Our Story
Early Years
Ever since I was born, I have loved dogs. From my earliest memories dogs were present, my father's Doberman named Jade and my maternal grandmother's Pekingese named Afrodite. These were the popular breeds in Brazil during the early 1980s.
I lived with these two pet dogs until I was 8 years old when, due to my father's work, I had to move several times, and these dogs unfortunately did not come with us. However, I always asked my parents for another dog. Due to complicated circumstances, they gave me smaller animals, such as a Hamster and a Guppy fish. I always dedicated myself, bought books, magazines, studied about each animal and let them breed. I got involved in every stage of their process. The breeder instinct was already with me.
Only when I was 12 did I have the opportunity to have a dog again. My family returned to living in a house. Luckily for me, an aunt had a Boxer litter and offered me a puppy in exchange for my help maintaining the pups and mother. That's it. But unfortunately, from this litter, only males were born, allowing my breeding instinct to be unhappy. I did not give up. I tried to sell my puppy without pedigree and buy a female Boxer from then-breeder Claudio Roberto Alvim Mota, who unfortunately is no longer involved with dog shows. This transaction did not work out. Claudio's puppies cost a lot more than my male Boxer. But, my attempt served to solidify my friendship with him. Over time, Claudio became my first mentor and introduced me to the world of purebred dogs. To Claudio I owe much of my knowledge and passion for dog shows.
I managed to exchange my Boxer puppy with a veterinarian for a female, 6 months old, from Weimaraner. At the age of 14, I had my first litter. I sold all the puppies, saved the money and prepared to have my first pedigree dog, always guided by my great friend Claudio, who was very patient in listening and teaching everything he knew to a preteen. And, sometimes he would take me to dog shows.
It was during one of these exhibitions Claudio learned that Cleber Ferreira Delázari, from Maison D'etoiles kennel, had a litter of English Setter, from Sumatra's lineage. He looked interested in having a puppy that was exposed, because he believed in the potential of this litter. This is when I got my first pedigree dog.
As always, I worked hard to learn about the breed. I read, studied, and took courses. I learned the basics about grooming, trimming and breed handling. I managed, just under my care, to finish her as Junior Champion and Brazilian Champion. This was all so much fun, and I was only 15 years old.
At this time my life was completely wrapped up in dogs (not that today is any different). I thought about dogs 24 hours per day. My school notebooks were all doodled with dogs. I was trying to create my own logo. My dream was to be a Professional Handler. My family became completely involved with my enthusiasm. My mother and I even opened our own pet store, one of the first in my city.
We owned this pet store for just over 4 years. During this time, I experienced what Ann Joe Sampaio calls "showdog madness". That is, I started to have several breeds at the same time. They were a male and two females of Shih Tzu (Mrs. Rosana Guimarães - Starry Sky), a female Boxer (Rich Borough pedigree, but a Claudio breeder), the English Setter and my first pedigree litter, from which I keeper a beautiful and promising male.
However, as time went on, I entered the University and had to temporarily slow down my interest in dogs. I had no new litters, no new dogs, and I stopped attending dog shows. My dogs were also getting older. Fortunately, during this time I met my wife, and, as it could not be otherwise, she also was a dog lover. We began our marriage living with my Boxer and a male Shih Tzu.
With the farewell of my last dog from my earlier breeding days, I had the opportunity to acquire our first Whippet, from Saulo Jr. P. Biscoto, of Silkrock Kennel. We called her Mia (name given by my oldest daughter). She was Silkrock MSL Charley. Mia was our great companion for more than 11 years, and despite having a great pedigree and a beautiful structure, she never had a litter. She went to only one dog show. If we were unsure about my fascination for the races of group 10, Mia consolidated our certainty.
2015
Given our respect and dedication to the breed, our friendship with Saulo began to strengthen and became a partnership. In 2015, this partnership was established with the arrival at our house, at the age of two, of the beautiful Silkrock MSL Eva.
2016
In 2016 we needed to move to Portugal in order to complete my PhD. Great opportunities appeared during this period. The first opportunity was to fulfill a childhood dream--to have an Afghan Hound. It was then that we imported from Croatia the female who became a Multi Group Winner, Junior Portuguese Champion, Brazilian Champion and Panamerican Champion, Celestian Sweetest Taboo (Mafalda).
Mafalda has an extraordinary pedigree, being the granddaughter of two world famous sires, Xenos Comment (Italy) and Polo's The Aviator (Canada). It was then, a few months after her arrival, I saw while surfing the internet that the Xenos Kennel had a litter scheduled, in which the same grandparents of Mafalda were also the grandparents of this litter. Without thinking twice, in July 2016, we traveled to Italy to pick up Xenos Gael (Rui).
2017
Rui debuted in the traditional Norte International Show (Porto) at 9 months, where he won the mandatory point for the Junior Portuguese Champion. Step by step he was evolving, good results in the rings were appearing, and he became one of the young phenomena of the breed in Europe during 2017 when he finished the year as Best Male of Breed in Portugal, competing from 9 to 18 months. Excited, we traveled to various countries and Rui achieved 4 Young Champion titles (Gibraltar, Iberian, Portuguese and Spanish) and other honors such as:
- Junior Lisboa Winner 2017
- Qualifies for Crufts 2018
- Junior Best Opposite Sex In Specialty Show at 11 months, at the 6th Sighthounds Specialty (APGOIC) (PT), judge Luís Catalão (PT)
- 1st in Group Adult at 11 months, 2nd NDS Alto do Minho (PT), judge Natasha Blanusa (HR)
- Junior Best in Show (all breed) at 13 months, 29th IDS Elvas (PT), judge Francisco Salvador Janeiro (PT)
- 1st in Group Adult at 14 months, 9th NDS Lamego (PT), judge Michael Forte (IE)
- 1st in Group Junior (judge José Luis Gil Alonso - SP) and 3rd in Group Adult (Fabian Daza - CO) at 15 months, 36th NDS Cantábria (SP)
- 1st Excellent in Intermediary Class at 16 months, 28th Portuguese National Sighthounds Specialty (APGOIC), judge Steven Seymour (AU)
- Best Junior and Reserve Male at 17 months, 46th IDS Gibraltar (GI), judge Laura Cox (IE)
- 3rd in Group Adult at 18 months, 16th NDS Aveiro (PT), judge João Vasco Poças (PT)
During this time, we made great breeder friends from different parts of Europe - Portuguese, Spanish, French, and English. The exhibition environment on the European continent, in general, is very pleasant and familiar event. Inevitably, my youngest daughter, Catarina, wishes to venture into Handler Junior's competitions. She demonstrates a lot of talent and on her third time in the ring, in the traditional Gibraltar exhibition, achieved second place for a beautiful presentation with Mafalda. We had a great celebration! Our entire family loves this activity.
We returned to Brazil and in our first exhibition, by the end of 2017. Rui won another Best of Group. During this occasion, we discovered that the following year the Junior Handler competitions would start in Brazil.
2018
We started 2018 with a team: Eva finished her Brazilian and Panamerican Championship, in addition to qualifying several times at the group; Mafalda and Rui completed their Brazilian and Panamerican Championship, and both won Best of Group at different opportunities; and Catarina won some the Handler Junior competitions she participated in, along with an excellent Best of Breed, competing with 5 Whippets in ring at the traditional Clube Paulistano de Cinofilia, with a new member of our family--Multi Group Winner, Brazilian Champion, Panamerican Champion, Brazilian Grand Champion, Panamerican Grand Champion, International Champion, Silkrock Janelsa.
In April 2018, after approximately 20 years, we have a new litter at home BR CH, PanAm CH. Silkrock MSL Eva X BR CH, PanAm CH, BR GR CH, PanAm GR CH, INT CH, Surrey Hill Silkrock Ghee Whiz at Mariner. This is a linebreeding of the renowned Surrey Hill. This project comes to solidify our partnership with the Silkrock Kennel and the results couldn’t be better. Register our affix, Phi, export to the United States of America a female Silkrock & Phi’s Apples and Oranges, we chose to continue our work with Silkrock & Phi’s Any Colour You Like and put in homes some typical and healthy Whippets.
2019
We did not intend, in the short term, to acquire new dogs that were not of our creation. However, in January 2019 our friend Abner Ferreira contacted us, saying that he would end his Afghans breeding and offered us his last litter of his main breeding, Sanflauas Energy Star (linebreeding in Gazon Say What You Mean (aka Chevy) and daughter of the last litter in life of top sire Xenos Comment. From the first photos and videos we saw that she is a special one. Then to our house came Morasha Jabila (Constança). With a perfect structure, consequently typical movement and flawless temperament, already in her first exhibition she has been three times the Best Puppy of Breed, three times the Best Puppy of Group, 2nd Best Puppy in Show under the breeder judge Jaime Ganoza (Dega Afghans), and twice the 3rd Best Puppy in Show under the breeder judge Ana Beatriz Knoll (Excalibur Quest Afghans) and Adrian Landarte (El Returno Sighthounds). At the age of nine months, for the first time in the junior class, also under breeder judge, Juan Miranda Saucedo, Constança won Best Junior of Breed, Best of Breed (over the number one in the ranking), Best Junior of Group, 2nd Best of Group adult and 5th Best Junior in Show. At 11 months, Constança follows with her friend and Super Handler Daniel Beloff for the biggest dog show in Brazil, and was chosen in those three days as the Best Junior of Breed and Best Junior of Group, being 3rd Best Junior in Show in the last day, under judgment of the Italian referee Gianbattista Guffanti. Finishing the year 2019, with only 15 months and 6 days, debuting in the intermediary class, ends the Brazilian Champion with an honorable Best of the Group under the judge breeder Orlando Lopes (El Tukzar Afghans). In addition, it conquered the position of #1 Afghan Hound Young in Brazil (CBKC-FCI ranking). We expect much more from this star.
Rui returned to the ring for his last exhibition after six months away and finished all Brazilian titles by winning three times the Best of Breed and three times Best of Group. In all there were 12 Group Winners. Now he will rest and maybe return to the World Dog Show in 2022 or the veteran class.
2020
A whole year without shows, due to COVID-19. So we take the opportunity to have our litters:
Litter A, a linebreeding between:
RBISS, JBISS, JBIS, Multi Group Winner, JCH (GI, IB, PT, SP), CH (BR, PAN-AM, INT), GRCH (BR PAN-AM) XENOS GAEL (aka Rui) https://www.afghanhoundpedigrees.com/details.php?id=321297
X
Multi Group Winner, JCH (PT), CH (BR, PAN-AM) CELESTIAN SWEETEST TABOO (aka Mafalda) https://www.afghanhoundpedigrees.com/details.php?id=308488
Litter B, other linebreeding between:
RBISS, JBISS, JBIS, Multi Group Winner, JCH (GI, IB, PT, SP), CH (BR, PAN-AM, INT), GRCH (BR PAN-AM) XENOS GAEL (aka Rui) https://www.afghanhoundpedigrees.com/details.php?id=321297
X
Multi Runner Up BPIS, Multi Runner Up BJIS, Group Winner, PCH (BR), JCH (BR), CH (BR) MORASHA JABILA (aka Constança) https://www.afghanhoundpedigrees.com/details.php?id=433907
The results of these litters will be presented soon.
2021
2021 starts with great news, Silkrock & Phi’s Apples and Oranges is now an American Champion. Not bad for a first Whippet litter! Us second whippet litter is a outcross: BIS, RBISS, Multi Group Winner, JCH (AR, BR), CH (BR, PAN-AM, INT), GRCH (BR PAN-AM) Vintage Casanova and Silkrock Lola. Us choice is Phi's Butterfly.
2022
In the year 2022 we did not participate in exhibitions nor did we have litters.
2023
In the year 2023 we did not participate in exhibitions nor did we have litters. However, our first litter 100% with parents created by us is in our plans. It will be the combination of the beautiful Silkrock & Phi's Arnold Layne, from our first litter, still in partnership with Saulo, and Phi's Butterfly, from our second litter.
2024
We started 2024 with a pairing between Silkrock & Phi’s Arnold Layne and the beautiful Flauta Caiapó-Go, from our friend Aristeu Faria. It's another outcross, but again a combination of Silkrock (predominantly American lines) with Portuguese lines (Southpoint and Roseira Brava). Our intention is to separate a puppy to make up our squad and get back to being active in exhibitions.
Surrey Hill City View & Phi's Kringle All the Way, a son of our Am. Ch. Silkrock & Phi's Apples and Oranges, put on a show at the 2024 American Nationals. He was among the six finalists in the huge Open Dog Breeders Sweeps class (all four finishers were established champions plus old and mature), helped his grandfather from Brazil to take 2nd place in the fabulous competition in the Extended Generation Stud Dog class, and overcame a large and quality filled Am. Bred Class with good interest and support in the ring. Congratulations to everyone involved!
With the arrival of litter C, of whippets, we decided to neuter Phi's Butterfly (aka Ophelia). It was a difficult decision, because in addition to her morphological and temperament qualities, she carries a side of the Silkrock bloodline that is being lost. However, sterilization was necessary, as she has poor vulva development, which makes it impossible for her to mate through natural mating and normal birth. Therefore, we chose not to pursue this issue further. Breeders' choices are often not easy, but health must come first. Ophelia is still with us, but now as a pet.
From the litter between Silkrock & Phi’s Arnold Layne and Flauta Caiapó-Go we chose Phi’s Coming Back to Life, aka Inês. With a beautiful structure and temperament, we are betting on a promising future for this girl.
Inês made her debut in the world of exhibitions, at just 4 months old, Puppy Class (4-6 month), at the Whippet National under the judgment of specialist judge Torbjörn Skaar (Sweden). And, despite having lost to a slightly older female, he enchanted with his show temperament and impeccable structure. 2025 promises!!!
Am. Ch. Silkrock & Phi’s Apples and Oranges just three months after her second litter, with important stud Am. Ch. Bo-Bett's Pajama Party, finishes her American Grand Championship, winning some BOB and Group placements. Its owner, Karen Bowers Lee, defined the achievement as a "tribute to her wonderful pedigree".
Am. GCh. Silkrock & Phi’s Apples and Oranges won SBIS at the AWC Eastern Regional Specialty under revered breeder/judge Dr. Barbara Henderson (Whippoorwill). She is like wine, getting better and better!!!
Future...