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I had my first setter in 1965 when I was 16 years old and since that time I have been using setters in the Alps.

In 1987 I had the official name of my dogs SALINKEEN recognized by the FCI (Federation Cynologique Internationale) and ENCI (Ente nazionale cinofilia italiana).

My past setters are not pure Llewellins even as you can see in their pedigrees I have been always searching the Llewellin blood.

Why Llewellin? Because from my experience they are the best in the mountains.

Italy is the country where there are more setters in Europe. In the international field trials the Italian dogs are often the winners. In my opinion the selection of the dogs done in field trials is too short (15 minutes).They are checked more for style, speed, etc. on flat fields that I call billiard-table. From my experience in the mountains dogs must have also birdiness, stamina and intelligence; and it's difficult to check these skills in 15 minutes.
I don't want to generalize, but I have owned and seen field trial dogs that could not find a bird in the mountains !

Talking with Mrs. Anita Ponsioen, a Dutch setter fancier who ran in the past years international field trials all over Europe till the Europe Cup, (owner of some “British” and “Italian” dogs), she told me that while the Italians were the best on style and speed etc., most often the “British” arrived easily on the birds. From Mrs. Ponsioen in 1987 I got a puppy, Bynndale Funny Patch, with Llewellin blood and father of Salinkeen Gea, Grey and grandfather of Jeff.

In 2000 after long research I imported a Llewellin male pup from USA. He has shown the hunting skills I wanted for hunting in the mountains.
You can see some photos of my present and past dogs in 'Photos and Pedigrees'.