly, as far as not being so dog aggressive. On the other hand the soft temperaments are becoming a problem, and this is where the fear biters become an issue. BIS: What conformation faults bother you the most? D.G.: The fault that bothers us the most is the light eyes, bad or soft temperaments, high tail sets and/or tails that are not carried correctly or carried over the back of the dog. BIS: How would you describe a perfect Amstaff? D.G.: The correct American Staffordshire Terrier should fit or resemble the AmStaff Breed Standard as described in the Standard. It should be a strong dog keenly aware of his/her surroundings, fearless yet friendly, muscular yet not overdone.

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BIS: Would you say Amstaff Standard is a good one or should it be re-written? D.G.: The AmStaff Standard is very vague and leaves judges, exhibitors and breeders each with a different interpretation of the ideal AmStaff. The Standard should be more explicit in the description and the faults, thus leaving no room for interpretation by breeders, exhibitors, judges or the general public. BIS: If we did a comparison of dogs in the 1970s, `80. and `90s, and now would you say we have involved for the good or for the worst? D.G.: For the better. If that were not the case breeders are not doing their job in a conscientious manner. BIS: Is there a general decline in the quality of Amstaffs after it`s pick in popularity? What is the biggest contributing factor for it in your opinion? D.G.: No there is not a general decline in the quality of Amstaffs being shown or placed by reputable breeders. As with any breed puppy mills breed for the money and the quality of Amstaffs they produce are inferior and unstable. BIS: How are dog shows shaping the breed? D.G.: Dog Shows can be both positive and negative to the breed. New Breeders attempt to breed dogs that are similar to dogs that are winning. Sometimes what is winning is not correct to the Standard. This could be either to tall, to long, bad tail carriage, lack of bone, poor temperament etc. BIS: Please name 3 your all time favorite winners bred by you and 3 not owned nor bred by you? D.G.: Three of our All Time Favorite Winners 244

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bred by us are; Ch. Royal Courts Belle of the Ball, OFA, CA, EL, Ataxia Clear WW08, WVW10, WVW12, BIS, BISS MULTI CH, INT CH, AKC CH Royal Court Winning Colors, OFA, EL, CA, CGC, DNA, TT, CGC, Ataxia Clear Multi Ch. Royal Courts Flying Colours, OFA, EL, CA, DNA, TT Gr Ch. Royal Courts Front Paige News, OFA, CA, DNA, CGC, Ataxia Clear Ch. Royal Court Setting the Standard, EL, CA, DNA, Ataxia Clear Three of our All Time Favorite Winners not bred by us are; Ch. White Rock Lone Star Dallas, OFA, EL, CA, DNA, CGC, TT, Ataxia Carrier Ch. Rowdytown Rainbo Warrior, OFA, DNA Ch. White Rock Perry the Fridge, CD, CGC, OFA, ROH BIS: If you could pinpoint a highlight in your dog career, what would it be? D.G.: WW08, WVW10, WVW12, BIS, BISS MULTI CH, INT CH, AKC CH Royal Court Winning Colors, OFA, EL, CA, CGC, DNA, TT, Ataxia Clear BIS: What are your future plans? And what achievements would you like to be remembered for? D.G.: Our future plans are to slowly retire and be remembered as breeders that were always fair and helpful to others. BIS: Is there anything that we did not discuss you would like to address to? D.G.: We would like to see breeders and show people get younger adults involved in the breed to insure the continuation of such a marvelous and superior breed.

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Royal Nobleman Amstaffs by Vladimir Mihaljcic, Serbia Interviewed by Milla Kanninen & Mihaela Kosic

BIS: Firstly can You give us some background on yourself? How old were you and how did it all come about? V.M.: My story begins back in the 80’s. My first dog was a female Bull Terrier. In the beginning of 90’s I was introduced to Amstaffs. I registered the kennel name “Royal Nobleman’s”. Our story has lasted for 25 years now, our dogs are representing us all over the world. Breeding dogs and judging is my great passion. BIS: Has it always been Amstaffs, if not what was your involvement in dogs before Amstaffs? Do you have other breeds at the moment? V.M.: As I mentioned, I started with Bull Terrier, my family had Newfoundlands. I tried with other breeds but I was always coming back to Amstaffs. BIS: Can you tell us something about your kennel name? V.M.: I gave that name because our breed for me represents something noble and distinctive. BIS: From where/whom did you obtain your first dog/s, was that your original stock? 246

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V.M.: I got my first dogs from Ach kennel from Serbia, Pegasus Fairy Imagination and Ach Beautiful Lady of My Heart. Their background was from R&D and Sindelar kennels from USA. BIS: Did you have any big influences or mentors in the breed? V.M.: Of course, the person from whom I got my first dogs, the owner of Ach kennel. Also, my close friends, owners of Sixfoot’s, Srcky’s and Franstal kennels. Through our long friendship, we discussed our experiences in breeding dogs. BIS: Please tell us something about your kennel and breeding program. How many dogs do you have? At what age do you generally start to breed a bitch? How often do you breed a bitch during her lifetime? V.M.: In my opinion, females are the most important element of every breeding program. I had 12 dogs at one time, but t I had to reduce the number because now I travel a lot as a judge. I usually had a few females from top bloodlines, Sindelar and Fraja. I used to start breeding them at the age of 2, and I never bred them more than 3 times in their life.

AMSTAFF MAJOR Szilvรกsvรกrad - Hungary

JUDGES: MALES + BOB - Mrs. Tammy Price (USA) FEMALES - Mr. Jay Richardson (USA)

SUNDAY CACIB Show 20. MAY 2018 MALES + BOB - Mr. Jay Richardson (USA) FEMALES - Mrs. Tammy Price (USA) MONDAY CACIB Show 21. MAY 2018 ALL CLASSES : Mr. Revaz Khomasuridze (RUS)

http://pannonterrier.hu/amstaffmajor2018

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BIS: Is your kennel a one man show, or do you believe in teamwork and if so how many people do you have in your team? V.M.: I had a lot of help from my family, and now I have partners who work with me now. I believe in teamwork, but there has to be a leader. BIS: How about collaborating with other breeders? V.M.: I do cooperate with many breeders from all over the world. My friendship and collaboration with Spanish breeders had a lot of influence on dogs in that country. There is also a good number of my dogs in Russia now. BIS: Do you prefer keeping your stud dogs for your own breeding program or do you also give them for outside service? V.M.: Many times I have leased stud dogs from my kennel, but I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always have a male in my kennel. BIS: Would you say that a brood bitch is the backbone of a breed? V.M.: Yes, for sure. I can say it from my own experience. BIS: What does it take to become a reputable judge for Amstaffs? for judges V.M.: If someone is a top breeder, it does not necessarily mean that he will become a top judge. One has to have a knowledge of breed standard, anatomy etc. He has to learn how to recognize what is the essential thing for the breed. BIS: How would you rate type, temperament and soundness in order of importance? V.M.: All 3 of them are very important. Type and temperament is what breed is made of. They should all be in harmony. 248

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BIS: On the health front there is good work going on to address health problems. Many breeders test their dogs on hips, elbows, heart, ataxia... Is there more work to be done? How would you rate the health in the breed? V.M.: These tests are a must for every responsible breeder. In my opinion, Amstaffs are one of the healthiest breeds. That is one of the reasons I have them. BIS: What are your thoughts about breeding? Do you prefer inbreeding, linebreeding or outcrossing? V.M.: We should be very careful with inbreeding. It could happen that we produce the best traits from it, but there is a risk of anomalies. Linebreeding is what I use the most, and I think that is the best method to produce a specimen who will have the best traits from its ancestors. I used to do an outcross if parents are complementary but with no common ancestors, in case they were already bred too tight. BIS: Some would say that special characteristics in the breed have been taken too far. There are breeders claiming we are on the way (if not there) on having type and conformation problems. What is your opinion on that issue? V.M.: There is definitely a trend of breeding dogs only to win a dog show. A lot of characteristics go to extreme, like a short muzzle, dogs that are too big, breeding for colors... Many people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t look for type and temperament, only winning is important to them. BIS: What conformation faults bother you the most? V.M.: Temperament is very important for me, and lack of type. It is hard to eliminate high tail carriage, light eyes and lack of pigmentation. Lose elbows or crooked front.

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BIS: How would you describe a perfect Amstaff? V.M.: For me the ideal Amstaff is a combination of strength and elegance, in the middle of the road when talking about types. One phrase from the standard describes our breed the best -Keenly alive to his surroundings. Everything has to be balanced with no exaggerations. BIS: Would you say the Amstaff Standard is a good one or should it be re-written? V.M.: The standard is relatively open to interpretation. Maybe height should be treated more seriously, instead of describing it as just “preferable”, as well as pigmentation. Also, dogs with bad temperaments should be treated more seriously in the standard. BIS: If we did a comparison of dogs in the 1970s, `80. and `90s, and now would you say we have involved for the better or for worse? V.M.: Dogs have changed since then, either because of nutrition or trend. In my opinion, it does not always mean that new trends are better than the old type of dogs. BIS: Is there a general decline in the quality of Amstaffs after it`s peak in popularity? What is the biggest contributing factor for it in your opinion? V.M.: At the moment I believe Amstaffs are in their prime, and inevitably, it will start to decline at one point. Many breeders, especially from USA, are out of the breed. New generations of virtual breeders are more into internet and photographs and less into studying pedigrees. Many of them actually are not enjoying their dogs. There are fewer and fewer mentors in dog breeding.

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BIS: How are dog shows shaping the breed? V.M.: As much as they help the breed, they are doing it a bad service as well. The people are the biggest problem, because they are too busy winning, and neglecting the other things, such as health. BIS: Please name 3 your all-time favorite winners bred by you and 3 not owned nor bred by you? V.M.: BIS CH Royan Noblemans Magnum, BISS CH Royal Nobleman Gallardo, BISS CH Royal Noblemans Destroyes of my Heart. Not owned by me: CH Benamrs Macho of Roadhouse, CH Sindelars Touch O Class Orion, CH Bear Mt Flashpoint. BIS: If you could pinpoint a highlight in your dog career, what would it be? V.M.: Thanks to dogs, I have met a lot of people. These friendships mean a lot in my life. I would like to be known as an honest and knowledgeable judge and a breeder of fine dogs. BIS: What are your future plans? What achievements would you like to be remembered for? V.M.: I am the most proud of the project that I am involved in, Amstaff Major, that has become one of the most recognizable specialty dog shows in the world. I am glad that it gathers many people from many different countries. BIS: Is there anything that we did not discuss you would like to address to? V.M.: I would like to say that I am very thankful to dogs, they have filled my life. We should be the keepers of our breed, and we should remember what Fred Sindelar said : “Dogs are a part of my life, but not my entire life”.

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Karballido Amstaffs by Nacho Carballido, Spain Interviewed by Milla Kanninen & Mihaela Kosic

BIS: Firstly, can you give us some background on yourself? How old were you and how did it all come about? N.C.: It all started in 1998, I was at the changing rooms at the gym when a man was asking out loud “Is anyone interested in an American Stafford? My neighbor bought a puppy, but he does not have much time for him and he is starting to fight with their fox terrier. He is 5 months old and he has a chest this wide and his head is this big...” All the exaggeration in his speech is what caught my attention, I imagined in my head a “superdog”. I asked for the phone number of his neighbor and I called from a phone box in the afternoon. I will never forget the first time I saw him, all his happiness, strength and the noble look in his eyes. It was love at first sight and I made a deal with the man, and therefore Aaron became my first companion. Over the years I found out that Amstaffs have something very addictive, their behavior and their nobility makes their owners fall in love with

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them immediately. That is what happened to me, I started a never ending career of looking for information, photos, pedigrees, contacting breeders and visiting them, and visiting dog shows until in 2001, after many turns, Shitak (BISS Ch Real Staffs Tierra Roja) finally appeared in my life. She arrived on my birthday on the 31st of July, she was far prettier than I had ever imagined by the photos I had received by mail. With her, I started my career at the dog shows. I did all the same mistakes everyone makes at the beginning, but she helped me through it all and together we finished her Spanish, Portuguese and International Champion titles amongst some others, and won the BISS at the Spanish National specialty. With the Real family I started this adventure and I will be forever grateful to them for the great basis they gave me for both breeding and handling. I believe in destiny and I also believe that all these events happened for a reason. Why this breed? Because sincerely I can identify myself

completely in the breed, a noble, strong fighter and for me, they are the elite athletes of the dog world. BIS: Has it always been Amstaffs, if not what was your involvement in dogs before Amstaffs? Do you have other breeds at the moment? N.C.: My family has always had mixed breed dogs and also come pure bred dogs, but always with two functions - as guards and companion dogs. My passion for the dog shows is connected to Amstaffs and the more I got to know the breed, the more passion I felt for going into the ring to show my dogs, something that so far has not gone too bad. The Amstaff breed has caught my heart completely because for me it is one of the most complete breeds in terms of intelligence, physique and health. But this does not mean I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like other breeds, specially the other bull type breeds. BIS: Can you tell us something about your kennel name? N.C.: The story of my kennel name is quite funny. I had one thing clear and it was that my kennel name had to mean something to me and relate my dogs and my breeding to my feelings and values so they should have my surname. Many famous breeders had already done that, for example Fred Sindelar from the USA with his affix Sindelarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s or more close to me the Real family with their Real Staffs kennel name, so I decided my dogs should be Carballido, which is my second surname and more specifically the surname of my grandfather who was like a father to me. I remember going to the kennel club to register the kennel name, and they asked for 3 different options just in case the first was already registered. So I chose Carballido Staffs, Carballido Kennel and made up the third one - Del Templo Shaolin. I had no idea what to put 256

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as the third option so this last one comes from my background in martial arts which I practiced for many years and. So a few months later, I got a letter in the mail saying that I have been granted the kennel name “Del Templo Shaolin” as there is a rule that the name can not include the surname of the breeder. So I thought of it for a while and finally decided to cancel it, and I asked for a new kennel name changing one of the letters in my surname. So KARBALLIDO STAFFS for me it is a representation of a family breeding project. BIS: From where/whom did you obtain your first dog/s, was that your original stock? N.C.: My first Amstaff arrived in 1998, like I said earlier, it was a pet called Aaron and through him I got to know the breed. With the idea of taking part in dog shows, I finally got my first show dog who was BISS Ch Real Staffs Tierra Roja “Shitak”, and with her I started with the show rings, the podiums and the titles...Then later, from the Checz Republic, arrived Golden Mean Tipit Z Hanky. With him, I won BISS at the Spanish National Specialty from the junior class in 2005. Bit by bit, we started to create a solid base with the best dogs I could find both in Spain and abroad. My dogs are based on the lines of Tipit Z Hanky, Long Step, King of Rings, Sindelar’s... I have been lucky because I have been able to meet many breeders in person, handlers and professionals and I have been able to listen to their information and advice. I have learned a bit from each of them and this has helped me to create my own point of view and use all this information to improve in what I am doing. BIS: Please tell us something about your kennel and breeding program? How many dogs do you have? At what age do you generally start to breed a bitch? How often do you breed a

bitch during her lifetime? N.C.: During the years, I have been selecting the dogs with the physical and psycological characteristics that I am looking for. This has not been easy since all of us know that genetics can be a bit rebellious and sometimes the litters that I had most expectations for ended up giving us worse results than some other litters which I expected to be more basic. What I would like to point out is that, at least in my case, about 10 years of work is necessary to build up a solid basis for your breeding and to fix the type and phenotype you are looking for. Nowadays, I am very happy with my dogs and in all the new combinations I always get the type of dogs I had imagined when I planned the breeding, so I am now in a beautiful phase Best in Show Magazine

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of breeding where mistakes are getting fewer and I get to enjoy the results. As to breeding, the bitches I keep are usually show prospects, so as long as they develop as expected, I always try to finish at least one championship for them before breeding. I love showing and I think it is also a proof of their quality. BIS: Is your kennel a one man show, or do you believe in team work and if so how many people do you have in your team? N.C.: This is a good question. I have always thought that team work is more satisfactory than individual work, although there are many things that I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t delegate to others, I feel the need to do them myself. I do recognize that Karballido Staffs is a group of people that all enjoy our success and are there for each other when we fail. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t name them because I would for sure leave someone out, but from the enthusiastic owners of our dogs, our friend handlers, other breeders with their own kennels who work with us, our friends and my whole family all form part of the human team that I need to thank for all!! BIS: How about collaborating with other breeders? N.C.: I collaborate with anyone who wants to do things well, wants to improve and is able to share projects with me in equal conditions. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to take advantage of people or let them take advantage of me, so under these conditions I am ready to work with anyone who is willing to cooperate. BIS: Do you prefer keeping your stud dogs for your own breeding program or do you also give them for outside service? N.C.: My males are always open for stud for approved bitches. I think the interest of other 258

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breeders in using our males for breeding is a clear sign that we are doing things well, and people like our dogs. Also, on the other hand, it is a way of expanding our work more beyond our own breeding and appearing on the pedigrees of many more dogs and becoming more and more important in the breed. BIS: Would you say that a brood bitch is the backbone of a breed? N.C.: The females are the basis of any kennel, of course, and we can always look for a male

Amstaff, without type we would have the same problem and without soundness we would have a disaster. BIS: On the health front there is good work going on to address health problems. Many breeders test their dogs on hips, elbows, heart, ataxia... Is there more work to be done? How would you rate the health in the breed? N.C.: Health is very important in terms of breeding and it is something we should not forget, although we are talking about a breed that is very strong and healthy and normally this means that we only have to visit the vet for revaccinations and basic check-ups. I think health testing is very important and we should be able to use all this information for our breeding. Veterinary science is very advanced and testing our dogs for ataxia and diagnozing displasia for example is now basic for any breeder.

that could improve the faults of our female and introduce new things to our breeding plans. But at the time of the breeding, I think both the male and the female are really important and they both usually give 50% of the final result. BIS: How would you rate type, temperament and soundness in order of importance? N.C.: I don’t believe in these words separately, so I can’t put them in any order. They are all representative of a good complete Amstaff. Without temperament, we would not have an

BIS: What are your thoughts about breeding? Do you prefer inbreeding, linebreeding or outcrossing? N.C.: The three methods are equally valid, depending on the moment and the dogs we want to use we could choose any of them. As we all know, with inbreeding we reinforce the characteristics we wish, but we can also get problems that were hidden in recessive genes. With an outcross, we refresh the genetics of our breeding, but at the same time the puppies usually turn out less homogenous. In recent years, we have used linebreeding more commonly, which included using some lines in with common characteristics in order to get more similar puppies and give them the typical “look of our brand”. BIS: Some would say that special characteristics in the breed have been taken too far. There are breeders claiming we are on the way (if not there) on having type and conformation probBest in Show Magazine

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BIS: What conformation faults bother you the most? N.C.: I think a good Amstaff needs to have a balanced and harmonic body that enables it to move fluently without any extra effort, making long easy steps. Nowadays, we can find too many bad fronts, too wide and separate front angulations and unbalanced between front and rear angulations. This all affects their movement, which is what I love the most about the breed. If a dog does not move well, it is a sign of a bad construction.

lems. What is your opinion on that issue? N.C.: The truth is that Amstaffs have become more popular, and as in all aspects of life, exaggerations and extremities are never only a good thing. A lot of dogs nowadays have lots of lose skin, lose lips, incorrect expressions in their eyes and lack of type, and I think this is all a sign that something is not going well. The breed is in a crisis, not only in the number of show dogs, but also in their quality, and this is a shared responsibility of all the breeders. I hope we are just going through rough times and that we can all get through it together.

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BIS: How would you describe a perfect Amstaff? N.C.: A moderate sized dog, perhaps a few centimeters above standard size. Must have a beautiful head with strong cheeks, tight lips and excellent pigmentation. A squared muzzle with a length of 2/5 in relation to the rest of the head, and a full correct bite. A strong solid topline, balanced front and rear angulations, in order to have perfect movement. Nice front and hindquarters and tight feet. Does it not sound beautiful? It would be great to find a dog with all these characteristics. What I have just described is the perfect Amstaff for most of you. So now, what we all have to do, not just me but also you who are reading this article right now, and all the other breeders, is to try to support that Amstaff, and not just one, but create a whole breeding line full of top quality dogs. BIS: Would you say the Amstaff Standard is a good one or should it be re-written? N.C.: The standard was written in 1936, we are talking about a breed that is quite new and is going through some evolution. The standard gives us an idea of what an Amstaff should be like, but there are many points that are left for everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own interpretation, so therefore we

can find many kinds of representatives of the breed. On the other hand, this is also a positive thing, since every breeder has his own image of a perfect Amstaff and tries to create it. BIS: If we did a comparison of dogs in the 1970s, `80. and `90s, and now would you say we have involved for the better or for the worse? N.C.: I think, when we compare the origins of the breed to the dogs nowadays, the breed has undergone quite a lot of changes, in my opinion in a good way. The dogs have more balanced temperaments apart from being more harmonic and esthetic. BIS: Is there a general decline in the quality of Amstaffs after it`s peak in popularity? What is the biggest contributing factor for it in your opinion? N.C.: I think popularity is never a good thing for a breed, because people breed just to make money and do not take into account their temperament, health or beauty. But I don’t think Amstaffs have suffered such extreme consequences like, for example, Bulldogs or Yorkshires. Amstaffs are and will always be popular amongst people who are looking for a noble dog with a strong temperament and physically, a gladiator. BIS: How are dog shows shaping the breed? N.C.: The dog shows have a deep impact in any breed, as it is a great method of evaluating our dogs. At least it is supposed to be, that if we participate with our dogs in show under judges who should have a thorough knowledge of their anatomy, standard and specific requirements of each breed, the dog who wins the most will also be the one that achieves most titles and should become a highlight within the breed. If this dog becomes a reference for

others, more people will use this dog for breeding and the more offspring he will have. Many judges to not even realize the big impact their decisions can make, in a positive or even a negative way. BIS: Please name 3 your all time favorite winners bred by you and 3 not owned nor bred by you? N.C.: I think my star and my most standard bitch from Karballido Staffs is Electra Natchios, who has made a great career at the shows. On top of many important titles, such as the Spanish championship and Reserve World Winner in Finland, she has also been during three years the best female Amstaff in Spain in the ranking of CEAST, which is something that I hope will not be impossible, but definitely hard to do with another bitch in the future. Another dog I have enjoyed a lot is Bad Romance, a typical, correct and moderate male with great movement. He was also a Spanish Champion and the best male in the ranking of CEAST during two years. Right now Mambo Golden Legend, Shere Khan and Hall of Fame Orion are my new favorites with whom I will have lots of fun in upcoming years. As a reproducer, my favorite is Sicario .In all his litters, whether bred by us or not, he has reproduced his personal stamp. With many different females, he has always given his own type of puppies with correct structure. I can’t be objective while answering this question, I’m proud of all my dogs, they all have history behind them and they are all my babies. Who is your favorite child or which of your children is the prettiest? They are questions that are not easily answered. Three dogs not owned or bred by me that I especially like are Fraja EC Gold Standard, Cuda’s Speedfighter and Sitting Bull Swann. Best in Show Magazine

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Three incredible dogs that made history. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think they need more explanations. BIS: If you could pinpoint a highlight in your dog career, what would it be? N.C.: I always hope that the best moment of my career is tomorrow, maybe it sounds a bit funny to some, but I have always worked on a basis where I try to improve myself and achieve the goals that I have set up for myself. I always set them higher and higher, so I hope I can continue working to achieve them until my body or my mind tells me to stop. BIS: What are your future plans? And what achievements would you like to be remembered for? N.C.: My future plans are to continue breeding with the same enthusiasm as I started, breed new generations better than the old ones and win important titles with my dogs. My dream is to make one of my dogs an AKC Champion,

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since I have not yet had the opportunity to send any of them to campaign in the USA, and I would also like to win a World Winner title with a dog bred by me, perhaps at the World Dog Show in my country in 2020. BIS: Is there anything that we did not discuss which you would like to address? N.C.: I would like to thank Best In Show Magazine for giving me the opportunity to do this interview and for allowing me to introduce my kennel a bit more. I would like to send greetings to all the other breeders and Amstaff enthusiasts that are reading this interview and I hope we can all continue working together in order to create that perfect Amstaff.

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Del Paco Amstaffs by Renato Paco Zanoia, Italy Interviewed by Milla Kanninen & Mihaela Kosic

BIS: Firstly, can you tell us about yourself? R.P.Z.: My name is Paco, Renato Paco Zanoia. I was born in the 1959. Since 1973 my passion is dogs, I am the only owner, founder and curator of the De Paco’s X-Z Line, the first and the only A.K.C. Exclusive Amstaff bloodline outside the United States of America. My bred-by dog “Ice”, BIS/BISS Ch. De Paco XZ Gold Number won the Best of Breed and Best in Show award - at the A.K.C. Staffordshire Terrier Club of America (S.T.C.A.) 2001 National Specialty in Texas. Since 1936, he was the first Am Staf, bred outside the U.S.A. to win the Nationals. In 2009, always as breeder/owner I won again the Best of Breed and Best in Specialty Show with a female named “Goody”, BIS/BISS. Ch. De Paco XZ Hollywood Gold Bolt won at the historical Montgomery County and S.T.C.A. National Specialty in Philadelphia, PA., and still today she’s the only one, non-American female, bred outside the U.S.A. to win the Nationals. De Paco’s Am Staffs won the S.T.C.A. National

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Specialty Best of Opposite title in 2011, Best of Winners titles at the S.T.C.A. National Specialty in 1999, 2000, 2005 and 2011. Award of Merit titles at the S.T.C.A. National Specialty in 2001, 2006, 2009, 2013 and 2017. Also won the A.K.C. Montgomery and Westminster Shows’ B.O.B., B.O.S. & A.O.M., and on several occasions, in different years and Countries, De Paco’s males and females, became F.C.I. World Show’s Best of Breed and B.O.S. Winners. By the way, the precise motivation for which I have decided to breed this Dog was the consequence of the study of more than ten years and my attendance in the late 80s in the USA. at an AKC exhibition and in particular seeing some Amstaffs presented by John McCartney at that time, ignited something inside me, something important and ambitious which brought me, after 10 years, to breed my first litter alone. Only after having evaluated my breeding program, guided by the mentors like my dear friend John. So I decided to take care

of the modern American Staffordshire Terrier, the „All-american Dog” or „The Grand Old Breed”. You can’t have any solid success if you don’t know where your dogs are from... BIS: Can you tell us something about your kennel name? R.P.Z.: My kennel name is “DE PACO X-Z”, In ancient Italian-Latin “DE” means “OF”; “PACO” is my first name; “X” it is my tribute to my favorite breeder of all time and his Staffs, Mr. Clifford Ormsby of X-PERT Knl; and “Z” is the beginning of my last name Zanoia. In other words “DE PACO X-Z” it is a kind of acronym. BIS: Did you have any big influences or mentors in the breed? R.P.Z.: Yes, and all American men. Three in a particular way and for several reasons: Fred Sindelar, JohnMcCartney and Bill Peterson. BIS: How about collaborating with other breeders? R.P.Z.: I have great relationships with the best breeders in the world. BIS: Do you prefer keeping your stud dogs for your own breeding program or do you also give them for outside service? R.P.Z.: Am Staff is well-breed only by 10% of the breeders, and I considered only 10% of the dogs in the whole world as good Am Staffs for my breeding program. So, collaborations and exchange of stud service, take place only in this selected micro cosmos. I rarely meet good Amstaff breeders around the world. For me knowledge and transparency are very important. Detailed information about genetical tests of reproducers should be the base for all the reputable breeding programs.

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BIS: Would you say that a brood bitch is the backbone of a breed? R.P.Z.: Like most of the successful breeders that I have known, I too agree on the decisive importance of the female. In reality the female is dominant in the descent of the phenotype

of open pairing. But only some outstanding males have given as much contribution to the offspring in the open pairing. See Tryarr Diamondback Redbolt, Patton Red Rock Skillet and White Rock Lone Star Dallas, to mention some of the most famous. BIS: How would you rate type, temperament and soundness in order of importance? R.P.Z.: Temperament, type and soundness. TEMPERAMENT COMES FIRST – because the most beautiful dog - the world winner and the more prized one is worthless if its temperament is bad! In other words, I think that the most important thing is to maintain gameness, of course. Some of us know that this trait has nothing to do with conformation and everything to do with temperament! The backbone of gameness includes extreme confidence. It also includes a desire to please the human master. Our breed is like no other. It is the most versatile of them all. No other comes close. We have a challenge, it is to carry on and maintain in our Amstaffs the confidence, stability, reliability, and above all, reluctance to bite or threaten people without a damn „good reason” MUST BE MAINTAINED. BIS: On the health front there is good work going on to address health problems. Many breeders test their dogs on hips, elbows, heart, ataxia... Is there more work to be done? How would you rate the health in the breed? R.P.Z.: The test for Ataxia should be made compulsory for all breeding dogs, it’s a shame that people continue to pretend that the problem does not exist, just to register more puppies. I think that testing for ataxia, hips, elbows and heart, the entire stock of reproducers is a duty for every serious breeder, but we know that only 10% of “Breeders” do so officially.

BIS: What are your thoughts about breeding. Do you prefer inbreeding, linebreeding or outcrossing? R.P.Z.: It depends on what I want and the aims that I have fixed in a certain phase of my breeding program. Each genetic article attmpts to explain how to use these techniques, but successful breeding in Amstaffs cannot be achieved by theoretical thinking. Our breed is a strain in the strain and all that normally works for instance for the Doberman we cannot obtain with a satisfactory result in Amstaffs. I believe that it is fundamental for us to have a deep knowledge in our re-producers’ phenotype blood-line, and progeny. However, linebreeding always pays! BIS: Some would say that special characteristics in the breed have been taken too far. There are breeders claiming we are on the way (if not there) on having type and conformation problems. What is your opinion on that issue?

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R.P.Z.: The main Amstaff winners of the dog shows in recent years are real “Flatcatchers”. They are very flashy Amstaffs that mask the defects with their spectacular qualities. Consequently they have, necks too long when, our breed should have neck of medium length, straight shoulders when our breed does not require it and flat toplines; when they should have a slight sloping line from withers to rump with a gentle short slope at rump to base of low set tail. Why the hyper-rear angulations and extravagant movements are fashionable in today’s Amstaff dog shows?! These “Flatcachers ” are dogs that win more with the spectacle than with the true and well-deserved qualities required by the Standard. BIS: What conformation faults bother you the most? R.P.Z.: Dudley nose, nose not definitely black, light or pink eyes and flat topline. BIS: How would you describe a perfect Amstaff? R.P.Z.: I believe that my ideal Amstaff is reflected fully in the “moderate-type” of Amstaff that the seminar of STCA recommends to all the breeders to pursue, both as how it is represented in its drawings, and also in the ideal description dictated in its comment for the standard. All the best Amstaffs that I have seen and bred in my life are moderate type. The male should be of moderate type “but, mannish” and the female should be moderate type “but, feminine” in no case in front of these specimens I have had the necessity of controlling the gender … under the tail ;-). BIS: Would you say the Amstaff Standard is a good one or should it be re-written? R.P.Z.: Our A.K.C. Standard is just perfect - since 1936. 270

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BIS: Is there a general decline in the quality of Amstaffs after it`s peak in popularity? What is the biggest contributing factor for it in your opinion? R.P.Z.: The lack of genuine enthusiasts and the taking of power by a generation of breeders, exhibitors and judges who only do it to make money. BIS: How are dog shows shaping the breed? R.P.Z.: The answer lies in the precious words of my mentor Bill Peterson: “The original primary purpose of dog shows was to provide a means of selecting the best specimens of a breed for breeding in order to preserve and improve the breed. That can still be done now by learning the breed standard and using the opportunity to see many dogs by attending the shows and finding the best ones yourself. Unfortunately, it can only contribute to the deterioration of the breed to breed to the show winners. The dog show is no more than that; a “show”. The AKC-FCI claims nothing else. A breeder needs to decide between making the effort to learn what the dog is intended to be according to the standard and strive to breed the best specimens possible accordingly, or go with the corruption of the current (and long-time) dog show circus. Sadly, the worst thing that happens because of the corruption of the true purpose of dog shows is a novice can show a truly good one and not even place and be so discouraged that the dog is then lost to the breed as breeding stock. The key to preserve the breed and even improve it instead of allowing it to morph into a diverse hodgepodge of aberrations is knowledge, coupled with the desire to accomplish a truly commendable task.” BIS: Please name 3 your all time favorite winners bred by you and 3 not owned nor bred

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by you? R.P.Z.: CH DE PACO XZ SINDELAR BUDDY O’ DICKIES CH DE PACO XZ HOLLYWOOD DREAM CH DE PACO XZ HOLLYWOOD GOLD BOLT & CH ALPINE’S HIGHWAYMAN CH PATTON’S RED ROCK SKILLET CH FRAJA EC WINNING TICKET

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BIS: What are your future plans? And what achievements would you like to be remembered for? R.P.Z.: I’m still trying to continuing a tradition. The tradition of “The Grand Old Breed”. Since 1936, we wanted to push “The Grand Old Breed” into a different direction, for the purpose of being the best companion. The stability behind the breed was its loyalty to its owners. We wanted to keep the reliability with children and their families that the breed possessed. The breed’s unswerving loyalty to master and household is sufficient within itself to gain the admiration of the most discerning. They will guard your home or protect your car, and do it with an air of authority that counts. The Amstaff craves their master’s attention, and asks for no better place than to be by his side. The Amstaffs are so tolerant with children that they would never harm a child no matter how rough a child played or handled them. An Amstaff would never bite the hand that feeds it, for it know who its family is, and protects them under all circumstances. The Amstaff’s only desire is to please its family. In essence, the American Staffordshire Terrier already possessed the temperament traits to be the best companion, and these were the traits that I carry on into my De Paco XZ Line. All of us from all the continents, the entire dog fancy and all the others concerned need to make a concerted effort in this direction to really - take care of breed. Thank you. Your friend in the breed.

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Fianna Amstaffs by Norbert Tibay, Hungary Interviewed by Milla Kanninen & Mihaela Kosic

BIS: Firstly can You give us some background on yourself? How old were you when you started and how did it all come about? N.T.: My first experience with Amstaff was in 1997, when I got my first Amstaff from a pet home , she was Mesalin, a very nice pet female, who helped me get to know this breed. About three years later I bought my first show dogs, First of Goldstar White Bread was my first show dog, he finished his interchampion, and had many many satifying show results. During this period I met my wife Beatrix, who had Airedale terriers, but after our relationship she started breeding Amstaffs with me. We bought our 2 brood biches from Hana Brezinova and Piergiorgio Lievore. For our first litter we used an American import male, Royal Court Carbon Copy at 2004. The mother of this litter was Ness Tipit Z Hanky who give me many champion and interchampion puppy during her life. Our second litter was out of Dafne ( Lievore’s Edition) and again we chose an American im-

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port male – Fraja EC Golden Boy. This litter was really successful, most of all, Böbe of Fianna , who won the World Winner title, and Best of Breed and Group II at Poznan from one of the biggest entries in the history of the breed. After this show she finished the American AKC champion title like her mother before her. After this litter we had both successful, and unsuccessful periods in our career both with litters and showing. We finished many interchamions and American champion titles in our life both with a handler and on our own. We started to become more and more wellknown as breeders and handlers so we were asked to show many other kennel’s successful dogs in my country and all round the world. BIS: Has it always been Amstaffs, if not what was your involvement in dogs before Amstaffs? Do you have other breeds at the moment? N.T.: I still have my first dog Mesalin the Amstaff bitch, afterwards however I also became

involved in many other breeds which I owned and bred, mostly terriers but I like the working dogs too, especially the Cane Corso. BIS: Can you tell us something about your kennel name? N.T.: Fianna (singular fiann) were small, semiindependent warrior bands in Irish mythology. They are featured in the stories of the Fenian Cycle, where they are led by Fionn mac Cumhaill. They are based on historical bands of aristocratic landless young men in early medieval Ireland. BIS: Did you have any important influences from mentors in the breed? N.T.: I had not planned on becoming a breeder or dog show person, we only wanted guard dogs that were not too big, not coated, and not barking all day, at that time the Amstaff was not so popular, I usually go to the gym and one my friends there suggested this breed to me. Afterwards I went with my new bitch to dog school , which also organized beauty shows and I got involved in showing there. I hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t known anything about this sport before, but after 2-3 shows I wanted to buy a real show dogâ&#x2DC;ş. BIS: Please tell us something about your kennel and breeding program? How many dogs do you have? At what age do you generally start to breed a bitch? How often do you breed a bitch during her lifetime? N.T.: I approached the acquisition of our first brood bitches very seriously, I felt the Fraja and Sindelars lines were right for me, so I decided to follow those and I wanted bitches from these lines, or close to these lines. At the moment I still have many old dogs from these lines alive, they were my first breed bitches and dogs, and I can compare them with some new puppies ob278

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tained from the young generations. The last 3-4 years have been much less successful for my kennel, we try to do the best combinations, but the results have not come. Recently, I brought in several foreign dogs, that is keeping me afloat for the moment! BIS: Is your kennel a one man show, or do you believe in team work and if so how many people do you have in your team? N.T.: I like working with our dogs myself, at the dog shows usually my wife and one assistant are handling the dogs with me. About breeding, we are happy to give some top puppies to show homes or breeding homes where they can live a family life but can help carry on my breeding program. From all the litters we like to keep some puppies for the future , but we can’t to do it alone, we need to find people who would like a show dog, though they are not interested in breeding. BIS: How about collaborating with other breeders? N.T.: We work with foreign breeders, however, so far, not with Hungarian breeders. BIS: Do you prefer keeping your stud dogs for your own breeding program or do you also give them for outside service? N.T.: I usually use other breeder’s dogs, from my favorite lines, Occasionally I use my own dogs. BIS: Would you say that a brood bitch is the backbone of a breed? N.T.: I think that is the first step, the main thing is a good female from good lines, the males you choose for her are also very important. BIS: How would you rate type, temperament and soundness in order of importance? N.T.: All 3 things are very important our breed,

if we speak about pet dogs the temperament is the first priority, if you have a great character in an Amstaff you can trust him/her all your life. If we are speaking about shows, we need to say type is the priority, because without type we can’t call this breed an Amstaff, only a nice animal.

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BIS: On the health front there is good work going on to address health problems. Many breeders test their dogs on hips, elbows, heart, ataxia... Is there more work to be done? How would you rate the health in the breed? N.T.: This breed is not an unhealthy breed, we don’t have many common problems, the sort of thing that conditions the dog’s life. We can test the main diseases with genetic or normal tests. This is very important for us as breeders, we need to know what we have inside of our stud dog, and brood bitch. I tested the males and females before I use them in breeding for Ataxia, Hips, Elbows and Hearts. BIS: What are your thoughts about breeding. Do you prefer inbreeding, linebreeding or outcrossing? N.T.: I think the best results can come from inbreeding, but like good soup you need some more ingredients, so an outcross every 3-4 generations is helpful. Afterwards you can come back your own line. BIS: Some would say that specific characteristics in this breed have been taken too far. There are breeders claiming we are on the way (if not there) on having type and conformation problems. What is your opinion on that issue? N.T.: A more important issue in the Amstaff in my opinion is that urbanization affects us, as it does other breeds. We will lose some of the typical hot temperament of the Amstaff. If we stuck with the original character, we could not let a puppy go to everybody, it would be a cocked gun in their own hand. Of course this breed is still not good for many people, we always have problem about the owners, who don’t have enough knowledge and experience in this breed or overall about the dogs to manage their dog properly. 280

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BIS: What conformation faults bother you the most? N.T.: Bad temperament , too shy or too hot Amstaffs. BIS: How would you describe a perfect Amstaff? N.T.: Just like the standard’s first lines; The Staffordshire Terrier should give the impression of great strength for his size; a well put together dog, muscular, but agile and graceful, keenly alive to his surroundings. He should be stocky, not long-legged or racy in outline. His courage is proverbial. BIS: Would you say the Amstaff Standard is a good one or should it be re-written? N.T.: No it is a good standard, only we need more widespread teaching, and training about the standard, both for the breeder and also for the judges. The main problem with the standard that it is soft on a lot of things, not strict like the German Shepherd standard. Ours is more of a recommendation than strict instructions. 282

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BIS: If we did a comparison of dogs from the 1970s, `80. and `90s, and today, would you say we have evolved for better or for worse? N.T.: All the breeds develop from their start to nowadays, but the Amstaff has not changed for the worst I think, now it is more of a companion dog, you can use it for everything, which was not true in the past. BIS: Is there a general decline in the quality of Amstaffs after it`s apex in popularity? What is the biggest contributing factor for it in your opinion? N.T.: Popularity helps the breed develop in the beginning, but afterwards it tends to go the wrong way. Too many unknowledgeable “breeders” without any breeding programs or ideas have pushed the Amstaffs into a deep hole, nowadays the main kennels of the past have stopped active breeding both in the States, and in Europe too. New people don’t have any mentors available, That is one reason that quality is very different now, but in Hun-

gary I can say that I see some really seedlings that will be strong trees in the future. BIS: How are dog shows shaping the breed? N.T.: It is always the same problem, too many shows, too many new judges, who don’t have any experience with our breed, and the judges’ education also is very poor in this breed. BIS: Please name 3 of your all time favorite winners bred by you and 3 not owned nor bred by you? N.T.: Böbe of Fianna, Dante of Fianna and Valentine’s Baby of Fianna Team – these dogs were my breeding. Not from my kennel are : Fraja EC Winning Ticket, Alpine’s Ring of Fire and Billie Jane of Daftraptors BIS: If you could pinpoint a highlight in your dog career, what would it be? N.T.: The Böbe World Winner title, Valentine’s baby Amstaff national speciality Winners Bitch title and European Winners title.

BIS: What are your future plans? And what achievements would you like to be remembered for? N.T.: Last year I planned to stop breeding Amstaff, and keep only a few of my old dogs, but in this year I got some new fuel for continuing, I had two successful litters with nice combinations, and I see some nice examples of the breed from the States, something I would like to follow in my breeding. I think my two important lines can be connected now – Alpine’s Rio Grande’s offspring with Fraja EC Golden Boy’s offspring. I believe these combinations will work in the next few years. BIS: Is there anything that we did not discuss you would like to address? N.T.: Lastly I would like to thank you so much for thinking about me, I have enjoyed giving my opinion, and congratulations for your great work, what you do in this doggy world, wish a lot of success for the future!

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Carmichael’s Amstaffs by Olaf Verhorevoort, The Netherlands Interviewed by Milla Kanninen & Mihaela Kosic

BIS: Firstly can You give us some background on yourself? How old were you and how did it all come about? O.V.: To introduce myself, I’m Olaf Verhorevoort from the Netherlands. In 1993 I bought my first Amstaf, “Rechy”, as a pet. When he was six months old, the breeder asked me if I would be willing to show him. I had no interest in dog shows, but I did want to do the breeder the favor. Rechy did well in his first shows, and from that point on I had the dog show “virus”. BIS: Has it always been Amstafs, if not what was your involvement in dogs before Amstafs? Do you have other breeds at the moment? O.V.: Rechy was my first dog. When I lived with my parents I wanted a dog, but they told me if I wanted to buy one I had to wait until I lived on my own. When I turned 21 I went out on my own, and a couple months later I bought Rechy from a breeder Belgium. It was his first litter, and my first dog. It’s the only breed I have, or have ever had. A few years ago we got a

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generous offer from a top breeder to purchase a mini bull terrier, but it just wasn’t the right moment. Though I hope to get one of her minis in the future, because that’s another breed I really like a lot ! BIS: Can you tell us something about your kennel name? O.V.: That’s a funny story. When we decided to breed our first litter, after more than ten years in the breed, we applied to the Netherlands Kennel Club for our kennel name. It’s not easy to come up with an original name, and we had to supply two options. The first one was ‘Irresistible’, but it was not accepted because it was already in use in Japan, I believe. The second name we liked was ‘Carmichael’s’. I was involved in MX dirt bike Motocross in the past, and at that point in time I thought Ricky Carmichaels from the USA was the best Motocross driver in the world. So that’s how we came up with it.

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BIS: From where/whom did you obtain your first dog/s, was that your original stock? O.V.: My first dog was bought from the first litter of a regional breeder. It was a combination of a White Rock male and a Tippits bitch ( Willynwood / Sindelars). My second dog was White Rock Chaskras El Diego, bred by Dick Pascoe from USA. BIS: Did you have any big influences or mentors in the breed? O.V.: Yes. I am proud and happy to call Dick Pascoe and Carla Restivo my mentors. One other person taught me a lot as well, but this person became so jealous after our successes that he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t speak to us anymore, so I prefer not to give him the credit. BIS: Please tell us something about your kennel and breeding program? How many dogs do you have? At what age do you generally start to breed a bitch? How often do you breed a bitch during her lifetime? O.V.: Here in the Netherlands dog ownership is more regulated. We have four dogs in our house, which is the maximum, but we co-own a large number of dogs. From every litter I have kept one male and one female in co-ownership. I breed for myself and my breeding program, and I always want to keep something to build on. We never breed a bitch earlier than approximately 3 years of age. In my opinion an Amstaf is adult around that age, and why should we breed them any earlier? We usually do two litters from a bitch over her entire life. I am in the enviable position of having too many bitches that I want to breed, so two litters is more than enough. With two outstanding producers we did three litters. One of them was Vega. She produced wonderfully for us, and for that rea286

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son I wanted another litter. Her daughter just this year had her third litter as well. She also produced well, but the main reason we bred her again was because her first litter had only one puppy. BIS: Is your kennel a one man show, or do you believe in team work and if so how many people do you have in your team? O.V.: No, no !! I am happy to have help from several people. First of all, my wife does at least as much as I do. She gives me the ability to go to the dog shows when we have puppies. Then I need to thank Sabrina Hoks for her devotion to traveling and assisting me at the dog shows ! Furthermore we have some friends who take care for our dogs when we go to dog shows in other countries. Without them I couldn’t do what I do now, so a BIG thanks to these people--you know who you are ! BIS: How about collaborating with other breeders? O.V.: That’s not easy. Every breeder has their own ideal and their own opinions. That’s as it should be, but it’s nice if the breeders want to go in same direction as you, or at least have some common ideas. I am happy to be able to work together with a Finnish breeder, and also with two Swedish kennels. BIS: Do you prefer keeping your stud dogs for your own breeding program or do you also give them for outside service? O.V.: My males are available to other bitches / breeders if they have something to offer the breed. I don’t breed to every bitch; I have refused some breedings in the past. You don’t make friends that way, but that doesn’t bother me. There are already too many Amstafs born on this planet. The breed is way too popular, in my opinion. For example, I imported a male Best in Show Magazine

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from Denmark; he was a very welcome gift from Tonny and Tina Bergstrom, and came to me because the breed got banned in that country. His hip rating was not as good as we like, so Tonny and I agreed we would not offer this male at public stud. I did use him myself three times in my kennel and got several dogs with excellent rated hips. Nevertheless I did not want to take the responsibility of offering him at public stud; but not every breeder sees it this way. BIS: Would you say that a brood bitch is the backbone of a breed? O.V.: I agree 100 % with that. I prefer a good bitch over a good stud dog, but a stud dog that reproduces himself ( if he has a lot of quality ) if great to have in your kennel as well ! BIS: Does it take to become a reputable judge for Amstaffs? O.V.: Knowledge of the standard. Once I read the written critique I know if the judge has studied our breed. Most of the time you get a critique describing a dog that could be a Schnauzer or an Affenpinscher as well as an Amstaf. I love to see some breed specific words in the critique, so that you know the judge did at least try to read our standard. In my country this is very important to know, if you want to become a judge. Another thing is that I wish that for Specialties and WDS / EDS, only breeder-judges would be invited. For that reason I didn’t enter “Spot” in the World Dog Show this year. I am sad that I will miss this show with her, but it is a matter of principle to me. BIS: How would you rate type, temperament and soundness in order of importance? O.V.: Temperament is always first !! Then health and soundness, after that type. But we want all three of these to be perfect, don’t we? LOL 288

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BIS: On the health front there is good work going on to address health problems. Many breeders test their dogs on hips, elbows, heart, ataxia... Is there more work to be done? How would you rate the health in the breed? O.V.: I am happy to see that there are more and more Amstaf being tested. I wish there were a European registry system similar to the OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) in the U.S.. So many times I hear that the differences in hip rating depends on which country the X-rays and radiographic reading are done. I think our breed is a healthy breed in general. That doesn’t mean it’s perfect, but these days we have these diagnostic tools to breed better and healthier dogs, so why shouldn’t we use them?

BIS: What are your thoughts about breeding. Do you prefer inbreeding, linebreeding or outcrossing? O.V.: I prefer to do tight linebreedings, but it’s so hard to find good stud dogs, especially if you want to stay in a certain bloodline. Not many breeders today are focusing on pedigrees to the extent that they establish and stay within one strong line. That has led me to do more outcrosses than I would have done years ago, simply because there is no satisfactory alternative. I have never done an inbreeding, as our kennel club registry doesn’t allow this, so it will never happen in my kennel. However, my foundation bitch ‘Vega’ is out of a bitch that is a mother / son combination bred by Dick Pascoe.

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BIS: Some would say that special characteristics in the breed have been taken too far. There are breeders claiming we are on the way (if not there) on having type and conformation problems. What is your opinion on that issue? O.V.: We have only one breed standard, which has within it three types. I think most Amstaf breeders endeavor to breed the middleof-the-road type. As I mentioned before, there are too many puppies born on this planet and we have too many breeders who are not serious about maintaining the breed. For many breeders, money is the most important thing. In the countries I have visited for dog shows you see some very nice examples of the breed, but also a lot of crap. BIS: What conformation faults bother you the most? O.V.: Shy temperament !

terpretation. If judges or apprentice judges are truly interested in the breed, they can get enough information and study material to understand the standard and learn what the Amstaf must be ! BIS: If we did a comparison of dogs in the 1970s, `80. and `90s, and now would you say we have involved for the good or for the worst? O.V.: I am not that old, so I can’t give a good answer based on personal observation. But judging from old videos or books and pictures, I think the breed was better in general in the past. This is an opinion based on a videos and pictures, so it’s hard to give an honest, accurate opinion about relative quality. In the past there were not so many Amstafs produced as there are now. There was no Internet or Facebook that shows us everything, so it could be that in the past only the nice dogs were shown and photographed, and the ugly ones were kept hidden in the kennel.

BIS: How would you describe a perfect Amstaff? O.V.: For me, it would be a dog of moderate type with an outgoing temperament, straight front, nicely rounded cat feet, adequate deep chest, well-shaped head with enough length in the muzzle, dark pigment and eyes, a moderate length arched neck blending into a topline that slopes slightly to the croup, moderately rounded ribs and a tail that is not carried too high. Ideal movement has enough reach and drive. Color is the last thing that is important, but brindles, reds and blacks are my favorites, in that order.

BIS: Is there a general decline in the quality of Amstafs after it`s pick in popularity? What is the biggest contributing factor for it in your opinion? O.V.: As I said before, our breed is already too popular. Of course there are some benefits to that popularity—for example, greater recognition by judges in the Terrier Group. But there are also a lot of negative things. I think the Breed Specific Legislation is one of them. Not every Amstaf puppy arrives in the right home….

BIS: Would you say Amstaf Standard is a good one or should it be re-written? O.V.: The standard is part of the history of the breed. Wilfred T. Brandon wrote the standard, and we need to let stay it the way it is. The standard is open for everyone’s personal in-

BIS: How are dog shows shaping the breed? O.V.: Some breeders try to breed just what judges currently like, rather than what is correct to the standard. So I think yes, dog shows always affect the breed in some way. Many breeders go to that big winner to breed to,

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without considering if it is the right type. Not a positive thing, IMO. I did attend--six or seven time--the breeders/ judging seminar by Sarah Nugent while I was in the US. There are always some interested people who, like me, followed the series for more education. But the majority of visitors at these events never attended the seminars! There was always just a small group of people. If Sarah Nugent will give another seminar in the future, I am going to be there again. Every time I learn something. BIS: Please name 3 your all time favorite winners bred by you and 3 not owned nor bred by you? O.V.: Bred by me: 1) Carmichael’s Liar Liar Pants on Fire 2) Carmichael’s Sex Appeal 3) Carmichael’s For Your Eyes Only

3) The third highlight is winning Best in Show at the Top Dog of the Year Show in 2017 with “Spot” (Ch. Carmichael’s Liar Liar Pants On Fire) to win BIS at such a prestigious show is a dream come true.

BIS: What are your future plans? And what achievements would you like to be remembered for? O.V.: I want to stay in this breed as long as possible; for me there is only one breed. Of course our goal is to breed healthy dogs that can compete at the highest level. We do our best, and we have been lucky enough to breed some nice examples that have had good success at conformation shows. But of course I have bigger dreams, as I think we all do. I am working on my judging license here in the Netherlands. In my country this is a very long process that involves classes and a great deal of study on all Other Breeders’ Dogs I admire: aspects of breeds, structure, health, and con1) Willynwood Blue Bonnet Lady formation; it is much more involved than most 2) De Paco Hollywood Dream countries. If all goes well, I will do my Amstaf 3) Eden from the Klondike Diggers) exam in March of 2018. If I pass this, I hope to contribute part of my knowledge to other BIS: If you could pinpoint a highlight in your dog young breeders in the world. career, what would it be? O.V.: I am lucky to have more than one, so if BIS: Is there anything that we did not discuss you don’t mind I will give you three highlights: you would like to address to? 1) Best of Winners with Carmichael’s Chip- O.V.: I think you have covered all the points. pendale at the 2009 USA National Specialty Thanks for asking me ! / Montgomery. We couldn’t believe it when it happened, we were so thrilled! To compete with many professional handlers and win BOW, this was a day I will never forget. 2) The youth winner title with Carmichael’s Sex Appeal at the World Dog Show, Salzburg, Austria in 2012. Then in the finals for BOB the judge didn’t give Best of Show to a bitch, but he did compare the world famous Don King and my bitch several times and finally took Don for BOB. Best in Show Magazine

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Ringmaster Amstaffs by Marius Nedelcu, Romania Interviewed by Milla Kanninen & Mihaela Kosic

BIS: Firstly can You give us some background on yourself? How old were you and how did it all come about? M.N.: First of all, my name is Marius Nedelcu and I have been breeding Amstaffs for 22 years. The first time I came across this breed it was at a dog show in 1995. Ever since, I have been breeding only Amstaffs! BIS: Has it always been Amstaffs, if not what was your involvement in dogs before Amstaffs? Do you have other breeds at the moment? M.N.: Before I laid my eyes on Amstaffs, I’d had an Afghan Hound named Afrik, a German Shepherd named Baby and a Shiba Inu that went by the name Torra del Biaggio. I’ve had them only as pets, not for breeding. BIS: Can you tell us something about your kennel name? M.N.: My kennel name is Ringmaster which was inspired by the name of the champion Diamond’s Ringmaster, Ruffian old dog . 294

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BIS: From where/whom did you obtain your first dog/s, was that your original stock? M.N.: As I said before, my first interaction with an Amstaff was in 1995 at a dog show .There I saw Bessy Jakuza Brief, X-pert line female. She was a brindle with white markings and she won the breed. When I found out she was pregnant 3 weeks I knew I wanted a puppy from her. That’s when my first Amstaff came into my life, a little puppy named Don Diego. His father was a famous male imported from Canada: Ch Red Essex Texas Tex. BIS: Did you have any big influences or mentors in the breed? M.N.: Of course. My mentors and influences we’re other Amstaff breeders. As a beginner you often need guidance. One of them was Fred Sindelar.

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BIS: Please tell us something about your kennel and breeding program? How many dogs do you have? At what age do you generally start to breed a bitch? How often do you breed a bitch during her lifetime? M.N.: I have 4 males and 6 females. I always breed the females after the age of 2 years and never after the age of 7. I often breed one or two females a year, but usually one a year. I find it easier to breed in the spring so I’ll have puppies during summer. I will breed one female twice or three times during her lifetime. BIS: Is your kennel a one man show, or do you believe in team work and if so how many people do you have in your team? M.N.: My kennel is a one man show, but I have a trusted person which I know for sure can take care of them when I am away. BIS: How about collaborating with other breeders? M.N.: Always. We discuss the breed and share different opinions and experiences. It is useful knowing other points of view. But I don’t believe in the idea of a co-owner. BIS: Do you prefer keeping your dogs for your own breeding program or do you also give them for outside service? M.N.: I usually like keeping the females for my breeding program and then find good homes for my males. I never give away one of my Amstaffs unless I am 100% percent sure that I have found the best compatible family. BIS: Would you say that a brood bitch is the backbone of a breed? M.N.: Yes, if you want to keep proper type and soundness in your line it’s a must to obtain good females.

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BIS: What does it take to become a reputable judge for Amstaffs? M.N.: In my opinion, a reputable judge must have 2 qualities: he must know the breed and he must be fair. By fair I mean that he should know how to be objective. BIS: How would you rate type, temperament and soundness in order of importance? M.N.: Soundness is breed-specific and related to breed type. Temperament is the natural attitude towards other animals, people and environment. In my opinion I choose them in the following order: type, soundness and temperament . BIS: On the health front there is good work going on to address health problems. Many breeders test their dogs on hips, elbows, heart, ataxia... Is there more work to be done? How would you rate the health in the breed? M.N.: Some diseases are inherited and to avoid having health issues you must test both parents before considering buying a puppy. For this matter there are special clinics where you can test the dogs. I usually test my dogs for ataxia, hips and elbows, thyroid and heart . BIS: What are your thoughts about breeding. Do you prefer inbreeding, linebreeding or outcrossing? M.N.: Mant times I have used linebreeding. Linebreeding gives you more consistent litters and uniformity of quality without risking inherited problems of the breed. Also I have used outcrossing occasionally and I was satisfied with my puppies . BIS: Some would say that special characteristics in the breed have been taken too far. There are breeders claiming we are on the way (if not Best in Show Magazine

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there) on having type and conformation problems. What is your opinion on that issue? M.N.: I like a good moderate dog head. But a deviation like a very deep stop or a short backskull, or a muzzle too shallow for the size of backskull with low lower jaw will change the characteristic features of the Amstaffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s head. Only a few dogs have a fair front, a good upper line and a strong rear. BIS: What conformation faults bother you the most? M.N.: A bad front, incorrect top line and a weak rear. BIS: How would you describe a perfect Amstaff? M.N.: The perfect Amstaff should have a beautiful head, a fair front, a nice outline, correct angulations, strong bones, good temperament all along with good movement. If it also has an attractive color, then this is the perfect Amstaff. BIS: Would you say Amstaff Standard is a good one or should it be re-written? M.N.: The standard is good in my opinion. BIS: If we did a comparison of dogs in the 1970s, `80. and `90s, and now would you say we have involved for better or for worse? M.N.: I think that every period of time has good dogs and bad dogs. BIS: Is there a general decline in the quality of Amstaffs after it`s peak in popularity? What is the biggest contributing factor for it in your opinion? M.N.: Some put quantity over quality and it results in prices dropping, everybody sells dogs at low prices, and so breeders are discouraged from investing and cannot sell their dogs. Besides all these that we have a law that puts 298

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Amstaffs in the group of dangerous dogs, an incorrect law with this breed . BIS: How are dog shows shaping the breed? M.N.: It is very important that we have a judge knowledges of the standard to recognize where compromises can be made where to look for important qualities. The correct evaluation of reproducers make a big difference for the next generation of dogs. BIS: Please name 3 of your all time favorite winners bred by you and 3 not owned nor bred by you? M.N.: My all time favourite winners bred by me are: Ch Ringmaster Tomahawk, Ch Ringmaster Papito, Ringmaster Belle of The Ball and not owned by me: Ch Sindelarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Touch O Class Orion, Ch Fraja EC Thunder Battery and Ch R-U Popeye. BIS: If you could pinpoint a highlight in your dog career, what would it be? M.N.: Best of Breed or Best Opposite at STCA. BIS: What are your future plans? And what achievements would you like to be remembered for? M.N.: As the President of the Deva Regional Club of Bully Type Terriers, I want to organize, starting with next year a high class exhibition with famous judges !

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Parastone’s Amstaffs by Paul Marks Interviewed by Milla Kanninen & Mihaela Kosic

BIS: Firstly can You give us some background on yourself? How old were you and how did it all come about? P.M.: Firstly thanks for the opportunity, it’s truly a huge honor for me! To answer your question, next year it will be 30 years ago since I started with AmStaff’s. I was 17 years of age at that time. Wow, time flies! I was reading old magazines and books already for a long time and dogs like Patton’s Red Rock Skillet really inspired me. I couldn’t take my eyes of the pics and felt the need and urge to get involved somehow. My dream came true when I had the chance to purchase my first AmStaff. BIS: Has it always been Amstaffs, if not what was your involvement in dogs before Amstaffs? Do you have other breeds at the moment? P.M.: My parents had several dogs during my childhood which I really enjoyed. I always was a person who loved to be around with animals, and dogs in particular. I remember our Bouvier des Flandres, named Marco, who was around 300

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all my childhood. Then off course our naughty Rottweiler, named Doggy. And then there were two Bull Terriers, Bronco and Isa. My best memories however I had with my Jack Russel, named Charley. As a breeder I only breed AmStaff’s. Some years ago however my ex-wife wanted to start breeding Miniature Bull Terriers, and so we did for approx. 10 years. We really put effort in this breed and imported dogs from Germany, Spain and Australia. When I divorced in 2015 I decided to put my focus back on just the AmStaff. Specialization in one breed makes a breeder more responsible and passionate. That’s my opinion however. BIS: Can you tell us something about your kennel name? P.M.: All the time people ask me what the name Parastone’s means, where it stands for. The answer is simple, it’s just a name I made up, a phantasy name. I had to file a name at the

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kennelclub to get my kennel registration, and to me Parastone’S sounded like a catchy name. Simple and short. BIS: From where/whom did you obtain your first dog/s, was that your original stock? P.M.: My original stock, and the foundation of our kennel, came straight from Marsha & David Wood, WoodForest Kennel Florida USA. BIS: Did you have any big influences or mentors in the breed? P.M.: I learned so much from many dogpeople, in- and outside the breed. It’s great to hear different opinions from so many different people. That’s what makes the dogworld so interesting and inspiring. That’s what it is all about, that’s what it should be all about at least. As long a breeder has the focus on the breed standard and being ethic and responsible temperament and health wise, there is no right or wrong. There is just a way of thinking. Different thinking. And from different thinking comes different views. And from different views comes different types and (hopefully) different bloodlines. Breeding equals the art of the ability to realize once point of view of the breed standard and turn it into a livestock, in a way that it’s improving generation after generation but being consistence all the time. BIS: Please tell us something about your kennel and breeding program? How many dogs do you have? At what age do you generally start to breed a bitch? How often do you breed a bitch during her lifetime? P.M.: I have only three dogs living with me, all of them retired from show and breeding program: my old lady Parastone’S Ready Aim Fire (Whoopie) 14 and still going strong, her son Parastone’S Jimmy Junior (J.J.) turning 10 soon, and his daughter Parastone’S Designed With 302

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Love (Lilly) 6 years of age. Three generations of Parastone’S which I enjoy every day. All my other dogs live with friends and family. I don’t believe in kenneldogs. I want my dogs to be a full member of the family, doing the things a dog should do. That’s why I choose to outplace my dogs. It works out great for everybody. At this moment, 5 of my dogs are a part of my breeding program. My bitches will not be bred until they are a Champion and fully health- and temperament tested, which means well over 2 years. I breed them once, and if those pups are an addition to the breed maximum twice in their lifetime. BIS: Is your kennel a one man show, or do you believe in team work and if so how many people do you have in your team? P.M.: It’s defiantly teamwork I believe in. One man shows are for the short term. Parastone’S is nothing without my handler and best friend Rudi. He is a huge part of the team for 22 years. We discuss everything, and I really mean everything! Then of course all the people where we outplace our dogs. They overload our AmStaff’s with love and take care of them beyond awesomeness. BIS: How about collaborating with other breeders? P.M.: Yes of course. Very important. We are collaborating with several breeders all over the world. It benefits both them as us. BIS: Do you prefer keeping your stud dogs for your own breeding program or do you also give them for outside service? P.M.: Our boys are available for stud-service on a very small scale, and only then when it’s for the betterment of the breed.

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BIS: Would you say that a brood bitch is the backbone of a breed? P.M.: A frequently asked question. Genetically the bitch offers exactly the same influence as the male. Therefore both sexes are in this matter equal. Looking at the genetically impact there is a difference. A female is limited in producing gene’s (offspring). A male can produce forever, even after his passes away. So, from this point of view you can say that the male is the backbone of a breed. BIS: Does it take to become a reputable judge for Amstaffs? P.M.: What it takes to become a reputable judge for AmStaff’s? The same as it takes to be a reputable judge for any breed. Study the breed. Respect the dogs. Judge with passion. Judge the dog, not the handler or owner. Find soundness and type, not just adding the sum of faults. There is no such thing as a perfect dog. Be honest. Only this way you help the breed. In all other cases, you help people. And it is not about the people. It’s about the breed, a population with a great passed. Let the future be at least as great! BIS: How would you rate type, temperament and soundness in order of importance? P.M.: All these matters are essential. But if I must choose I’ll put temperament on the first place. Every AmStaff should have a solid and stable temperament. An unstable AmStaff can cause for many problems, problems that leads to BSL’s already in many countries worldwide. Secondly soundness. A dog who isn’t sound cannot move. Such a dog will be hold back in his live-quality. No matter what origin a breed has, all conformations are supposed to move. And finally type. This is what a breed makes a breed. The hardest thing to breed. But it’s ‘just’ a cosmetic matter. Of Couse, every breeder should strive 304

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for type, but they must worry in the first place for temperament, health and soundness. BIS: On the health front there is good work going on to address health problems. Many breeders test their dogs on hips, elbows, heart, ataxia... Is there more work to be done? How would you rate the health in the breed? P.M.: Yes, correct. More and more breeders are convinced to test health. Health is important and you can only find out the health of your breeding program if you test. So that’s progress. And it’s essential. And I applaud those breeders who test. Comparing the AmStaff to many other breeds, we’re not doing so bad I guess. But there are issues for sure. And with the exploding numbers of born pups the last 10 years didn’t do us good. The list hips, elbows, heart and ataxia should be extended with allergies. Many AmStaff’s have allergies of all kind. Often a genetic disorder. Like in humans no easy matter but essential to stop before it explodes. BIS: What are your thoughts about breeding. Do you prefer inbreeding, linebreeding or outcrossing? P.M.: I prefer linebreeding. This way you get more uniformity in your offspring. It gives you the possibility to specialize yourself to a particular gene-package. More and more often you’re be able to make the right combination’s and, even more important, to locate the cause of failures. Of course you have to act with more care then outcrossing, because of the low rate of rest-gene’s you’re dealing with. Then again it can be an advantage. Once you disbanded a certain unwanted gene it will be gone forever. Linebreeding however always calls for outcross at some point. I like to do this with another linebred line.

BIS: Some would say that special characteristics in the breed have been taken too far. There are breeders claiming we are on the way (if not there) on having type and conformation problems. What is your opinion on that issue? P.M.: Many (if not every) breed gone too far. More and more seemed to be the latest ‘fashion’. Many kennelclubs worldwide instructing their judges that ‘too much’ isn’t done anymore. They want it to stop and going back to moderate. These issues rest always in the hands of responsible breeders and upright judges to go back to normal moderate sound types. Gladly there are many breeders and judges who prefer the moderate type. BIS: What conformation faults bother you the most? P.M.: That’s easy to answer… bad top-lines and wrong angulations. BIS: How would you describe a perfect Amstaff? P.M.: After my opinion, the perfect AmStaff should be a dog that is well balanced as well in temperament as in conformation as in movement. His temperament should be very stable. Never nervous. Honest in every situation. Looks like he is in control of every situation. Friendly towards people though with care among small children. Never starting any aggressive behavior towards fellow dogs, but standing his ‘man’ in case some dog challenge’s him. His conformation should be based in harmonic angulation in both front as rear, and a perfect top-line, going smoothly from the occiput, to the neck, over his back until the tip of his tail, without showing any bump or disturbing dip in this trajectory. His under-line should be slightly but straight up to his loins. His muscles should be well developed. His front should be very straight, showing nice compact ‘cat’-feet and strong bone. His Best in Show Magazine

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for chest must be well developed. The brisket should be reaching to the elbows. The distance from the floor to the brisket should be equal to the distance from the brisket to the top of the shoulderblade. He should be just a tiny bit longer then tall. The head must show the well-developed ‘musculus masseter’ and the ‘musculus temporalis’. Very well stop and good full and black pigment around the eye-lids and nose. The eyes should be dark-brown and not too big or round. His rear should be very well developed showing strong bone. As finishing touch, I would like to see symmetric markings. His movement should be giving the appearance of enormous power giving from the rear. His front should only absorb this power and giving direction. His rear footprints should land in or just behind the prints from the front paws. During his movement, his back must be as flat and clam as possible. The moment you meet this dog please give me a call! BIS: Would you say Amstaff Standard is a good one or should it be re-written? P.M.: I think the original standard should be respected and honored. In the end, it leaves many details open for own interpretation. Which leads to discussions, different opinions, different thinking and different views. BIS: If we did a comparison of dogs in the 1970s, `80. and `90s, and now would you say we have involved for the good or for the worst? P.M.: Yes, we evolved defiantly. Some for the better some for the worse. Style and fashion is what sets the bar. I think the key word is moderate. As long we focus on that we’re all on the right track. BIS: Is there a general decline in the quality of Amstaffs after it`s pick in popularity? What 306

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is the biggest contributing factor for it in your opinion? P.M.: For sure many temperaments are off since the puppy train run along. Lots of shy behavior, everything an AmStaff should not be. Many dogs lost their type as well since their number exploded. You know, the AmStaff that passes on the street, that one that makes you look twice. It’s hard to find anymore. BIS: How are dog shows shaping the breed? P.M.: Judges have a big influence. Many breeders breed the dog that can win. They even know what type of dog they should bring to what judge. So, in one or the other way this makes shows having an influence on the breed. BIS: Please name 3 your all time favorite winners bred by you and 3 not owned nor bred by you? P.M.: Bred by me: Multi Ch. Parastone’S Designed With Love Multi Ch. Parastone’S Little Bit of Spice Multi Ch. Parastone’S Don’t Panic Not bred by me: Ch. Patton’s Red Rock Skillit Ch. Woods EZ Forest Penn Dragon Ch. Tryarr Diamondback RedBolt BIS: If you could pinpoint a highlight in your dog career, what would it be? P.M.: My highlight is when me, Rudi and the rest of the team is having fun in what we do and enjoy our dogs. None of our multi winning Champion titles, all the Best in Specialty Show winnings, nor all our number one ranking’s or our Top Terrier of The Year winnings can beat that. BIS: What are your future plans? And what achievements would you like to be rememBest in Show Magazine

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bered for? P.M.: Right now Parastone’S is in an exciting phase. After many years of breeding and selecting we increased our breeding program down to just a few dogs. From here we’re outcrossing in order to go back in line again. Let’s see how that works out. I don’t think in terms of achievements, I don’t think I deserve that much honor. I’m doing the way I think is the right way, always respecting the wellbeing of a dog. I have the noble striving and hope that someday Parastone’S is called a line on its own. A bloodline that shows uniformity. Offspring that make you know it is a Parastone’S. Weather it’s your type of AmStaff or not. Besides all the fun and friends we made, in the end this is all that will be remembered. I hope I may live long enough to achieve this. . BIS: Is there anything that we did not discuss you would like to address to? P.M.: One more think I would like to add. Because of all the government interfering worldwide, concerning our beloved AmStaff, its essential for all breeders all over the world to cooperate in this matter. To me it seems too often that breeders spending too much time paying attention to what the college breeder (competitor as they like to call them) is doing, instead focusing themselves to their own policies. It’s easy to criticize people, often leading by kennel-blindness. But in the end the AmStaff will be punished for this childish behavior. Show respect towards fellow fanciers/breeders, even if you do not agree with all or any of their statements. Only this way will lead the AmStaff to a secure future where our pure-bred, the one we obvious choose for, can show the rest of the world their beauty.

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JustLike Amstaffs by Andrea L. Fernandez, Argentina Interviewed by Milla Kanninen & Mihaela Kosic

BIS: Firstly can You give us some background on yourself? How old were you and how did it all come about? A.F.: Hello, I’m from Buenos Aires, Argentina, I’m a Breeder & an All Breed Professional Handler, I have had dogs in my life & I’ve loved the pure breed dogs since I can remember. I was 17 years old when I got my very own first purebred dog. I wanted to have a Rottweiler at first but my father (who had bred GSD & Dobermanns in the past) said I should choose a different breed, and I won’t ever complain about it because that’s how after long research I got the best dog in my life, it was a solid fawn Boxer bitch who I called Shara, she started it all and she is the one I will miss forever. BIS: Tell us more about your involvement in dogs? A.F.: As I mentioned before, my very first breed was Boxers, I didn’t start with a show quality pup, but I got “better” ones later and it’s since then that I got involved with purebred dogs & 310

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shows. I do not breed any other breeds at the moment, but I’ve bred Boxers, Standard Bull Terriers & English Bulldogs in the past. I co-own a Colored Bull Terrier with a very close friend and I will probably co-breed some litters in future with him, but Amstaff is and will always be MY BREED. BIS: Can you tell us something about your kennel name? A.F.: Well, there’s not a lot to say about it, I don’t really know how I came up with it, but It took me forever to choose a name! I remember thinking that it wouldn’t have a meaning by itself being “JustLike” as I like it to be written and how it shows up in my logo, but it would still make sense thinking my dogs would be “just like Amstaffs” pointing out the importance about the breed type. BIS: From where/whom did you obtain your first dog/s, was that your original stock? A.F.: My first Amstaffs and the basis of my

breeding program came from Spain but out of USA bloodlines. I did import a male, GCH Bloodivine Dark Light “Kiko” who comes from a very nice Fraja/Benmar combination and a bitch Thunderbully New York “Pampita” who comes from a mostly Sindelar pedigree. I had other 3 dogs from other bloodlines around that time too, but I decided these two dogs were on the path that I wanted to follow. BIS: Did you have any big influences or mentors in the breed? A.F.: Yes. I’m very lucky to have found the best mentors in the breed. In my opinion & experience, it’s essential to become a successful breeder to have help at the beginning. Karen Thomason from Alpine Falls Kennel in USA has been my mentor since I met the breed and over the years she has become a very close friend, we used to send the longest emails ever back and forward just talking about dogs, type, conformation and breeding. I visited her for the first time in 2012 and when I met her husband -Ed Thomason- I wanted him to be my mentor too, not only as a breeder but also as a Professional Handler. Someone else I would like to mention as my mentor in dog breeding is Russell Lamonby (Emred Bull Terries, UK) who I deeply admire as breeder. I met him in 2009, he’s the one who taught me that “Type Comes First” and the one who made me believe a dog “has to be built” starting from its front. I have learned a lot from him every one of the 3 times I’ve visited his house/kennel and I`m a fan of his pedigrees and the way he consistenly produces quality dogs. BIS: Please tell us something about your kennel and breeding program? How many dogs do you have? At what age do you generally start to breed a bitch? How often do you breed a bitch during her lifetime? 312

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A.F.: I do not keep a lot of dogs in my house, because I believe the best environment for a dog to grow up and enjoy life is in a family who have time to spend on them for the rest of its life and this is why I own many dogs who have wonderful lives with good friends. I currently have 4 dogs at home who will never leave my side, I recently added two young girls and hopefully I will add a girl from my current litter to this pack. I’m proud to say all my dogs live loose in the house in great harmony. My breeding program is based on Sindelar & Benmar bloodlines and my goal is to produce correct breed type as a priority, sound mind, body & spirit, health and temperament goes together with this, and we can not forget class as the icing on the cake. I’m always attracted to good fronts that look and move the way they are supposed to. I do not breed often because I’m always traveling. Right now I have my 4th generation of Amstaff at home after 5 years from my previous litter. I breed my girls over 2 years old when they are fully health tested and I have not ever bred a bitch more than 4 times in their lifetime. I would consider a 5th breeding with a very good producer female, but in my opinion, that’s enough times to get the dog or bitch who would be the next step in my breeding program. BIS: Is your kennel a one man show, or do you believe in team work and if so how many people do you have in your team? A.F.: Well this is more like a one woman show Lol when it comes to the day by day work with the dogs, planning breedings, training, showing, etc.. but yes I believe in teamwork when talking about a breeding program. I have to mention my mom is the one who takes care of the dogs when I’m traveling around and the one who spoils them so badly that I look like the “bad guy” when I’m back home and get everyone back on the normal routine.

BIS: How about collaborating with other breeders? A.F.: I believe this is the only way to be successful in dog breeding, teamwork makes everything better, even when we all have our own ideas and sometimes-different opinions, this is the best way to get enough information about the dogs & the bloodlines you’re working with in your own breeding program. I’m lucky to have met Lacey Tulloch from LBK’s Kennel in the US who has been my “partner in crime” for the past 6 years, I did co-breed some litters with her as I did too with Karen and Ed Thomason from Alpine Fall’s. They are a big part of me and my dogs. I will always be open to help and share what I have learned with any other breeder or enthusiastic of the breed.

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BIS: Do you prefer keeping your stud dogs for your own breeding program or do you also give them for outside service? A.F.: I used to be very jealous about my dogs, but I have learned that cooperating with other breeders is the only way to improve the breed. That being said, I would not give my dogs stud service to someone with whom I do not share the same reasons for breeding dogs or the 314

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concept of purebred dogs. Breeding dogs is not a business for me. BIS: Would you say that a brood bitch is the backbone of a breed? A.F.: Yes, absolutely. I believe the bitch line is the key and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m working hard on building my own. BIS: How would you rate type, temperament

one should be performing it on their dogs. Our breed is very healthy and we rarely visit the vet, but if we do not test, we will end up having a lot of issues which many other breeds have. BIS: What are your thoughts about breeding. Do you prefer inbreeding, linebreeding or outcrossing? A.F.: All of these are necessary in a breeding program, I believe in linebreeding and that’s how I work my pedigrees but there are times when an inbreeding is necessary just as it could be necessary to do an outcross. There is no Math in dog breeding, I like to think that breeding top quality dogs is similar to a craft work.

and soundness in order of importance? A.F.: Exactly like that, Type always comes first, there’s no breed without type, temperament is part of the type because it gives you the whole picture, soundness is what they must have in order to perform as they should. BIS: On the health front there is good work going on to address health problems. Many breeders test their dogs on hips, elbows, heart, ataxia... Is there more work to be done? How would you rate the health in the breed? A.F.: The STCA suggest testing for Hip & Elbows Dysplasia, Cardiac, Thyroiditis, Ataxia and Eyes, congenital problems. In my opinion, these results are all information to know what we are dealing with when breeding our dogs, I do test my dogs, and I believe Heart testing (Echo by a cardiologist) is the most important test, every-

BIS: Some would say that special characteristics in the breed have been taken too far. There are breeders claiming we are on the way (if not there) to having type and conformation problems. What is your opinion on that issue? A.F.: Yes I agree with that statement, unfortunately type has no meaning for a lot of current breeders, and I have seen too many dogs winning worldwide who lack breed type. They may be well made dogs for general conformation, they sure can fly around the ring and they may be an eyecatcher, but...that’s far from what an Amstaff should look like. Movement has been taken too far, bone & substance has too. I see many people just looking for a dog who can move around like some Sporting/ Working breeds, forgetting where our breed comes from and that we belong to the Terrier Group. If we keep going in this way our breed will lose breed type & functionality. The other faults I see are the opposite direction; to become heavy types who cannot go around the ring one time without panting. I don’t like to see an Amstaff that sounds like an English Bulldog. Another thing that is coming to my attention is Best in Show Magazine

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massive heads with very short muzzles. It may look attractive to some people, but this is not functional at all, an Amstaff should be able to bite, hold and breathe at the same time. However, we still have good breeders around the world who work hard on preserving and improving this wonderful breed. BIS: What conformation faults bother you the most? A.F.: Lack of type is the biggest fault in my opinion, but talking about conformation, I would say fronts. The whole picture of the front is what would always catches my eye when evaluating a dog, no matter which breed it is. BIS: How would you describe a perfect Amstaff? A.F.: I would say a perfect Amstaff has a spirit that would never let you down. An Amstaff is an athlete who can do whatever we ask them to do, is full of drive and it’s at the same time the best pet at home, with the family & kids. I always say to new people asking about the breed that an Amstaff will always be ready to go if you want to hike a mountain the same way they will be ready to spend the day just watching movies on the couch. BIS: Would you say the Amstaff Standard is a good one or should it be re-written? A.F.: It’s ok the way it is. I would say people need to get more educated about the history of the breed and the interpretation of the standard. If there’s anything that I would change I would say more details could be useful, it would be good to add information about the correct down & back movement. BIS: If we did a comparison of dogs in the 1970s, `80. and `90s, and now would you say we have involved for the good or for the 316

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worst? A.F.: I would say every era have had his own great ones who could still be big winners today, but at the same time we evolved somewhat for the good, our great ones nowadays have better overall conformation than some of the old dogs. BIS: Is there a general decline in the quality of Amstaffs after it`s peak in popularity? What is the biggest contributing factor for it in your opinion? A.F.: I think being popular is what makes a breed go downhill. Too many breeders make too many puppies, and when popularity hits its peak, the dog quality goes down, backyard breeders sell cheap puppies and this affect the good breeders. Breeders with no knowledge or experience trying to sell whatever they produce as a show quality pup brings the quality down. BIS: How are dog shows shaping the breed? A.F.: Dog shows were supposed to shape the breed in a good way, dog shows used to be the way to have a knowledgeable opinion on our breeding stock. Nowadays that sometimes doesn’t go right. When a new big winner is out there, it affects the way people and judges see the breed, and for example when a big winner

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who is not correct is being bred multiple times in different countries and reproducing his faults all over or even worse if he lacks breed type, it harms the breed. BIS: Please name 3 your all time favorite winners bred by you and 3 not owned nor bred by you? A.F.: I would like to mention just few dogs that had an impact in my history. The first one would be my Bred by GCH JustLike It Takes Two For LBK “Zamba”, co owned by Gloria Padur Otero & Lacey Tulloch who was the first Amstaff born in Argentina to finish the AKC CH & GCH. She was the beginning of one of my goals from when I started and now I can say how proud I am to be the only one breeder in South America who has produced 7 AKC Champions and 3 GCH so far. The 2nd one is the dog I’m lucky to own and share my life with. He’s the one who owns my heart since the first time I saw him, his name is BIS/BISS Multi CH GCHB Alpine’s Catch me If You Can RN CGC “Chase” bred by Alpine Falls. He’s the biggest winner in my kennel with a STCA National Specialty win under his arm and the European Winner title for 2017. He was also Americas & El Caribe Winner in 2013 which makes him a big winner in 3 different continents. Together we have been in multiple countries where he finished many titles and he is the one with whom I walked my first steps into the performance rings with, I will always be grateful to Karen and Ed for having put this dog in my life. Then I have to mention a dog that I do not own, nor did I breed, but he changed many things about my way of seeing the breed and understanding the standard. He is the Top Winning Amstaff in the breed history BIS/BISS GCHP CH Alpine’s Highwayman CD BN RA CAA RATN CGCA ROH “Jelly”, bred, Loved & owned by Karen & Ed Thomason, Alpine Falls. 318

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Last but not least, I want to mention a bitch that I had the pleasure to handle to many wins, her name is BISS Multi CH GCHG LBK’s Enuf Talk About Ruby for Mulecreek CA RA RATN DJ CGC “Ruby” Bred & CoOwned by Lacey Tulloch & Owned by Leanna Jagta. It was with this girl that I had the biggest joys I could have ever asked for since I started showing dogs. Ruby has never been owned by me, but she’s one of those dogs that owns you. Lacey and I have been friends since 2012 when we went to our first STCA National together and from there we have shared as many shows and hours of driving, as countless anecdotes. One day in March, 2014 while we were at the Kentucky Specialties, and we thought that it would be a good idea to show Ruby in Europe sometime. We decided I was going to take her to the very famous Amstaff Major held in Hungary that year. It was an amazing show with great competition from all around Europe. The people there were great and cheered for her every time we went around the ring, Ruby ended up taking BOB that day and becoming the first Amstaff born in the USA to have won this show. Later that year after many trips around South America, it was time for the National. We trained hard for that show and once more, great competition with the best handlers and dogs for that year were in the ring. Ruby has never been so easy to show, as a judge said once, ‘she has a mind of her own’. But that day we made an agreement and she gave me her 100%. I will not ever forget when the judge Mr. Jay Richardson picked out some dogs and said: “just let them free stack”...and I thought this is your moment to shine, this is what we have been training for. She stood there, perfect, and my heart was going 1000kmh until the judge pointed to us and it was then when it exploded! Ruby won the 79th STCA National Specialty!!

BIS: If you could pinpoint a highlight in your dog career, what would it be? A.F.: I would say the proudest moment I had in my dog career was being invited to judge a CEAST Regional Monográfica in Spain and The STCA World Challenge in USA in this 2017. This is great recognition of my career and knowledge as a breeder, handler and lover of the breed. This would not have been possible without many people I will always be grateful for, who have taught me and supported me through all these years. BIS: What are your future plans? And what achievements would you like to be remembered for? A.F.: I have many future plans, inside & outside the rings, like every year I will keep traveling around as much as I can to see the best Amstaffs in every corner of the world. The biggest challenge is in the whelping box, I have my 4th generation on the ground and if everything goes as I dream I already have plans for my 5th & 6th generation. One day I would like

to be remembered as a mentor for someone else, for everything I’m doing, for improving the breed in my country and for the passion I have for the breed. I would like my dogs to be recognized as a true representation of the breed standard. BIS: Is there anything that we did not discuss you would like to address? A.F.: I would like to say to every enthusiastic of the breed how important is to find a mentor and learn as much as possible from every breeder with a successful breeding program, it doesn’t matter if it is Amstaff people or not. It’s about finding someone who can share their knowledge, about the art of breeding dogs with you. I would also like to recommend to everyone interested in dog breeding to read and understand the 20 Principles of Breeding by Raymond H. Oppenheimer.

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Masterbold Amstaffs by Kaisa Metteri-Gold, Finland Interviewed by Milla Kanninen & Mihaela Kosic

BIS: Firstly can You give us some background on yourself? How old were you and how did it all come about? K.M.G.: I was 3 years old when we got our first Staffie Bull in our family. He was a great family dog that was also shown to his championship. My first own dog was also a Staffie Bull and I thought this would my breed until I got in contact with the Amstaffs. The first Amstaffs were imported to Finland in 1984 and -85 by Mela Ekman kennel Dinah-Mite. However the first two dogs didn ́t make such a great impact on me, not before I met an other import of Mela, Skrams Cactus Needle from Holland. “Kobra” was a well trained, very self secure and calm dog. She came to Finland bred with Skrams White Rock Chasqui and stayed with us until she gave birth. From this litter I got my first Amstaff. BIS: Has it always been Amstaffs, if not what was your involvement in dogs before Amstaffs? Do you have other breeds at the moment?

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K.M.G.: So my first contact was the Staffords back in the early -70 ́s but dogs have always been my passion. My grandmother had a big hunting dog and I used to train her too. At first I was very into working with dogs and competed in obedience and search&rescue. Later I got interested in dog shows and was very active in showing also other breeds, for ex. Brussel Griffons, Staffords and Irish Water Spaniels. I have always had a smaller breed together with the Amstaffs, Jack Russels which I also bred a few litters, Fox Terrier and Boston Terrier. I always dreamed of a coat breed and after 15 years of dreaming I finally got my husband convinced of the Little Lion Dogs and at this time we have 3 of them. BIS: Can you tell us something about your kennel name? K.M.G.: Masterbolt was just a name we came up with when combining words. My first request was Graceland after my first import, but FCI did not verify that.

BIS: From where/whom did you obtain your first dog/s, was that your original stock? K.M.G.: My first Amstaff FI&EE CH Dinah-Mite Berry came from Finland even thought he was out of Dutch dogs and White Rock lines. I never used him for breeding for two reasons. I did not want to breed with the blue colour and he was a very tuff dog that I had to work very hard with. So I decided to go for a bit easier temperament. My brood bitch INT Ch Chi Town Geena (Tara’s The Untouchable x Gracie B Good) was imported from USA, bred by Sandra Lobono. A very type bitch that could still win these days. BIS: Did you have any big influences or mentors in the breed? K.M.G.: I was lucky to start in the breed before the internet and emails. This mean I wrote letters and visited breeders in USA. Fred Sindelar was of course one of the most important one, but there are so many others that have shared their knowledge like Bonnie Gottier and my very dear friends Tammy and Randy Price. In Finland I worked together with kennel Stillstorm’s, Anne Oikkonen and Heikki Heiskanen and still miss the long talks we had with them about the breed and dogs. BIS: Please tell us something about your kennel and breeding program? How many dogs do you have? At what age do you generally start to breed a bitch? How often do you breed a bitch during her lifetime? K.M.G.: Masterbolt dogs are bred with thought, raised with loved and shown with pride! They are all born and raised in our home together with cats, dogs and children. Well our children are all grown up now but they have grown up with the amstaffs. We have never had a kennel, all our dogs are family members living in

the house and I sell my puppies only to family members. This is why I cannot keep that many dogs in the house. I have had great co-ownerships and this has worked great for me. I have used pretty much the same lines (Sindelar’s and Fraja) for 20 years, however now I am in a situation that I need to get out in my bloodlines as my gene pole is getting too tight. Most of my bitches are only bred ones and first time at the age of 2-3 years. At the moment I only have one amstaff in my home, a wonderful import from Slovakia AM CH Skyglows Lot Better Boy “Willie” and then the 3 Löwchens. BIS: Is your kennel a one man show, or do you believe in team work and if so how many people do you have in your team? K.M.G.: I could never had done this alone! I truly believe in team work and I am lucky to have so many great people around. Not to forget about my husband and kids who has always helped with the puppies. As for now I also judge quite much I am grateful to my team of puppy owners and co-owners who are always somewhere on the road or working and training their dogs. BIS: How about collaborating with other breeders? K.M.G.: I do keep in contact with breeders Best in Show Magazine

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around Europe and USA but I have to say what comes to my breedings I pretty much know what I want and do my decisions alone. BIS: Do you prefer keeping your stud dogs for your own breeding program or do you also give them for outside service? K.M.G.: When I import a stud dog it is only for me, I never think of getting some extra money of other breedings but I sometimes let them be used by others if I feel the breeding would be good. I am pretty strict to my breedings too, I give them for use only if I feel the bitch and the combination is good enough to produce something good. BIS: Would you say that a brood bitch is the backbone of a breed? K.M.G.: A brood bitch is the backbone of a kennel, this is what I was thought and in this I always believed in. So many people think that by using a great male they would get nice puppies out of a pet quality bitch, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think so. The bitch line must be very strong. BIS: How would you rate type, temperament and soundness in order of importance? K.M.G.: Type, temperament and soundness always goes hand in hand. But I would say that temperament comes first when you have dogs as family members. But if you want to breed for show dogs you need the whole package. They need a great temperament and need to be sound in every way and without the type there is no Amstaff. BIS: On the health front there is good work going on to address health problems. Many breeders test their dogs on hips, elbows, heart, ataxia... Is there more work to be done? How would you rate the health in the breed? K.M.G.:. It is good that health issues are getting 322

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more important. I feel that Finland has been somewhat of a trailblazer in the health checking. However I feel we have gone too far. We have come to a point were we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t breed dogs, we breed numbers and %. Breeding nice healthy dogs is not as simple as it looks on the paper. We should think what health problems are more important than he others. Skin problems are awful both for owners and the dogs. Dogs with severe skin problems should just not be bred! Hips, elbows and hearts are all good to test, but I would not start to x-ray backs just for the fun of it. I do believe in honesty in health issues, what goes around comes around. BIS: What are your thoughts about breeding. Do you prefer inbreeding, linebreeding or outcrossing? K.M.G.: Line breeding absolutely, but I have come to a point that I need to do some outcross because my gene pole is getting too narrow. BIS: Some would say that special characteristics in the breed have been taken too far. There are breeders claiming we are on the way (if not there) on having type and conformation problems. What is your opinion on that issue? K.M.G.: As a judge I am in a great situation to see the breed in different countries. I would say there are big differences between the

countries. Some countries like Russia and Spain has been doing a great job with the breed and produces very good quality dogs from different bloodlines and kennels. Then is some countries you can tell that for ex. breeding for a certain colour or bloodline has lead into a situation were the breeders has lost their breed type and only see the colour. However I love the fact that by judging in different countries I can better see the qualities from different lines. For sure there are good things in every line. BIS: What conformation faults bother you the most? K.M.G.: My biggest concerns in conformation are the fronts and the heads. The head is what makes the breed and the fronts are what carries most of the dogs weight. These are no bulldogs with wide empty straight fronts. And with straight I am talking about straight angulations in the front, not straight front legs. Many times we see over angulated rears combined with short upper arms and straight front angulations. A good handler might hide this but it leads into problems in movement. I honestly believe that countries that has stopped cropping breed for better heads. The cropped ears hides so many faults, for ex. lack of stop. Shoot me for speaking out loud but this is the case. BIS: How would you describe a perfect Amstaff? K.M.G.: A perfect amstaff is a well balanced dog from top til toe, that looks good free stacked and holds together on the move. Just as simple as that. BIS: Would you say Amstaff Standard is a good one or should it be re-written?

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K.M.G.: The amstaff standard is very undetailed. For a new judge it does not describe much and leaves much to the judges liking. It would not hurt to get some more specific things in it. BIS: If we did a comparison of dogs in the 1970s, `80. and `90s, and now would you say we have involved for the good or for the worst? K.M.G.: I think our breed has always been very uneven as the mix between terrier and bull and the standards gives a chance to it. I honestly think there were much more bigger dogs shown for 20-30 years ago than these days. But I think we are coming into a time were structure is better understood and getting more important for the breeders. There has always been different types and different sizes, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see things has changed in that. BIS: Is there a general decline in the quality of Amstaffs after it`s pick in popularity? What is the biggest contributing factor for it in your opinion? K.M.G.: I think popularity has not done any breed much good. Popularity means easy money and always brings unserious breeders looking for easy money. So it is also in our breed.. BIS: How are dog shows shaping the breed? K.M.G.: There are a lot of discussions of how dog shows shape the breeds. I guess that is true but still it is for me a strange idea that I would change my point of view after every new judge. If there is a dog that wins weekend after weekend under different judges and also specialist, that must be a good dog. But if there is a dog that suddenly wins under a certain judge it might not be the one you should breed for. BIS: Please name 3 your all time favorite win324

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ners bred by you and 3 not owned nor bred by you? K.M.G.: Bred by me will be INT CH Masterbolt Ginger from my very first litter (Stillstorms Archie x Chitown Geena) INT CH Masterbolt Feels like Gold (Fraja Ec Gold Standard x Cold Rain von Ronnies Red Comp.) INT CH & working CH Masterbolt Hard To Get (Masterbolt I Want It All x Masterbolt Queen of Hearts) and for others Fraja Ec Gold Standard, even if he was owned by me :) my BIS winning bitches from specialities in Russia; Tigerland Ferrari Sport and Czech; Skyglows Grateful For Love, both beautiful bitches I would love to be the breeder of. This question is very difficult because there are so many great dogs I admire from the past and now. BIS: If you could pinpoint a highlight in your dog career, what would it be? K.M.G.: There has been so many highlights, the first BIS win with my own breeding, Ozzie being the nr1 terrier of Finland and nr.4 all breeds, and just last week our young male Skyglows Lot Better Boy finishing his American Champion title at the nationals uncropped and owner handled, just to mention a few. Highlight are also when you see promising puppies turning into great show dogs. BIS: What are your future plans? And what achievements would you like to be remembered for? K.M.G.: My future plans is to continue breeding a few quality litters and I truly hope I will remembered as a great admire of the breed in the breed history. I hope to give out some good advices also as a judge and hope I can continue doing that as well. I hope there would be breeders who would like to continue with my bloodlines and with the work I have done for the breed.

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Z Almaznogo Ostrova Amstaffs by Katerina Pereguda Interviewed by Milla Kanninen & Mihaela Kosic

BIS: Firstly, can you give us some background on yourself? How old were you and how did it all come about? K.P.: Glad to introduce myself – Katerina Pereguda, owner of the S Almaznogo Ostrova Kennel. For more than 20 years I have bred American Staffordshire Terries and for almost 10 years Chihuahuas under the “S Almaznogo Ostrova” suffix. I graduated from the Ukrainian National State University of Taras Shevchenko with a Master’s degree in Biology and Physiology. In 1993, I started my career in cynology as an enthusiast of the Black Russian Terrier breed during the early independence movement of the Ukraine, and currently I hold the position of Black Russian Terrier National Club President. Besides Black Russian Terriers, I also owned German Shepherds and in the 90’s I bred English Cocker Spaniels and Central Asian Shepherds. Nowadays I am a breeder with a successful track record in American Staffordshire Terrier and Chihuahua. However, I remain faithful to Black Russian Terriers owning a

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representative of this breed at my kennel. Currently I am open for new breeds such as the Russian Toy. In 2008, I started my career as an FCI judge, and I judge a lot in Europe at different shows National, International, or Breed Specialties. Just this year I had a wonderful judging experience in Australia. Moreover, I am Head of Board of the Ukrainian Kennel Union Area Branch in Kyiv being an organizer of the most popular National Dog Shows in Kyiv. BIS: Has it always been Amstaffs, if not what was your involvement in dogs before Amstaffs? K.P.: During my life, I had different breeds at my home. My childhood I spent with German Shepherds. After getting married we bought a puppy of the Black Russian Terrier breed and she became a foundation bitch of our kennel. I wanted to make life for my BRT merry, so I brought English Cocker Spaniel to our home. Afterwards my husband surprised me with the puppy of American Staffordshire Terrier babygirl out of the first litter of an imported couple of

AST to the Ukraine. In course of time we ended up breeding BRT and English Cocker. Though I still love these breeds, the AST became the breed of my life. When the Ukrainian Kennel Union became an FCI associate member I registered kennel name S Almaznogo Ostrova, however initially our kennel name was Diamond Island and thanks to a technical mistake of the operator it was officially registered as translated into Russian. We decided to stay with this name S Almaznogo Ostrova as it was officially published and registered in the FCI as kennel name No.63/2001. We believe that this name brings us good luck. BIS: What made you think of that kennel name? K.P.: The idea of the kennel name came to my mind like a spark. Maybe you can recall some Shahrazad Arabian Nights tales about Sindbad The Sailor who made heroic efforts to get the diamonds from the Diamond Island which was surrounded by rocks. We invest the same efforts in dog breeding –would you like to get a diamond – work hard. However, should you succeed in getting that diamond – champion dog – your hapiness is endless! BIS: From where/whom did you obtain your first dog/s, was that your original stock? K.P.: Meggi, Nancy Rambo Dan, the first AST of mine and foundation of our kennel. Her pedigree was a great consolidation of the leading bloodlines of Germany, former Yugoslavia and USA. In late 2003 a new resident-gentleman appeared in our kennel – Summits Knight For Katerina (Jun) – he was imported from the US kennel Summit and I am very much thankful for this to Oksana and Sean Kiritz (USA). In the beginning of 2006 we made another import from the Polish kennel Lesoto out of US Champion Royal Court Carbon Cope – male KPC Meet You At Midnight Lesoto (Dodge). Mating

him with females out of Jun we got outstanding dogs who won in rings all across Europe. Puppies from our kennel are residents now of different countries all around the world and it makes me very happy. We are proud of our AST-type, and love them. BIS: Did you have any big influences or mentors in the breed? K.P.: I happened to be one of the breed founders in Ukraine and I did not have any real mentors. My main teachers and sources of knowledge were books and often it was too difficult to get them. Since I’ve had an opportunity to travel outside Ukraine I was impressed and influenced a lot by big dog shows and the opportunity to get introductions to leading AST breeders. My impression of good AST was formed by looking at the big rings of this breed. Best in Show Magazine

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BIS: Please tell us something about your kennel and breeding program? How many dogs do you have? At what age do you generally start to breed a bitch? How often do you breed a bitch during her lifetime? K.P.: Our kennel is not so big. Usually we have 8-10 dogs. At the moment, we have some veteran dogs and have no opportunity to get more dogs since working as a kennel means no vacations or holidays. Huge amounts of work with the kennel is on the shoulders of my beloved daughter Lussia Pereguda, she is the official kennel co-owner and the face of the kennel. We breed our bitches after passing all necessary health-tests and obtaining country championship goals (when we have an especially promising bitch we breed her after her C.I.B. title accomplishment). The average number of litters from one bitch is 3-4 during her life. Afterwards we sterilize females and they live their long and happy life in retirement. BIS: Is your kennel a one man show, or do you believe in team work, and if so how many people do you have in your team? K.P.: Sure, we have some people who are coowners â&#x20AC;&#x201C; those people are our friends whom we trust completely. There is a limited number of such people but we are one real team. They are co-owners of one (maximum two) dogs born in our kennel. BIS: How about collaborating with other breeders? K.P.: Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s absolutely impossible to build up your own breeding program without dogs from other kennels. Currently, we have really good and friendly relationships with many AST breeders from other countries and try to support each other both in breeding and in the human aspects of this discipline. 332

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BIS: Do you prefer keeping your stud dogs for your own breeding program or do you also give them for outside service? K.P.: Earlier our owned imported dogs were open for stud in the Ukraine and in other countries. At the moment, we have changed our breeding approach, and we import dogs to our kennel â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they are open for stud for breeders in European countries, however closed for breeding in other Ukrainian kennels at least for some years. We use these dogs for breeding in Ukraine only within the kennel. BIS: Would you say that a brood bitch is the backbone of a breed? K.P.: Brood bitches are the backbone of the breed. An excellent female will not definitely be mated by the average quality male. However, the key influence of the breed quality is the male for sure as we can get 2-4 litters out of female and 100-300 litters out of male. BIS: What does it take to become a reputable judge for Amstaffs? K.P.: We made huge efforts to merit respect among AST breeders for the quality of our dogs, after that, everything was much easier. The key focus for me in judging is to concentrate

only on the dog in the ring without looking at the creature on the other side of the leash. This approach is not the favorite one for some people, however this is my fundamental value in judging. BIS: How would you rate type, temperament and soundness in order of importance? K.P.: Type, soundness, temperament â&#x20AC;&#x201C; these breed characteristics are equal to me in importance, they are connected and there is no way to separate them one form another. BIS: On the health front there is good work going on to address health problems. Many breeders test their dogs on hips, elbows, heart, ataxia... Is there more work to be done? How would you rate the health in the breed? K.P.: Nowadays AST breeders in the Ukraine are very much focused on the health aspects of the breed and the situation is improving very much. In general, the AST is a healthy breed compared to some others. BIS: What are your thoughts about breeding. Do you prefer inbreeding, linebreeding or outcrossing? K.P.: We use all three breeding approaches. No preferences to any specific one. Inbreeding should be followed by outcrossing and then get back to linebreeding. Such combined approach will result in sustainable dogs of quality both in health and type. BIS: Some would say that special characteristics in the breed have been taken too far. There are breeders claiming we are on the way (if not there) to having type and conformation problems. What is your opinion on that issue? K.P.: Fashion-breeding has always been and always will be popular. In pursuit of quick results, people sometimes loose the advantages

of selection, and compromise decades of achievements of the leading world breeders. You should always follow your values and basic principles and remember that all that glitters is not gold. BIS: How would you describe a perfect Amstaff? K.P.: Strong, faithful, sportive, gentle, well trained dog. A good companion for walks, games and travels. A dog from which you get aesthetic pleasure from its beauty. BIS: Would you say the Amstaff Standard is a good one or should it be re-written? K.P.: Real breeders are proud of the fact that the standard has been never been re-written as of today. Honestly, I would edit some parts with regard to the weight parameters and some minor inaccuracies in description of prefBest in Show Magazine

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erable colors and color of nose for dilute colors. There is no need to change anything else in the standard in my opinion. BIS: If we did a comparison of dogs in the 1970s, `80. and `90s, and now would you say we have involved for the better or for the worse? K.P.: Today one breed type is predominant. However, there are a number of breed representatives from 70s, 80s and 90s who could be extremely successful in the highest ranking show rings today. BIS: How are dog shows shaping the breed? K.P.: Shows are a strong motivator to use certain dogs in breeding, to get competitive progeny. BIS: If you could pinpoint a highlight in your dog career, what would it be? K.P.: I believe that the biggest achievements of mine are yet to come! BIS: What are your future plans? What achievements would you like to be remembered for? K.P.: As we say in our country â&#x20AC;&#x201C; if you wish to make God laugh, tell him your plans I would prefer to keep silent about my plans. Time will tell.

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Bingo Power Brothers Manson import Austria breeder: Charly Rola, kennel “Power Brothers”

NCL-A Clear, HD-B, ED-0, Cardiac free Junior Champion of Ukraine Junior Champion of Moldova Champion of Moldova Champion of Romania Champion of Montenegro Champion of Bulgary Grand Champion of Bulgary Balcan Champion Candidate to C.I.B. and Ch. of Ukraine

Best in Show Magazine Photo Tanya Yurkovska , Kate Parunova, Dasha Nadolgo

Asti Ultramodern ShowCanis Millennium S Almaznogo Ostrova owner: Smirna Yaroslava, kennel “Canis Millennium”

NCL-A Clear, HD-A, ED-0 International Champion C.I.B. Best of the Best of Breed in Ukraine 2*Champion of Ukraine Balkans Champion Grand Champion of Bulgary Champion of Poland Champion of Serbia Champion of Belarus Champion of Bulgary Champion of Moldova Champion of Macedonia Champion of Chili

Ukraine, Kyiv http://almazostrov.kiev.ua e-mail: almazostrov@gmail.com +380667606886 Pereguda Katerina & Pereguda Lussia

S ALMAZNOGO OSTROVA

kennel

Offsprings:

Crazy Crys Desert Sands Almaznogoostrova

Strike

import Romania breeder: Cristina Popa, kennel “Crazy Crys”

J.Ch. Yoshiko For Alakol S Almaznogo Ostrova owner: Chykalina L. & Yu. kennel “Alakol”

HD-A, ED-0, NCL-A Clear, Cardiac free Junior Champion of Ukraine Junior Grand Champion of Ukraine International Champion C.I.B. Champion of Ukraine Champion of Lithuania Champion of Moldova Best of the Best of Breed’17

J.Ch. You Are Ring Of Fire S Almaznogo Ostrova owner: Kristel Vosu & Gerly Vosu kennel “Royal Flame”

J.Ch. , Ch.Yuriko S Almaznogo Ostrova owner: Pereguda Lussia kennel “S Almaznogo Ostrova”

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Darwin Martin & Paul Burke E: kerryblue@gaelgorm.com

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US CH GAELGORM SHADES OF DARKNESS

Pictured winning BOB at the USKBTC Speciality at Montgomery County ,The biggest Terrier show in the world.

Owned & Exhibited in USA by:

Ms U Sass & the late Dr D Wilde Proudly Bred By GaelgormTerriers in Northern Ireland Expe Expertly Handled by Heather Hunter Best in Show Magazine

Darwin Martin & Paul Burke

INFO @GALEGORM.COM +44 79 00 8888 22

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