The internet was beginning to take off then, and reach out further to bring more people together. So Tracy put up an ad seeking interested parties on the only Newfoundland Dog Club forum at the time, Newfoundland Dog Club on the Web, which was run by Canarian Elias Rodriguez Ventura from Gran Canaria. Through this internet forum, she attracted two supporting members, Carla and Steven Walker who helped establish and promote the club in its formative years.
Through PCotW forum, and with the help of Elias Rodriguez Ventura, the club was then able to get in touch with the Spanish breed club, Club Espanol del Presa Canario, and it’s president Antonio Gomez Rodriguez. Antonio was intrigued by this little club that was dedicating itself to what the breed really should be, not just capitalizing on the dogs being bred.
In the meantime, the club made it’s first priorities to separate the correct Presa Canario type dogs, from the “pseudopresas”; to spread the word about Hip Dysplasia and hip testing; and to begin to show the Presa Canario as a working breed, rather then just the show dog and home guardian/companion it was shown as up to this point.
After much discussion, a show was organized. Letters were mailed and emails sent out to every Presa Canario breeder whose information could be found personally inviting them to the show. The first PCCA specialty was held in Ohio. We were the first club or organization EVER to bring over a expert breed judge from the Canary Islands…Judge Augustin Melo Lopez of Ancor Warrior kennels, and CEPRC licensed Presa judge. Judge Melo Lopez was accompanied by CEPRC President Antonio Gomez Ramirez. The two of them would evaluate the American dogs presented to them, and discern the intent of this fledgling club, and decide it’s fate in the breed.
People came from all over the USA to exhibit their dogs. Unfortunately, some went home unhappy, after being told their dogs weren’t enough to be called Presa Canario. PCCA president Tracy was one of these people. She had two dogs from American bred lines, that were rejected by the judges, and one dog was approved. Instead of simply raging against the judgment, proclaiming the judges inexperienced (as some would later do to justify continuing to breed their rejected dogs), Tracy matched actions to words and altered the rejected dogs, and started her breeding program over.
After the approval process, which was called “Conformacion and Registro” in the Canary Islands at the time, there was a show held for the approved dogs. When that was done, Irina and Alex Vyatkin, early PCCA members and Presa breeder/trainers, put on an exhibition of obedience and protection training for those assembled. By the end of the weekend, CEPRC President Gomez and Judge Melo were very pleased overall with what they had observed from this bunch of Presa Canario fanciers, and decided to make this fledgling club the first, and only, American delegation to the Newfoundland Dog Club.