Page 29 - JRT Magazine - 2023 Issue 2

visit Francesca quite often every time she had a
2-month-old litter to evaluate. She taught me a
lot, both about breeding and showing. We also
made two litters together.

A few months after I purchased Paco, the two
founders of San Martino Delle Scale Kennel--
Giuseppe Messina and Vincenzo Giusquiano-
-came to my house as guests because of two
very important club shows being held very
close to Pollone, with 90 JRTs entered. This was
my baptism with the real dog shows!

I met there all the most important Italian
breeders at that time (Touchstar Kennel,
Lantaka Kennel and Di Sutri Kennel) plus
dozens of beginners/amateurs as I was. I can
name them one by one as they all grew up in the
years with me as breeders/show people. I have
a huge photographic archive of all the dogs and very beginning and comes from All Blacks
bitches that founded the breed in Italy, because Rugby Team; rugby players having a similar
I started to follow every show and take photos temperament to Russells! It was the affix
of every subject. It was a huge work that I would approved by FCI when we applied for it.
evaluate the night after each show, and it was
fundamental in training my eye to the type. I Olaf and I attended the WDS 2011 in Paris
examined thousands of images of Jack Russell together. It allowed us to meet breeders
Terriers. from all over and gave us the chance to see
in real life the most well-known dogs at that
The real change in my breeding program time. This was surely inspiring for us. But the
happened when I got in partnership with chance I had to follow breeders on Facebook
Olaf Garetta, who owned Saltisgarden Music and see litters grow up from birth to adult
Maestro, a dog that really changed the way of age permitted me to build up my own idea on
breeding Russells in Italy. Firstly, this dog was where I wanted to go.
the first owned by a private person to close/
finish the Italian Championship title. Secondly, Getting in touch with other breeders through
Olaf was a long way forward over all the other the pups I sold and the dogs I sent abroad for
amateurs/beginners because he started to look showing and breeding have been the most
outside of Italy to find good dogs. Many others important way to compare my work with that
then followed his steps. Being Music’s owner, of others. Going to the important shows such
Olaf easily could purchase 4 to 5 good females as WDS, EDS, CRUFTS, MCKC and watching
to start his breeding stock. I only had smooths, the dogs and bitches in person have been
but I was much more organized with my kennel fundamental in comparing my work with others
structures and with internet communication and to learn to focus on what was needed to
(website and Facebook) as well as being more correct my type. Taking thousands of photos
experienced in breeding and managing litters. of Russells at these events and then studying
We combined our skills and were successful. them once at home has been the best training
And, most importantly we had the same vision for my eye.
of type in our minds.

All Jacks has always been my affix since the

A Worldwide Magazine for the Jack Russell Terrier / Russell Terrier • Issue 2/2023 | 29