Xanthos Golden Retrievers

Champion & Italian Champion Xanthos Ferrari JW SGWC

On our way back from Milan after mating his mother Xanthos Firenze to Champion Pinkerly Valmont, we really felt we had to have an Italian name for the hoped for dog puppy.. and here he is, Xanthos Ferrari called Enzo at home. Already showing lots of promise, he won first time out at the West of England Ladies Kennel Association Show, and then did it again the following week at Birmingham National Championship Show.

Enzo has had an impressive start during his first three months in the show ring. Wins including Best Puppy in Breed, Best Puppy in Show, and Puppy group winner at Open Show level and at Championship Shows he has gone Best Puppy in Breed and got through to the final 6 in the Gundog Puppy Group quite an achievement for one so young. His Kennel Club Junior Warrant was in the bag while he was still a Minor and he has loved every minute of it.

Windsor Championship Show in June was a particular high point with his grandfather Xanthos Mondriaan taking the Limit class and reserve CC, his uncle Xanthos Giotto at Graceleigh winning the Graduate class and Ferrari taking the puppy classes. To have three generations winning in one line up was a real thrill. I was so proud of my boys. His natural working ability had made him an exciting addition to the picking up team even before he reached his birthday, and he has approached his stud work with the same enthusiasm. He took and passed his Show Gundog Working Certificate in November 2013. It has been said he is the only Ferrari with four wheel drive!

In March 2015 at the age of 3 Enzo has matured, having just completed his third picking up season and is looking great. He won the Post Graduate class at Crufts, the following week he won his class at the SWGRC Championship Show. I was then asked if he could go down to Italy for a couple of months by Giovanni Monteverde as he had a bitch he wanted to mate him to. Kevan and I drove him down and he settled in immediately, the bonding between Giovanni and Enzo was there for all to see.. and my goodness what a tour of Italy they had! Enzo took his title very quickly and is now Italian Champion Xanthos Ferrari. He will be back at Blackthorns here in the UK from July. My thanks go to Gio for campaigning him so successfully, amazing result in such a short time.

Enzo is 13 months in the above photograph.. filling his frame slowly, still looking rather coltish but growing well. Excellent health clearances means he now joins the stud boys, his first litter arrived this Christmas