Toy Manchester Photos From The Past

I recently went through the "photo box" for the first time since my parents passed away in 1992. I had forgotten that we had so many dog photos from the Fifties. As you will see from the photos below, there has never been a time that we haven't had a Manchester "under foot". I have also added some from the sixties, seventies, and eighties. Plus, I have a wonderful photo of Madonna Lee's Dad and his Brother from 1944.  I hope they are of interest to some of you. Email me and let me know. (Charlie)

This is Wanda, holding the most "showy" Toy Bitch ever shown, over a dozen Best in Shows, Am. & Can. Champion Golden Scoops Kasandra ("Sandy"), our foundation Bitch (just look at that keen expression). This photo is circa 1981, and the young lady is Ann & Jim Stanley's daughter. They had some fine toys, and used to show with us. Lord, I look at Wanda and I wonder how I ever caught such a fine looking gal!

This is Charlie with Sister, Mary, somewhere around 1952-53 sitting on the front porch at 1303 W. 35th St., Birmingham, AL, where we grew up. I would have been 12 or 13 and Mary is 4 years younger. I have no idea who the pup is that I am holding, but I'm reasonably sure the other is "Lady". These are terrible looking Toy Manchesters by today's standards, but typical of what was around in those days. We loved them dearly. Before my mother passed away in 1992, she often remarked how much improvement has been made in the breed.

Here's Sister Mary again with an unknown dog and puppies. This is a nice looking dog, I wish I could remember who she was. This had to be 1958 because it is a Polaroid shot in fair condition. I got back home early Summer 1958, from attending the U.S. Army Still Picture Photo School at Fort Monmouth, NJ, where I had purchased a new Polaroid at the PX.

Charlotte (L), Wanda (C), and Dawn (R) with our first Toy Manchester, "Georgia Girl". Obtained from Karla Chrisman, McHenry, IL, on July 4, 1967. This was her first litter. She was a terrible whelper, and only these two pups survived out of four. Charlotte is now 41 and has 3 kids and 3 grandchildren. Dawn is 46 and has only Samantha. This is our backyard in Indianapolis 1968. Martin, our Son would have been 2 1/2 and was probably taking a nap.

Here is a photo of Madonna Lee's Dad and his Brother from 1944. Notice the Toy Manchester on the left. Madonna, who resides in the Cocoa Beach, FL area, is a devoted fancier and breeder of quality Toy Manchester Terriers. She loaned me this photo to scan during a recent visit to Saint Lazar. We really appreciate Madonna's friendship and dedication.

This is a photo I took of Ch. Golden Scoops Calypso (Cal) and Wanda in Saint Petersburg, FL during the Summer of 1981. Cal was shown and achieved his AKC Championship as a Toy. He was so good he finished at an early age. He kept on growing, finally going over 12 pounds, at which point we began to show him as a Standard Manchester "Special". He was extremely successful, and in six short weeks became the number one Standard in the nation. Wasn't this a beautiful pair!

FROM THE PAST - BUT NOT FORGOTTEN!

The American Kennel Club celebrated it's 100th anniversary in November 1984, and to commemorate it, the AKC held a "bench" dog show in Philadelphia. The day prior to the Centennial show, all of the parent breed clubs, such as the American Manchester Terrier Club, held Specialty shows. Saint Lazar accomplished a feat never before done, and of course will not be done again, by winning Winner's Dog and Winner's Bitch both days with 6 month old littermate puppies entered in the Puppy Class. Shown above is Judge William Kendrick (who judged at the 50th Anniversary show), a Manchester owner at one time, and extremely knowledgeable of the breed, with then 47 year old Grandmother, Wanda Walker and Ch. Saint Lazar's Monterrey Jack. We have taken our greatest wins showing our own dogs. See photo below.

This photo is of Ch Saint Lazar's Romano, littermate to Jack in the previous photo. The signage is incorrect, She was Winner's Bitch at both shows. The Judge above is Frank Sabella, again a very knowledgeable Toy judge. Mr. Sabella not only chose Jack as Best of Winners over his sister, he chose him at Best of Opposite Sex to Best of Variety at the Centennial. Mr. Sabella called Wanda aside after the Judging, and told her "if your boy had shown me a little more spunk, I would have given him BOV". To which Wanda replied, "thank you Mr. Sabella, but we were up with him all night with diarrhea". Now for the rest of the story. In 1986 the first of the now popular "invitation shows" was held in Saint Louis.  It was the Purina Invitational, where the top ten dogs in each breed were invited. Saint Lazar had 25% of the combined invitations for Toys and Standards. Charlie drove to Saint Louis and met Wanda flying in from Reno, NV where she won the 1986 American Manchester Terrier Club National Specialty Show with our Standard Manchester, Ch. Saint Lazar's Paula. She then proceeded to win the first invitational with Paula as BOV, and then went to the Toy ring with Jack, where Frank Sabella not only immediately recognized Jack from the Centennial, but barely looked at the other entries, awarding Jack Best of Variety. Now you may get a little glimmer of understanding of why there is such intense jealousy of Saint Lazar from a small segment of Manchester exhibitors. It is because they have never been able to do anything of note in Manchesterdom, so they use the Internet to revile those that consistently breed and win showing their own top quality dogs. Saint Lazar is at the top of the "revile list", and until quite recently has been the only Manchester breeder to fully utilize "Brackett Planned Breeding" principles. We only know of one other who does so, and we are pleased that we are friends.