Album of Early-day Stafford Nostalgia #1
This collection of photos are from Steve Stone, the founder of the first Stafford breed club in the United States. He is also the man responsible for bringing this breed to the United States and instigating the drive to have the Staffordshire Bull Terrier accepted as a breed by the American Kennel Club. For further insight on the history of the early days for the Stafford in America, read the pages about the history of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club of the U.S.A. on this web site.
The following introduction, photos and captions are by Steve Stone.
We begin the Early Days Album with snapshots of the early imported foundation stud dogs from the SBTC/USA Studbook and Registry -- at least, those whose photographs happened to come into my possession. Viewers should look past the amateurish quality of the photography and observe the quality of the dogs themselves, particularly as most photos were taken before the dogs had reached maturity. They should also keep in mind that several other excellent imported stud dogs remained camera-shy and thus are not represented here, regrettably. In my own jaundiced view, the dogs here compare favorably with their modern counterparts, particularly in light of the fact that none of them possessed any hereditary diseases to pass on to their progeny.
| SBTC/USA Reg. No. 2. Bandits Firestreak Red Rover, "Brutus." By Dennybeck Diamond King ex Firestreak Blackbird, bred by Lady Bowen-Buscarlet and imported by Bill Hackleman of San Francisco, California in 1965. Although bred to a strictly limited number of bitches due to the minuscule Stafford population of that time, his descendants have today become legion. Oddly enough, some of his sons and daughters did not particularly resemble him although his grand-get through them invariably did. (Photo as an immature adult.) |
| SBTC/USA Reg. No. 3 Loggerheads Hengist, "Duke.". By NZ Ch Bonney Sam ex Linksbury Gold Dust, bred by Marion Forester, imported by Don Smith of California in 1966. This dog was good enough that I chose to use him at stud twice with excellent results. (Color snapshot of Duke at one year of age) |
| SBTC/USA Reg. No. 4. Bandits Black Furnace. By Bankhead Bullet ex Eng. Ch. Mandy of Mandalay, bred by G.J. Stormont and imported by Joe Orday about 1962. Black Furnace was registered in the AKC as an AmStaff and was bred to at least one Staffordshire Terrier (AmStaff) bitch (1964?) whose resulting progeny enjoyed great success in the AmStaff show ring. This led to numerous protests and a decision by the AKC to revoke the wins and de-register Black Furnace. (Backyard b/w snapshot) |
| SBTC/USA Reg. No. 26. Bandits Brindle Barkini. By Constones Eastaff Thislldo ex Stella Maria, bred by M.R. Stanley and imported by Claude Williams of Maryland, about 1962. Unfortunately Barkini was imported at a time when the organized Staffordshire Bull Terrier movement did not exist and thus had little chance to leave his mark on the Breed. (Professional photo as an adult.) |
| SBTC/USA Reg. No .31 Tinkinswood Imperial, "Fred.". By Abbot of Ravenspur ex Tinkinswood Gypsy, bred by W.J. Parsons and imported by Larry and Lillian Rant in 1967. Photo with Larry Rant. Fred became the very first Stafford registered in the AKC because Lillian Rant was serving as the liaison person to AKC at the time of recognition although Brutus, Duke, Black Furnace, and several other imported and domestic stud dogs had equal or better claim to that position. (Snapshot of Fred at about one year. |
| SBTC/USA Reg. No. 35. Towans Red Knave, "Red." By Towans Hobby Boy ex Towans Lady Jane, bred by George Smith, Loughborough, England, and imported by Steve Stone for Jack and Betty Crowther of Northridge, California, in 1967. (Shown here with the Crowthers' other imported Stafford, the brindle bitch Bandits Girl Patsy, "Patsy," by Eng Ch Jolihem El Toro ex Tiger Lily, bred by D. A. Gent and imported by Steve Stone for the Crowthers in 1968.) Red's remarkable athletic feats bordered on the legendary. (About 18 months old in this snapshot.) |
| SBTC/USA Reg. No. 54. Bandits Ashstock Sergeant Nimrod, "Corky." By Eng Ch William the Conqueror ex Bandits Red Glentonia, bred by Alec Waters and imported at one year by Steve Stone in 1968 for Dr. Henry Carlson, Pasadena, California. Corky stayed until Dr. Carlson's untimely death from cancer and then went to live with Dr. and Mrs. Del Stites of Bellevue, Nebraska. (Exactly one year old in this snapshot.) |
| SBTC/USA Reg. No. 80. Rocky of Ibadan, "Rocky." By Wynchal Yorkshire Lad ex Windsor Rose, bred by W.S. Millar and imported in 1967 from Nigeria by Dr. Margaret Grigsby of Washington, D.C. Because of being located on the East Coast, Rocky never did get a proper chance at stud. (Snapshot of Rocky at 3-1/2 years.) |
| SBTC/USA Reg. No. 88. Loggerheads Cinch, "Cinch." By Ch Mountainash Xmas Ajax ex Loggerheads Box o' Birds, bred by Mrs. Marion Forester and imported by Paul Kenworthy of California in 1968. Cinch was a smallish dog, just over 14 inches, but difficult to fault -- Stafford through and through. He might well have made a reputation at stud had his circumstances been better. (Color snapshot of Cinch at one year.) |
| SBTC/USA Reg. No. 190. Brinsley Lad. By Delacourt Yeomanry ex Sheila the Countess, bred by W. Yearsley, and imported by Claude Williams of Ashton, Maryland, from owner Len Pierce in 1970. In England, Brinsley Lad had won no less than six Reserve CC's but no full CC's, causing Pierce to offer the dog to me. I couldn't accept and referred him to Claude who gladly imported "the dog who ought to have been Champion." (Professional photo at 3 years.) |
| A 1966 Christmas card from J. Fife Symington Jr. of Maryland, founding member the SBTC/USA and later Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago. The inscription inside the card reads: "...original water color... by Michael Lyve who is one of the foremost painters of the English and American "sporting" scene. I doubt if any Staffords have been so honored before!!" The dogs, from left to right, are: Lizzie (Mountainash Christmas Asam by Mountainash Xmas Titan ex Mountainash Xmas Ahriman); Quorn (Mountainash Christmas Boy by Eastaff Danom ex Mountainash Christmas Pity Me); and Belvoir (Mountainash Christmas Boy ex Denbeigh Tipperary). These were three of the original 14 Staffords already living in the U.S. when I returned from Finland in 1966. |
Steve Stone