Judges Bios
2008 USNMC National Speciality Judge: Guiseppe Alessandra
Giuseppe Alessandra, 70 year-old, Architect, living in Treviso, 20 miles from Venice in Italy.
He bought his first dog, a Boxer, in 1956, and has achieved sine several successes in Italy and abroad with his own “dell” ALBRIZ breeding kennel. He is the President of the A.T.I.MA.NA., International Technical Association for the Neapolitan Mastiff, since 1993.
He has been a dog-judge for over 45 years, and All-Rounder since 1985 (qualified to judge at CACIB for all Breed, and qualified for all Groups and B.I.S). Has judge in ever European Country as well as in North and South America, Asia, Africa and Australia.
One of a few Italian Judges to have done the World Championship of 1980, 1990 (B.I.S. Judge), 1992, 1998, 2000, 2001, and 2002, and the European Championship of 19990, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003 and 2006. He as a judge averages 20 B.I.S per year.
As well as for Boxers his interest is in Terriers, racing Greyhounds, Neapolitan Mastiff, Chihuahua and all Italian Breeds. In 1982-1983 he wrote an Encyclopedia, in 4 volumes, on all dog breeds which has been translated in French.
During his long career he won 39 B.I.S. with Boxer, Whippet, Norfolk, Kerry Blue, Fox Terrier and Chihuahua. His important success, Kerry Blue Terrier, Ch. Torum Jo El Rey, has been Top Dog over all Breeds in Italy in 1991, winning 12 B.I.S. in Europe.
2008 USNMC National Sweeps Judge: Heather Welty
Heather has been involved in the training, breeding and showing of Neapolitan Mastiffs since the 1980's with her parents, Donna and Bill Welty, under the kennel name Forrest Edge Kennels. Along with her dog, CH. Magnetoe's Notte of Forrest Edge, she has been featured in the My Dog Votes campaign against Breed Bans. Heather has been involved with the USNMC since it's inception in various capacities such as typing the original by laws & compiling the mailing lists. She is the current treasurer of the Garden State Neapolitan Mastiff Club and on the Neogram committee for the USNMC.
Heather has shown her dog Notte to his championship as well most of the family's other Neo's on and off over the years from the times of the "Pine Barrens" shows til now.
2008 Specialty Judge For Sunday, April 20, 2008: Dr. Pierluigi Scalia
Dr. Pierluigi Scalia received provisional status for judging the Neapolitan
Mastiff in 2004, and he has judged the Neapolitan Mastiff in Canada and
Mexico where he has been honored with the exceptional entry of 65 dogs.
Together with his wife Lia, he has bred mastini in California since 1999
under the kennel name Del Feudo Nisseno. To date, the Scalias have bred six
AKC champions, including the first Bred-By-Exhibitor champion in breed
history and Best of Breed winners at Westminster and Eukanuba tournaments.
Originally from Italy, Dr. Scalia was born into a family with an active
mastinaro. His father Giuseppe has contributed to the promotion and
diffusion of the breed in Italy through showing and breeding. At the age of
five, Dr. Scalia owned his first Neapolitan Mastiff, followed by a number of
dogs which have achieved Italian titles and awards before and after his
father’s death in 1990. He has a distinguished career as a molecular
endocrinologist with fifteen years experience in basic and translational
research focusing on the role of hormones in cancer development.
In 2000, Dr. Scalia co-founded the American Society for the Preservation of
the Neapolitan Mastiff (ASPNM) a technical breed Club. He is currently a
technical member of the USMNC Health Committee and a voting member of the
Societa Amatori Mastino Neapoletano (SAMN). Dr. Scalia is the current
President of the Neapolitan Mastiff Club of Southern California (NMCSC) and
Member of the Antelope Valley Kennel Club. He is dedicated to educating
breed fanciers in North America towards the preservation of the breed, while
working towards the improvement of its functional qualities. He has given
breed seminars in the U.S. and Mexico, and he has contributed to numerous
canine publications, including Il Mastino and Dog World Magazine.
2008 Sweeps Judge For Sunday, April 20, 2008: Mr. Howard Atlee
Mr. Howard Atlee has been a professional judge for thirty years. He was intensely involved in breeding, showing and handling prior to that. He is internationally known for his Penthouse line of Dachshunds. Currently he is licensed for Hound Group and three working breeds: Bull Mastiffs, Great Danes and Dobermans (some of which are provisionals). He has attended Neapolitan Mastiff breed seminars with hands-on experience and has completed several in-ring observations of judging and mentoring of the breed. His experience in the breed is on file with the AKC judging department.
Mr. Atlee was born and reared in Bucyrus, Ohio. He is a US Navy veteran and a graduate of Emerson College, Boston. He has enjoyed a long and successful career in the New York theatrical and entertainment industry as a Broadway publicist and later as an actor.
He is founder of the Knickerbocker Dachshund Club and a former Vice President of the Dachshund Club of America. He is a progenitor of the Empire Saluki and the Shawangunk Kennel Clubs. As a past President of the Dog Fanciers Club of New York, he created the Contemporary American Dog Artists Contest. As such he has twice been nominated for a Fido Dog Man of the Year Award.