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As I return from my judging assignment in Valencia, Spain I can’t help but think about the many friendships the American Pit Bull Terrier has bestowed upon me. It’s amazing to see how the dogs bring so many different people together. People across the world that share the same passion. Two people I am thrilled to call my friends are Sara & Victor from Cane Victrix Kennel. I first met them at the ADBA Italia show in 2015. They are serious, passionate and dedicated. Like many clubs in the United States, ADBA Espana is comprised of a small, but powerful team. What they were able to accomplish with such a small group was really a thing of beauty. I applaud their hard work, determination and service to the ADBA.
The show itself ran very smooth and I found the competition to be stiff. They had about (130) dogs and a nice Champion Class. It’s nice to see the Champion class growing every time I visit Europe. It won’t be long before Europe has it’s first Split Champion class. In 2015 there were only two or three champions in all of Europe. Now there is over ten and many more dogs that are very close.
On Monday Sara and Victor took Terence Truman and myself for a quick tour of Valencia. I did not realize how much history the city of Valencia has. It was very beautiful. After a short break for a beer and some tapas we went to meet everyone for lunch at the Marina Beach Club. This is the best restaurant in Valencia. The view and the food were to die for. We had two huge tables filled with APBT enthusiasts from all over Europe. It was a really enjoyable time and one I won’t soon forget. That evening I spent some time catching up with friends before they made their journey home. I was then picked up by my good friend Vincenzo Maglione and we went to his restaurant for pizza and good conversations.
Valencia is a beautiful city full of culture, amazing food and kind people. They work hard but they also make time for the important things in life. I only wish I had more time to explore the country. Sara, Victor, Guillermo and the rest of the team treated judge Terrence Truman and myself like kings. First class all the way!
It was a real pleasure finally meeting Terence Truman from England and Radek Krystof from the Czech Republic. Thank you my friends for the warm welcome and for your contributions to keeping the APBT true. I very much enjoyed our discussions. For me, they were priceless.
To all my friends (too many to name) from Italy, Germany, Poland, Greece, The Netherlands and France thank you very much for supporting the club. You traveled many, many hours and the club and myself appreciate it immensely. Lastly, much respect to all of the Spanish dog men and women who came to compete. It was clear to me that Spain is full of high quality dogs. I was very impressed.
Europe is the future of the ADBA. It warms my heart to be blessed to witness your growth on a first-hand basis. I look forward to seeing all of you again next year. Until then, we shall stay in touch on Facebook and WhatsApp! Salute!
