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In fact we continuously strive for excellence.

Suddenly the world has gone global in many respects and all of us feel the need to be in full and immediate contact at all moments. Consequently, the need to communicate within the major areas of our activities has increased and so have the demands for immediate responses. For this reason also, the requests that are forwarded to our Organisation at management level have increased tremendously and almost instantly.

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Carla Molinari
Treasurer of the FCI
Americas and the Caribbean Section Show 2013 in Argentina

Success in the south of the Section
The emotional 50th Anniversary of the Federación Cinológica Argentina

With a new record of almost 1600 dogs entered, the eagerly-awaited FCI Americas and the Caribbean Section Show was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, thus adding two International Shows and the "FCA 50th Anniversary" Show held from 18th to 21st July, to the circuit.

The real surprise for the organisers was that there were approximately 600 foreign dogs, the majority of them from Brazil (31%), followed by Chile (20%), Uruguay (9%), the United States (8%), Peru (6%), Mexico (3%), Colombia (2%), Venezuela (1%) and 19% made up of dogs from Spain, the UK, France, Italy, Russia, Portugal, Ukraine, Hungary and Canada.

© Carolina Bibiloni
De gauche à droite Miguel : Ángel Martínez (President FCA), Rafael de Santiago (FCI President), Dr Néstor Frascino (Vice-president FCA), Lic. William Rodríguez Umaña (President Asociación Canófila de Costa Rica) y Lic. Warner Céspedes Arias (Secretary Asoc. Canófila de Costa Rica).

There were four days of intense activity and the whole event was superbly organised, with two pavilions laid out for nine rings and one pavilion especially for the Grooming Area, all at the Centro Costa Salguero, the same venue where the World Show was held in 2005.

The Federación Cinológica Argentina invited Ronald Menacker from the United States, Michael and Rosemary Shoreman from Canada, Pierlugi Buratti from Italy, Denis Kuzlej from Bulgaria and Jean Paul Kerihuel from France to act as judges, along with a genuine VIP, Mr Doubosky Delos Márquez Mantilla from Ecuador who was appointed to judge the 86 German Shepherd dogs which had been entered.

Representing the Section’s own judges were Adrián Landarte from Uruguay, José L. Cunha de Vasconcelos and Sergio Lopes de Castro from Brazil, Mario Di Vanni from Chile, María Margarita Buey Aretti from Paraguay, Rafael de Santiago and Roberto Vélez Picó from Puerto Rico, William Rodríguez Umañana from Costa Rica, Juan L. Martínez Gutiérrez from Mexico and also Miguel Ángel Martínez, from Argentina. The celebrations of the FCA’s 50th anniversary were held on Saturday 20th July, and the majority of the breeds were judged by Argentinean judges.

As well as Veterans, Couples, Litter and Breeding Group, the Pup Handling selection was judged by Lorna Hastings and Junior Handling by Nicolas Pineiro Aramburu.

Before awarding the prize for Best In Show, the FCI Americas and the Caribbean Section flag was handed on to the Asociación Canófila Costarricense, which will be the next host in 2014. The flag was handed over by Mr Martínez, the chairman of the FCA and Dr Néstor Frascino, the vice-chairman, to the Costa Rican delegates, Mr Rodríguez Umaña and Mr Warner Céspedes Arias, with a warm hug from Mr Rafael De Santiago.

HOW THE JUDGE SEES THINGS

As well as being the chairman of both the FCA and the Americas and the Caribbean Section, Miguel Ángel Martínez had the honour of judging the Best In Show on 21st July, and managed to grab a quick interview with him about this.


What did you think of the Show overall?

MAM: I think the show’s been a total success - we’ve set a new record for the number of dogs entered, as it is an Americas and the Caribbean Show which has not been held at the same time as a World Show. The number of visiting dogs and their countries of origin are something that we can all be proud of. We got a fantastic response from people all over the world because of the discounts we managed to get from the airlines, hotels and transport. We tried to take care of all the details so that we could achieve this figure of more than 6300 dogs in four days, and we are absolutely thrilled about that.


What did you think of the dogs that made it to the Final of the Show?

MAM: There were ten superb dogs from different Latin American countries and they were all presented incredibly well. The standard was superlative and every single one of them would have been a deserving Best in Show. I think the dog which won, the female Dogo Argentino, was an absolutely fantastic example of her breed, a bitch with a wonderful temperament, who moved incredibly well and has the ability to pay attention to what is going on the whole time she is in the ring. She is the type of Dogo Argentino I really like – she is athletic and she has got presence. The Reserve Best In Show, the Afghan, is a dog from Chile, from a great breeder, very masculine, a fine head, an exceptional coat and stunning movement, of a kind typical of his breed. I could keep on praising them all, because they really were a fantastic selection.

50 YEARS OF THE FEDERACIÓN CINOLÓGICA ARGENTINA

There were tears of emotion as Miguel Ángel Martínez made a speech to commemorate 50 years of the FCA. After first being celebrated at an intimate dinner with the chairmen of the specialist clubs, various kennels from within the country, directors of commissions and friends who have always supported the institution, such as Mrs Christa Bremer of the VDH (the German canine organisation), he decided to offer a public acknowledgement in the Show’s Central Ring on Saturday 20th July.

© Carolina Bibiloni
Dogo Argentino Monika de Don Eloy; owner: Lilian Colantonio (AR)
Judge: Miguel Ángel Martínez (AR)

Remembering the huge effort made, he remembered the previous chairmen of the FCA, Mr Mauricio Dal Bon, Mr Augusto Rizzi, Mr Carlos Sammartino and Dr Néstor Frascino, who responded in kind by thanking Mr Martínez for all his hard work as current chairman. After loud applause from everyone who was there, he offered his most heartfelt thanks to all the exhibitors, handlers and other people who had taken part in an event which will undoubtedly be unforgettable.

The FCA today is made up of almost sixty specialist breed clubs, kennels from within the country and commissions which carry out countless tasks involving Obedience, Agility, Structure and Beauty Shows, Rescues, Sheepdog work and constant training for judges, breeders and dog lovers. It has its own building which houses not just the clubs, the Executive Committee and the Commissions, but also has a huge hall which is available to members, a cafeteria, a library and a modern genealogical register system. It is undoubtedly something of which all Argentinean dog lovers can be proud.