The picturesque countryside surrounding the village of Shirland near Alfreton in Derbyshire, has played host to The Neapolitan Mastiff Club on several occasions, and Club Members are no strangers to this Venue having attended Shirland Village Hall for our last Seminar and our first Breed Open show in 2004, and our second Open show in 2005.  The Venue, although deemed too small for subsequent shows, was the perfect place to host our Breed Specific Seminar & KC Accredited Hands On Assessment 2008 and, we are grateful to the Venue’s Committee for allowing us to host our event here.

The Club Committee and Catering Team arrived at Shirland Village Hall bright and early and set to work on preparing the hall for our Breed specimens and our Seminar attendees.  Our Guest Speaker and Club Chairman, was utilising a lap-top for a power-point presentation he had designed, which was to be projected onto a large screen, purchased for this purpose, enabling attendees to not only see but, to follow the lectures in presentation format.  With tables & chairs prominently positioned with dog mats laid-down the central isle, Club Trophies and Memorabilia displayed, Merchandise made ready for perusal, at 9.30, the aroma of coffee and bacon was winding its way across the car-park and our Seminar attendees began to arrive.

Booking-in at Registration, all attendees were provided with a comprehensive Seminar Pack, corresponding to the morning & afternoon lectures and, The Neapolitan Mastiff Club Certificate of Attendance. Those attendees also participating as Candidates in: the Kennel Club Hands On Assessment, were added to the HOA Rota in preparation for the afternoon briefing.  We are delighted to say that: of the Booking forms initially received from Club Members, Judges, and Breed enthusiasts, only 8 enthusiasts were unable to attend on the day and, with 50 Neapolitan Mastiff enthusiasts in attendance, we were over the moon with the interest generated in our beloved breed.

At 10.40 our Vice President: Keith Coleman, welcomed everyone to the venue, thanked all enthusiasts for attending our Breed Specific Seminar 2008, thanked the Committee for hosting the event, and introduced our Guest Speaker: Steve Cox, of Rayvonley Mastino.   
The morning lecture – Understanding the Breed Standard: Steve provided detailed explanation of the requirements, clauses, and faults, of the Neapolitan Mastiff depicted in the KC Breed Standard, highlighting the KC final amendments to the interim Breed Standard and, drawing attention to some of the variations between the KC and FCI Standards. Several breed specimens were utilised to provide example of requirements, with explanation of the differential affects upon requirements of: age, lineage and sex.  Questions were taken throughout the morning lecture as points were raised and problems of Judging posed and Judges grasped the finer details of our unique breed.  Just before lunch everyone assembled on the car-park for a demonstration of movement and our breed specimens, bless their cottons, were put through their paces demonstrating walking, trotting and in some specimens pacing.

At 12.45 our Catering Team indicated that they were ready to serve lunch and everyone retired for a welcomed cooked lunch. Throughout the lunch break, video footage of our breed being Judged at Crufts 2008 was projected onto the big screen, Raffle tickets to win the framed £50 note went round one last time, and the hall seemed to be buzzing with conversation generated by the morning lecture.  At 1.30 Dr Brian Hill, began his briefing for participating candidates of the KC Hands On Assessments, and each assessment was then conducted in a relaxed and informal manner in a private room next to the main hall.

At 1.40 Steve proceeded with the afternoon lecture – History, Health & Husbandry of The Neapolitan Mastiff.  Drawing on information gained through the research Steve has undertaken independently throughout his 20 year passion for our breed, both here in the UK and in the mother-land, Italia, Steve’s historical account was both informative and thought provoking.  
As the lecture progressed toward breed health & husbandry and the questions posed were more poignant to Breed Club Health & Welfare Research and Health Screening, Steve invited the Club Secretary: Denise Bucknall, and Welfare Administrator: Jackie Bunn, onto the lecture podium and, as a panel of breed specialists, each specialising in a different area but with 40 years of combined knowledge & experience of the Neapolitan Mastiff under their belts, were able to provide enthusiasts with a clearer picture of breed health, and breed health issues relevant to the Neapolitan Mastiff in the UK, in the  21st Century. 

Such was the volume of questions regarding health, soundness, and conformation, in relation to the requirements of the Breed Standard that, Judges were invited to conduct impromptu assessments.  Utilising the KC code of practice for Judges and incorporating knowledge & understanding of the finer details of the Neapolitan Mastiff gathered at the Seminar, Judge Robin Searle, conducted a splendid assessment, explaining to everyone the procedure he was following, what he was looking for, what he found, and his overall impression of the Neapolitan Mastiff presented to him. It was one of those moments that couldn’t have been better had it been pre-arranged, excellent!!. 

By the time late afternoon coffee & cake was served by our Catering Team, the entire hall was once again buzzing with conversation, and as the afternoon came to a close with our Thank you’s to all concerned, Dr Brian Hill informed us that, all 10 Candidates participating in the Hands On Assessments had received their KC Certificate for passing their assessment. What a result!

A Massive Thank you, to everyone who worked terribly hard to ensure that, The Neapolitan Mastiff Club - Breed Specific Seminar, was a huge success.  A special thank you to our Guest Speaker Steve Cox, who must have surely been quite hoarse by the time he got home!. Our Catering Team Lorraine & Tom Simpson and Dawn Platts, who not only provided breakfast, lunch and afternoon pastries but, ensured that the tea & coffee flowed ALL DAY...what Stars!!  Rick & Anita Bailey & Dalnarck Mastini, Mike Evans & Mandy Johnson & Makaevo Mastini, Richard & Emma Grimson handling the Rayvonley Mastini, Kev Berry & Drosdelnoch Mastini, and Andy Moss with a Rayvonley Bambino, who presented their Mastini as breed specimens for the morning and afternoon lectures, and who all behaved impeccably throughout, as did their dogs, He! He!  Dr Brian Hill, our KC Accredited Trainer who provided his expertise on the day, assuring the pass rate of our Hands On Assessment Candidates and, ensured that all assessments were undertaken in a relaxed an informal manner. Jaq Bunn, Neapolitan Mastiff Welfare Administrator / Co-ordinator, whose in-put was invaluable even though poor Jaq was not expecting to be providing it,  bless her!!  Julie Morris for running around with raffle tickets, Dawn Walker who was looking forward to a relaxing day taking Mastino notes and ended up running the merchandise stand all day. And finally…. our Thanks to all Mastino enthusiasts, breeders, exhibitors and Judges who supported our seminar with their bookings and reservations, and whose attendance and participation on the day, made all the planning and weeks of preparations Soooo worth while, Thank You All.

NEAPOLITAN MASTIFF BREED SPECIFIC SEMINAR

                     
Sunday the 21st of November 2010

Bantock House Museum, Finchfield Road, Wolverhampton. WV3 9LQ

As we are all aware, In September 2009, we received confirmation from the KC BH&WSG that the changes made to our Breed standard in Jan 09, were to remain in place & were now finalised. The KC also launched Breed Watch, and the NM Points of concern listed excessively heavy in build, excessive wrinkle and dewlap, excessive amounts of loose facial skin causing abnormalities of the eyes, and unsound movement.  As our Breed Health Co-ordinator put it: it is very difficult to argue with much of the content of Breed Watch which calls for judges to pay particular attention to weakness in construction, eyes & skin.  If we are to continue with our view that type does not equate to bad health we should avoid providing ammunition to the contrary.  At this moment in time there is no doubt that the issues of health & type are completely linked, in the minds of those who are not familiar with our breed, and the only way we’re going to change this is to: only show our typical Mastini in optimum health, & continue providing educational events. 

Thus TNMC felt, another Seminar was in order, more especially as the last Seminar was held just before the KC made the changes to the NMBS. Preparations began in earnest and it was decided, to host a Seminar free of charge, thereby encouraging mass attendance of Club Members, breed enthusiasts, & Judges from our A3, B & C lists. The Committee made a provisional booking of the KC’s Seminar Rooms at Stoneleigh, opting for a date in February 2010. In December 2009, the Club received the news that the KC were hosting, free of charge, a Molosser Seminar for all Judges on all Molosser Breed Clubs’ Judging Lists, to be held at Stoneleigh, February 2010.  We began to think that maybe our Meetings were being bugged! LOL!  All preparations for the Clubs’ Seminar in February were put-on-hold until after the KC Molosser Seminar.  At a Committee meeting in May, the decision to ensure that the information, procured at the KC Molosser Seminar, was cascaded to Club Members & Judges, was unanimous, and preparations for a Breed Specific Seminar for November 2010 commenced in earnest.

On the 21st of November 2010, The Neapolitan Mastiff Club, hosted a Breed Specific Seminar at, Bantock House Museum in Wolverhampton, and I believe, many of our attendees were surprised to find this tastefully restored historical function facility, set in panoramic surroundings, in the heart of urban Wolverhampton, and were decidedly pleased with our choice of venue.

The day began with registration and refreshments, and our panel of speakers very nervously made final preparations to their presentations. We have to say that, in the days preceding our Seminar, the number of apologies we received from enthusiasts & Judges, was quite heart rendering.  For the Committee & Speakers who had put so much effort into ensuring that this was to be a Seminar to remember, to have to consider that we were only expecting half the number of attendees who had booked, was very disappointing to say the least. Nevertheless, it was brilliant to see 30 or so enthusiasts & Judges in attendance, and the day proceeded unabated.

The first presentation highlighted the salient points of the Kennel Clubs’ Accredited Breeder Scheme and was presented by Bill Lambert. Bill has worked for the Kennel Club since 2005, originally as a breed advisor inspecting breeder’s premises on behalf of the Kennel Clubs Accredited Breeder Scheme.  And more recently, as the Kennel Clubs’ Health & Breeder Services Manager, has been actively involved in a number of KC initiatives aimed at ensuring the health of pedigree dogs.

Bill presented an extremely informative & eloquent presentation on the KC ABS, highlighting the KC’s aims and objectives for the scheme, requirements requisite to membership, accolades members can aspire to achieve, and the long term goals & forward developments within the canine world, the KC is hoping to achieve through the scheme. Bill concluded with a Q&A opportunity, in which many attendees raised their enquiries or concerns, which again, Bill addressed professionally.  

The second presentation was to have covered a brief history of the Neapolitan Mastiff, and the development of the breed in the UK by Denise Bucknall.  And yes! In true Denise OCD style!! had compiled a presentation, which was far longer than time allocated to present it in!!  But aware of her misdemeanor, had included the latter part of her presentation in the Seminar Packs. Denise had created a power-point presentation enabling attendees to see on screen, each and every point of reference being referred to throughout her presentation, and has since been informed, enthralled attendees with her history & development of the Neapolitan Mastiff.

The third presentation Breed Health, was presented by Kim Slater, and as many enthusiasts know, Kim became actively involved with Mastini in 1997.  Kim helped to establish and sat on the Committee of The ‘Proposed’ Neapolitan Mastiff Club until 2001. Kim was mentored from the outset by: the founder & President of The Neapolitan Mastiff Club, until his passing in 2008, Douglas Oliff.   Douglas saw a future Mastinara in our speaker, and provided her with a wealth of knowledge, which we continue to draw upon today. Kim has traveled extensively over the years, gathering breed specific information and furthering her Mastino knowledge & understanding. In 2008 Kim was asked by The Neapolitan Mastiff Club to take-on the role of Breed Health Co-ordinator in the UK, and in 2009 was approached by the Mastino Health Foundation USA, to assist them in researching and promoting Neapolitan Mastiff Health.

Kim’s very interesting presentation gripped us from the outset and highlighted such issues as: Overview of Breed Reconstruction, Scanziani’s Aims. Progression from Rural Working Dog to Show-ring & Subsequent Impact on Health.  Breeding The Italian Way.  Advantages & Disadvantages of Importing to UK.  Mastino from the 90’s to Present In Terms of Type & Health Issues. The World Mastino Health Foundation. ATIMANA. And How the UK can Contribute. Kim also concluded with an open Q&A opp and provided her personal opinion on the way forward for the health of our breed.

The forth presentation Veterinary Opinion, was presented by Tom Bingham, B.V.M.S., M.R.C.V.S Tom qualified from the University of Glasgow Veterinary College in 1976 & joined the Walpole practice in 1977, and the current partnership of Walpole & Bingham was formed in 1984. Tom specialises in such breeds as the Bulldog and sits upon the Bulldog Breed Council’s list of recommended Veterinary Surgeons. Tom has been treating NM’s at the practice for approx 12 years and in more recent years, has accepted referrals from TNMC.

Tom’s presentation was absolutely first class and should have really been recorded for future reference.  In his Veterinary Opinion on Cherry Eye & Bloat, Tom covered such subjects as: Anatomy of Eyelids and Tear Production. Significance of Cherry Eye in various Breeds. Treatment of Cherry Eye.  Significance & General Causes of Dry Eye.  Bloat, Gastric Dilation / Volvulus (GDV).  Tom then provided Q&A opportunity and was bombarded with Q’s from attendees, some of whom were eager for insight into conditions that can affect other breeds. Absolutely fabulous presentation as said, should have been recorded.

Over a very enjoyable lunch, served in the exhibition area adjacent to the Tractor shed, both rooms were filled with a buzz of excitement created by the day’s proceedings, with attendees discussing all aspects of presentations they had so far received & asking further Q’s of lecturers. Massive thanks to everyone who participated in the Welfare Raffle, Jacquie Jordan & Dawn Wilde inform us that £200 was spectacularly raised for NMW during lunch. At 2pm, our Master of Ceremony for the day Steve Greenwood, who carried out his duties to the letter & ensured that proceedings ran smoothly all day, bless him! Called everyone back to the Tractor shed for the afternoon session & the fifth presentation.  

The fifth presentation: The KC Breed Standard & Judging the Neapolitan Mastiff in the UK: was presented by Steve Cox. As many enthusiasts are aware Steve became actively involved with Mastini in 1994. In 1996 Steve established the Rayvonley Mastino Kennels, which have since developed into, one of the most successful Mastino Kennels in the UK.  Steve started his Judging career in 2002 and has sat on the Committee of The Neapolitan Mastiff Club since 2002.  Steve was elected as Club Chairman in 2006, and was re-elected for a further 4 years in Office in 2010. Steve has been instrumental in forging good working relations with Mastinari & fellow Mastino enthusiast’s world wide, and continues to represent the Breed Club in the promotion & progression of the Neapolitan Mastiff in the UK.

Steve’s presentation was interesting, informative, enjoyable, & as ever, Steve spoke very eloquently about his chosen breed. Steve utilised the services of 3 breed specimens & began by discussing the Breed Standard, highlighting the amendments made in 2009 and the relevance upon Judging the NM in the UK, in Review of KC’s Breed Watch Initiative. An in-depth discussion on conformation followed, and then attendees gathered outside for a demonstration of movement, courtesy of 9 Molossers, including example of Bullmastiff movement compared to Mastini. Steve concluded his presentation back in the warmth, reiterating that in essence our long term goals for our breed were already being addressed, but in the present climate it is necessary to be very public in our endeavours & prove that NM enthusiasts in the UK, treat the health of our breed with the same regard as they pay to type.

The Officers & Committee of The Neapolitan Mastiff Club were over the moon with the way the entire day proceeded & the manner in which each presentation was received, and wishes to extend sincere thanks to: Bill Lambert, Denise Bucknall, Kim Slater, Tom Bingham & Steve Cox, for their lectures, Sean&Dawn Platts, John Klien, Mark Spilsbury, Rachel Greenwood, Nelson Ray, Tom& Lorraine Simpson, & Team Rayvonley who brought along breed specimens. Bantock House Museum for superb facilities & catering.  And last but by no means least, the Officers & Committee of TNMC wish to extend sincere thanks to all enthusiasts & Judges who attended our Breed Specific Seminar 2010. We hope you all enjoyed your day as much as we did.  A truly momentous day Sa’lute!