The two that started it all: Bandits Belle-lettres and Steve Stone. They established the Staffordshire Bull Terrier breed in Finland and the USA.
Let us not forget these guys:
Brutus (Firestreak Red Rover) and Bella (Bandits Belle-Lettres) - Steve's first stafford (Bella) and his first Stafford male (Brutus).
This is them again. This photo is taken from the top of Steve's advertisement that ran in Dog World Annual 1969.
Steve holding two unindentified puppies.
Steve's wife Maini with Bella and Brutus on the porch in their collars and leads.
Bella as a puppy in Finland photo taken December 4, 1967.
From the final paragraphs in Steve's book The Staffordshire Bull Terrier Story that says what we all have felt about our special Staffords.
Long ago, first Bella and then Brutus left our rural acreage near Council Bluffs, Iowa, to take their rightful places in the Home of the Great Master, their presence having changed forever not only the lives of our own family but those of so many other humans and Staffords, for seldom have so few had such an impact on so many. Their influence still manifests itself through the intervening doggy generations, and current Stafford owners who have even never heard of them are enjoying, unwittingly, their priceless legacy.
As always, History delivers its verdict. Maini and I never lusted after ribbons or medallions or championships for Bella and Brutus nor for accolades from most judges. We bred from them but not for profit or for the show ring or even for Breed improvement — it would have been difficult for us to improve upon them — but for the straightforward pleasure of sharing the Breed with the many who had never even heard of Staffordshire Bull Terriers. We promoted the Breed for its own sake rather than for our own, but the rewards exceeded belief.
We laid them to rest in our little apple orchard, for in the quiet of springtime apple-blossom petals may well waft fragrances their way as the lullaby of busy honeybees accompany them on their long sojourn. All this took place decades ago, but the anguish of parting from them remains undiminished. Only our memory of them, unique as individuals yet typical as Staffords, remains to ease our continuing sense of loss.
Although gone, they remain in our hearts.
Many a state dignitary has been mourned less.
