PROMINEN WOMEN
An interview to Ana Mesto
Victor Platia
A lifelong nature lover, dogs have always been her life companions. She began breeding Dobermanns y from the beginning, demonstrating her quality as a cynophile. Together with her husband Carlos Salas, they founded in 1988 the Yorkshire kennel La Villa y Corte obtaining more than 250 titles worldwide, author of “El Nuevo Libro del Yorkshire” and director of several dog magazines. With dear friend Carmen Navarro, she is one of only two female all-rounder judges in Spain. A true leading woman in the cynophilic world.
I would like to know about your beginnings: How did you get into the dog world? Did your family breed, or were
you the first to become involved in cynophilia?
Since childhood, I have been fond of dogs even though my family did not agree to keep them, let alone breed them. It was during my adulthood, after much insistence, that the first dog entered our home, an Afghan named ‘Huilaco’s Párrafo’, a gift from my friend and breeder Norman Huidobro. ‘Párrafo’ immediately captured everyone’s love, and since then, my family has always had an Afghan as a companion dog.
We know that you bred various breeds before discovering your true passion: the Yorkshire; Please tells us something about this beautiful journey from the Doberman to your current breed.
My relationship with organised cynophilia began in 1980 when I started breeding Dobermans while studying architecture. In 1981, in the 1st Dobermann Club de España Monográfica, the first Clubsieger corresponding to the male puppy class, was a dog bred and presented by me, the result of my first litter, the judge being Herr Hans Wiblishauser, president of the International Dobermann Club and the breed’s most recognised and prestigious judge.
Together with my husband Carlos Salas, we have bred German Shepherds, Spanish Mastiffs, Gos d’Atura Catalá, Pachón Navarro, Pointers and, with more remarkable dedication, Miniature Schnauzers (we have obtained several champions, including world championships) and Yorkshire Terriers, a breed to which we have been dedicated for 32 years with the ‘La Villa y Corte’ kennel. With the Yorkshire Terrier, we have achieved considerable
success and won many championships (more than 350) in countries worldwide. These include several World Championships (with three consecutive WW generations) and several European Championships. We have won the Yorkshire Terrier Club National in the USA five times, with different dogs. We won BOB and RBOG at the Japan Kennel Club Centenary Show in 1999. In 2016 and 2018 we had the enormous privilege of winning Best of Breed at Crufts, the largest and most important show in the world, with our Multi BISS & BIS, Multi Ch. ‘Red Bull de La Villa y Corte’, which also won Best in Show at the Breed Show held in Yorkshire (England) in 2016, completing its UK Championship.
Is there a breed you would have liked to breed?
Yes, the Afghan hound. This is my heartbreak, along with the Yorkshire hound.
One day, you started your career as a judge. Initially, did being a woman make the path more difficult for you?
I would have liked to be able to answer that this was not the case, but that would not correspond to reality. Initially, it was challenging and expensive, with many obstacles, but I am a Capricorn and always accomplish the goals I set myself. To date, I am one of only two women who have managed to become an all-rounder in Spain.
To date, you have judged almost all over the world and are recognised worldwide. Which exhibitions have left a mark on your memory? Can you tell us some anecdotes?
Actually, I consider every show a positive experience, but if I wanted to choose a few, the shows I appreciated the most are EURASIA in Russia, for their extraordinary hospitality, quality and quantity of exhibited subjects, as well as the excellent organisation and exhibition spaces.
The circuit in the Philippines always surprised me with its hospitality, not only towards the judges but also with respect for the dogs and the exhibitors. Free transport was provided for all those who had to move from the airport to the hotel, which offered different types of comforts. Attentive and helpful staff were available throughout the course of the exhibition to solve any unforeseen event, question, or doubt.
Apart from your own breed, which other races do you prefer to judge?
The Yorkshire and Afghans, but I enjoy judging, especially groups 9, 10 and 3.
What do you consider most important when judging a dog at an exhibition? Some judges prefer functionality, others
type. What do you look for in your ideal subject?
For me, the fundamental aspect is the TYPE; I would like to look at the dog and recognise that it combines all the breed’s characteristics, so I can say that this dog belongs to this breed. Then I move on to the precise evaluation and comparisons. TYPE is precisely the expression of functionality. Both are fundamental, and standards are drawn up based on them.
How do you consider cynophilia today on a European level also compared to what it was when you started?
Today, I see cynophilia people resigned, and this really causes me a lot of sadness. We have let the animal rights movements take over without reacting. Purebred dog breeding is constantly attacked without reacting with the appropriate force. The old breeders fought much harder and fought for their breed tooth and nail, and that is
why purebred dog breeding has endured for centuries. But that was only until today: what they strongly defended, we are letting animal rights activists take away from us.
Do you think the level of purebred dogs today is lower, and if so, what do you think is the reason?
It depends on the breed. There are breeds where the level has dropped considerably (e.g., Yorkshire), other breeds where past standards are maintained, and others where a very high level has been reached.
The reasons are different. In the precise case of Yorkshire, the crosses with Shih Tzú to obtain the Biewer had a great influence. These crosses caused a radical change and destruction of traditional Yorkshire. Generally, the quality of the breed varies according to its popularity: the pattern always repeats itself in the same way. A breed becomes popular, great competition starts, quality rises, the market becomes saturated with improvised breeders only looking
for a financial return, and quality falls. The breeds that maintain a constant popularity over time are
those that keep the best quality.
We have recently experienced a decrease in the number of dogs in exhibitions. What is your opinion on this? What do you think could be the cause?
I believe that the decrease in the number of dogs is due to three main reasons:
1) The large number of exhibitions. Living costs have recently risen: meals, hotels, fuel, registrations, etc. Exhibitors cannot attend all exhibitions and are forced to make a selection.
2) Another problem is the destructive influence of animal rights activists. In some countries, such as Germany, the conditions required to participate in an exhibition (breeds not accepted, excessive health controls, grooming controls, etc.) lead to exhibitors giving up.
3) How the exhibitor is treated. The exhibitor is the KING of the show, without exhibitors there are no dogs and without dogs there are no shows. The organisation, the judges, and the exhibition venues are useless without the exhibitors. That is why you have to pamper them, make everything easy for them, and offer them professional, respectful and kind judges. In short, you have to give them good reasons why they invest their time and money to attend exhibitions. Unfortunately, many organisations don’t think this way, and I believe that, starting with the prohibition of cropped ears
and tails in all FCI countries, there will be fewer entries.
Besides being a dog lover, I know you have had experience publishing various dog magazines. Do you think we still have a chance to continue printing on paper, or do you think the time will come sooner or later when everything will be online? This is being asked this question by someone going against the tide.
As a publisher, I can tell you that smelling and touching printed paper is irreplaceable, the brilliance and sharpness of an imprinted photograph are unparalleled and devouring a text on paper cannot be compared to reading it on a screen. The proof is that literature continues to be printed, books continue to exist, and I want to believe that printed dog magazines will continue to be produced for many years. Even if not as assiduously as in the past, because in
today’s world, the immediacy of results is crucial, which can only be achieved through the internet, one cannot wait for the magazine to come out to know the results of an exhibition. Today’s magazines must have a more general slant, with timeless or wide-ranging information and interesting, varied, original articles.
From personal experience, I know that the financial cost is very high, but with good management, I believe it is feasible.
Ana, I would like to thank you for the time you gave me. It is always a great pleasure to talk to you, and I hope
it was pleasant for you, too. Many thanks from me and all SUPREME DOG SHOW readers.
It was a pleasure to talk to you and to know that there are still people interested in cynophilia who devote all their energy, including their money, to it. I know it is not easy, but I am sure that with your efforts and tenacity, you will achieve great success.
I wish SUPREME DOG SHOW a very long life.