MALTESE WESTMINSTER TOY GROUP WINNERS: TIED TOGETHER IN A TAPESTRY by VICKY ABBOTT
W hen you start to remi- nisce about great win- ners at Westminster in the Maltese breed, it is almost as though you are weaving a fine tapestry with a few single golden threads running through it that have made it sparkle over the years. Take that, plus a handful of fine master weav- ers (breeders and handlers) and you have a masterpiece. To begin the story, one must reflect back on two major Maltese kennels— Villa Malta in Massachusetts and Aennchen in New Jersey. Not that these were the only two producing nice Mal- tese, but for purposes of our story they are important. Dr. Vincenzo Calvaresi started his breeding program in the late 1930s. His Villa Malta Kennels finished over 100 champions, not the least of which was CH Ricco of Villa Malta, the sire of over forty champions. Many ded- icated breeders came to Villa Malta to buy breeding stock, one of whom was Virginia T. Leitch, of Jon Vir Kennels. Mrs. Leitch not only purchased foun- dation stock from Villa Malta Kennel but imported Maltese to compliment her breeding program, which became very highly regarded. In the mid-1950s,
Tony Antonelli (Aennchen Maltese) received their first brood bitch from Mrs. Leitch. The bitch, Aennchen’s Jon Vir Royal Gopi, produced the Antonelli’s first top-pro- ducing champion dam, CH Aennchen’s Puja Dancer MMA. “Puja” went BOW at Westminster in 1956. Among the cham- pions from Puja were two full brothers, CH Aennchen’s Siva Dancer MMA and CH Aennchen’s Shikar Dancer MMA. “Shikar” was Best of Breed at Westmin- ster 1963 and was awarded five Best in Shows. Both were very influential studs and were the sires of many outstand- ing get. This is the basis for our story of Westminster Toy Group winners— which interestingly enough, includes two dogs and two bitches. The girls made the first debut. 1964 WESTMINSTER TOY GROUP WINNER— CH CO CA HE’S and Aennchen AENNCHEN TOY DANCER The first Aennchen Maltese pur- chased by Mr. Stimmler (Pennsylvania) for children Anna Marie and Gene, was a Shikar Dancer daughter, CH Co Ca He’s Aennchen Toy Dancer. In 1964, “Toy” made her place in history by
CH Co Ca He’s Aennchen Toy Dancer with owner/handler Anna Marie Stimmler.
being the first Maltese to win the Toy Group at Westminster. This was quite an accomplishment at both ends of the lead, as Anna Marie was 15 years old. Toy was the top-winning Maltese for 1964, setting a record for Best in Shows for Maltese. She was also the first Best of Breed winner at an American Maltese Association National Specialty in 1966. 1966 WESTMINSTER TOY GROUP WINNER— In February 1964, a female puppy was chosen from a litter out of Siva Dancer that would illuminate the path- way for all Maltese to come in the Toy ring. CH Aennchen’s Poona Dancer, owned by Frank Oberstar and Larry Ward (Ohio), won 38 Best in Shows and 131 Group Firsts during her illustrious career, setting a record for Maltese. CH AENNCHEN’S POONA DANCER Frank, Larry and “Poona” were a team that remains unsurpassed in the Maltese memories. In 1966, Poo- na pranced to the top spot in the Toy Group at Westminster, making her the second Maltese in history to do so.
CH Co Ca He’s Aennchen Toy Dancer with owner/handler Anna Marie Stimmler.
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