Recovery and Recognition of The Corso Breed

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This is part of a summary on Cane Corso Italiano: the integration in socio-economic context into the masserie of the Meridione, and the decline, recovery and recognition of the Corso breed. It must be qualified that this summary on Cane Corso is compiled from articles, books, and the Cane Corso Pages web site and bulletin board. The main sources are in the Reference List below.

 

Any mistake and misrepresentation in this compilation is mine and mine alone. The copy right of this compilation remains with Hu Song and the Cane Corso Pages. Permission in writing is required for reproduction of the whole or part of this compilation.

 

Hu Song Thursday, May 15, 2000, revised December 01, 2001 and May 25, 2003.

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Historically speaking, Cane Corso Italiano was not only part of the production forces in the agricultural economy of the Meridone but had became part of the traditions and rural culture of the masserie in the Italian South. This antique breed is one of the ‘witness to the time “that everyone lived”: the every-dayness of human history’ according to Dott. Gandolfi.

 

The breed prospered with the flourishing agricultural economy of the Meridione during the 19^th century and the years between World War I and World War II. It is after the return to peace from World War II that the Corso descends the slope of its decadence amidst general indifference, negligence, and changes from which he is inexorably excluded - now that he is no more a part of the economic production force in the new industrial economy.

 

Luckily for the Corsi there were few most isolated parts of Southern Italy remained, from the 50’s till the 80’s, where traditional activities were carried out as before with the necessary improvements. It was in these places that the Corsi lived on, less used as working dogs but maintained anyway for passion or tradition. It was due to the persistence desire of a few to conserve the dogs inherited from their ancestors that the Corso, a part of the past agricultural economy and rural culture, survived.

 

Certainly it is understandable that Italian would ponder about the answers regarding these questions:

 

Shouldn’t Cane Corso deserve the same attention and the same dignity human are finally giving to the wild species which are becoming extinct?

 

In addition to just a zoo-technical exercise, shouldn’t there be an attempt to bring to the present a bit of the Italian past?

 

Already in the early 50’s Prof. Giovanni Bonatti, an eminent zoologist and zoo-technician, had observed the morphology and the many uses of the breed and written about the Corso in the book “Dogs of All Breed”. In 1957 Prof. Bonatti further published an article “Razza da salvare (Breed To Be Saved)” about the Corso in the magazine “IL Cacciatore Siciliano (The Sicilian Hunter)”. Based on the documents from the Jesuits of Capitanata, Prof. Bonatti was quite convinced that Corsi had survived in the region of Puglia. He wrote in December 2, 1973 to his friend, Dott. Paolo Breber, veterinarian then living in Lesina near Foggia, about the probable presence of  “a short hair molossoid, unlike the Mastino Napoletano but similar to the Bullmastiff and something like the Cane da Presa di Mallorca” in Puglia. He mentioned that “Prof. Balotta, a friend and well-known Schnauzer breeder, had seen several examples of this old breed”.

 

Dott. Breber had his first casual contact with 5 rustic Corsi in October 1974. These Corsi were brought to the Foggia dog show he attended. 2 were from Montella (Avellino), 2 from Lucera (Foggia) and 1 from Ortanova (Foggia). He bought Mirak, the black bitch from Lucera. Since he was not completely certain, instead of just taking the words from the owners and accepting their dogs as Corsi, he sent pictures of all the dogs he had seen in Foggia to Prof. Bonatti for verification.

 

Together with Dott. Antonio Morsiani, geneticist, noted breeder of St. Bernards and canine expert of world fame, Prof. Bonatti visited Prof. Ballota in September 1974 with these photos from Dott. Breber for his opinion. Prof. Balotta furnished his visitors an accurate and detailed description of the Corsi he had seen in Puglia, first in the 50’s and then after 1972. He commented that they “seem slightly undershot, the neck is arched and distinctive” and that they  “had been the escorts of the buffalo herds in the Murge”. Prof. Bonatti informed Dott. Breber about this input from Prof. Balotta in his October 1974 letter. And Prof Bonatti wrote again in August 1975 to reassure Dott. Breber further about Mirak’s type: “Prognathism is an essential characteristic”.

 

The Cane Corso Italiano was already recognized as a breed under the name ‘Dogo di Puglia’ in 1975 by Unione Cinofila Italiana (Italian Dog Union, a private alternative to the official ENCI, which has since ceased to exist), largely due to Prof. Bonatti’s effort. But it was in 1978 that Cane Corso Italiano was brought to the attention of the contemporary dog world when a Sig. Paolo Petrilli published his letter in I Nostri Cane (Our Dogs), the magazine of Ente Nazionale Cinofila Italiana (ENCI, the national kennel club in Italy). Sig. Petrilli asked for information about a medium-large molossoid called Cane Corso which he had seen near Puglia.

 

Responding to Sig. Paolo Pertrilli, Dott. Breber published an article in the same magazine December 2, 1978, describing the breed he had seen in the area of Puglia with a short explanation of the traditional use of this dog. Then he proceeded to announce that he had initiated its recovery with 19 dogs in his kennel.

 

Dott. Breber had bred Mirak to Aliot, the male from Ortanova (Foggia) with 7 puppies born on September 15, 1975. He later bred Brina, the brindle bitch of this litter, to Picciut, a brindle male owned by Armando Gentile, a shepherd of S. Paolo di Civitate (Foggia), with 10 puppies born on January 15, 1978.

 

In the meantime, 3 young people, Stefano Gandolfi, Giancarlo and Luciano Malavasi, were driven by enthusiasm that an old Italian breed could re-emerge. Stefano Gandolfi was then a 16 year-old student. They were MOTIVATED NOT by belief that there will be market demand for Cane Corso NOR by the view that Cane Corso will prosper as show dog.

 

They communicated with Dott. Breber in 1979. The contact resulted in visits between them and their trip to Capitanata, September 1980, meeting with the actual Corsi. Instead of 19 dogs in Dott. Breber’s kennel, by 1980 Stefano Gandolfi and the Malavasi brothers found Mirak and 5 dogs from the 17 puppies born out of the two litters Dott. Breber bred. The rest of the puppies were given to shepherds moving in the country around Capitanata without any trace.

 

The 4 bitches and 2 dogs they found were ill kept and thin, but none the less retained a noble, proud, and athletic look and were definitely molossoids without the heaviness, which set them apart from Neapolitan Mastiff. They had in common these points: medium-large in size, well developed muscle inserted in a mesomorph type construction, a square head with a broad and sturdy jaw, heavy and tight skin, short hair, not smooth (cow hair, as it is called in Puglia), and either brindle or wheaten-colour. All these subjects had slightly converging cranial-facial axes.

 

The team decided to use part of the Malavasi kennels to begin their Corso recovery program. They loaned Tipsi and Brina temporarily from their owner Dott. Luigi Lepri and had Dauno given to them by Dott. Breber’s brother-in-law as he could no longer keep this dog at home. Fortunately Prof. Bonatti and Dott. Giovanni Ventura, veterinarian, ENCI judge, and breeder, had taken great interest in their attempt and offered guidance and suggestions regarding the breeding and recovery. Both advised the team to proceed with inbreeding in order to fix the characteristics from these 3 subjects and to allow outside blood into the line when there was a pool of homogeneous and typical dogs.

 

There were 4 litters during 1981, 2 from Brina and 2 from Tipsi. All the puppies from Brina did not survived but out of 18 puppies from Tipsi, 6 were used with success as adults. The puppies born were distributed free to interested dog lovers on condition that puppies when grown participated in the Corso recovery project. These included the 2 splendid black males, Bulan to Mr. Gainantonio Sereni, and Basir to Prof. Fernando Casolino. There is also the splendid female Babak and the male Aliot. But both Tipsi and Brina were taken back by Dott. Lepri in beginning 1981 and were never found again.

 

There was NO BREED STANDARD IMMEDIATELY ‘ERECTED’; NO REGISTRATION ASAP INTO PRIVATELY-SET-UP REGISTRY; NO DOGS SHOWED IN THE RINGS FOR DEMAND GENERATION; NO ADVERTISEMENTS OF LITTERS; AND NO PUPPIES SOLD.

 

The puppies were given to other enthusiasts that, adhering to the original initiative, would then become the nucleus of the original founders of Corso breed club later. With distribution of the puppies bred more Corso enthusiasts joined the ranks in the recovery program. Prof. Casolino and Sig. Sereni both joined the initial group and were actively contributing in the recovery program. Together with Dr. Gandolfi they had to make frequent visits checking the growth and development of these distributed puppies.

 

Meanwhile based on the research done since 1950’s by Prof. Bonatti and Prof. Balotta about Cane Corso Italiano, from 1979 the group continued the research of historiography, iconography and antique objects of arts in Italy for the history and description of the breed with the aid from Dott. Flavio Bruno, and Prof. Fernando Casolino. From historical documentation they found it was evident that this Italian molossoid has always been called Cane Corso (since the 15^th century and even in Sicily) with little description of his size and his weight. And from the iconography and antique object de art, they saw the image of this Italian molossoid.

 

Sig. Gianantonio Sereni and Prof. Fernando Casolino joined the initial group in 1981. Prof. Casolino was a native of Rionero in Vulture near Lucania, speaking the dialects of the Meridione, breeder, a reputed historian of ancient and classical history and academic by profession. He remembered the Corso well since he had spent his youth in close contact with them. As Prof. Bonatti believed that this light mastiff had spread in larger areas and found in Lucania, Sannio, Calabria as well as Puglia and with Prof. Casolino speaking dialects of Southern Italy, the searched of new blood lines in Meridione by the team intensified.

 

It was recognized that in the contiguous geographical areas of similar socio-economic conditions, the use of Corsi in the same ways led to populations of Corso being essentially alike, be it for their common origins and/or selective breeding. However, the dogs also shown morphologically the direction given to them by local traditions which might vary from town to town as well as that through the convictions of their owners. Thus in the recovery of the Cane Corso, it was necessary to unite the selection of the subjects with the profound essence of the Corso as was seen by the majority of the population in Puglia, Molise, Lucania, Sannio and Irpinia who had known the breed in its happier times.

 

Unfortunately, the labour of recovery had been initiated too late, making it more difficult and arduous to obtain subjects demonstrating continuity with those from the golden age. The conditions made for selection of the Corso had passed. This led to neglect of the dogs, thus favouring a gradual mongrel-ization. The situation is further aggravated by the tradition of producing “industrial” crossbreeds for work and for hunting. These crosses, like the mezzocorso (Corso x Abruzzeze), straviere or mezzoleviero (Corso x Leviero or Foggian sight hound) and mezzosangue (Corso x segugio or scent hound), even though they were not meant to reproduce had undoubtedly left traces in many subjects. Such traces showed up, even today, in a longer coat, a lighter built, or a longer muzzle. And the initial attempts searching for new subjects and therefore new blood lines had not been successful as the recovery team expected.

 

On 18^th October, 1983, the small group of Corso enthusiasts key in the breed’s recovery founded the Societa Amatori Cane Corso (SACC). On the same day, 12 adult subjects brought by a small group of Corso passionates were examined and measured by Dott. Giovanni Ventura. An entire set of biometrical data from all the subjects presented was compiled. Based on that Dr. Ventura drafted the first breed standard.

 

These subjects are characterised morphologically with light prognatism, slightly convergent cranial-facial axes, absence of loose skin and dewlaps (as in Mastino Napoletano). The average weight of male is 47 kg. And of female is 38 kg. The average height of male is 68 cm. and female is 64 cm. They all have short cow-like hair and coat colours are brindled, fawn, and gray.

 

SACC was a non-profit organization (and still is today). Their sole objective at that time was to save the Cane Corso Italiano from extinction and to gain the recognition from ENCI for the breed. They set certain rules relating to the recovery project. All breeding was decided by the Executive Council along with a Technical Committee (composed of ENCI judges with recognized breeding experience).  All puppies bred were to be given away, gratis, to lovers of the breed at a minimum age of sixty days, with ears and tails cut. Those who received puppies were made to adhere to the SACC program: to make available their dog for pertinent breeding, to unconditionally give away these offspring to other enthusiasts desiring to adhere to this program and to then return to SACC any dog that cannot be kept. 

 

Stefano Gandolfi undertaken personally periodic automobile “tours” and visit the various localities where puppies were living. This was to be certain that the puppies were growing in proper conditions and to stay in contact with their keepers for future development of the operation.

 

When things were going better the free puppy rule was modified. It was agreed that those interested in the breed could be given a 3 months old pup, vaccinated and with its tail docked and ears cropped, as long as they adhere to the rules set by SACC and joined SACC with a contribution of Lire 100K (or about US$50). Yet, this payment never went to those breeding dogs, who always absorbed their own costs of weaning puppies, rather they went to develop the means in which SACC would use for it’s necessary activities. An example would be SACC covering veterinarian costs of docking tails and ears.

 

These SACC members had carried on the program of recovery of the breed with strong, healthy motivation devoid of private interest and often with personal sacrifice. They increased the numbers of the Corsi and its homogeneity. They shared with the original recovery team the first enthusiasms as well as the first disappointments, waiting in corners of dog shows for hours just to present the Corsi to the public who had never met this breed before. Together with the recovery team, they listened humbly to judges and breeders whose remarks were sometimes sarcastic out of ignorance and presumption and won the supported of others more far-sighted who attracted the attention of the media and proved to be essential in opening the doors to ENCI.

 

On 16^th June 1984, 10 Corsi were presented at Castenaso (Bologna) to ENCI judges, the first formal meeting with officials. The ENCI Judges were Franco Bonetti, Antonio Morsiani, and Mario Periccone for the morphological examination and Claudio Bussadori for character tests. Subsequently in 1985, Prof. Casolino was entrusted with the task to establish contact and dialogue with ENCI in order to have a better idea regarding steps to take toward recognition of the breed.

 

On 3^rd November 1985 ENCI established official contact with SACC by allowing its judges to take part in SACC shows. These ENCI judges were: Barbati, Mentasti, Morsiani, Quadri, Perricone, Vandoni, and Ventura. The presence of Prof. Bonatti as an observer was requested and Prof. Danilo Mainardi was invited. Prof. Danilo Mainardi is a famous aetiologist. He contributed in contacts with press and television, aided the recovery team in avoiding the obstacles and hindrances, which might have discourage enthusiasm of the team and their recovery program.

 

1986 is a year full of hard work and new discoveries. In this year Dott. Breber left SACC. It was also in this year that the search of valid subjects and new bloodlines begin to yield better, more positive results than the past. Between January 1986 and June 1987, the recovery team came into possession of 30 new rustic and real subjects, adding 11 new bloodlines (or at least they presume) to the recovery program.

 

The search of valid subjects in the Meridone also provided enrichment in the understanding of Corso with a pool of memories, anecdotes, lore and information passed down from generation to generation about the breed from Corso owner and people in the massarie and villages. It made the recovery team to began realization that the breed had not become as rare in the south as they had thought before. The Corso had been preserved, in relative purity, in small but valid number, to quote Dr. Stefano Gandolfi: ‘just like the coals that continue to burn when the fire has been put out’.

 

Dott. Flavio Bruno is a veterinarian practicing in the Molise region and has been to the various rural locations in Molise region since he was a veterinary apprentice following his mentor. Besides research into history of Corso, he provided input regarding the Corso subjects and their locations in the Molise region.

 

The recovery team was much encouraged when they met Sig. Vito Indiveri of Monopoli near Bari with the help of Dott. Morsiani. Sig. Indiveri travelled from masserie to masserie and rural villages to rural villages to supply them with every conceivable kind of products, ‘one who goes by the land’ as they say in those parts. The recovery team immediately made Sig. Vito Indiveri, a Corso passionate, member of SACC and enlisted him for specific tasks of watching for Corsi as he went from place to place, photographing them and making note of name, place, and owner.

 

Another encouragement came from Sig. Giovanni Tumminelli, a Sicilian dog fancier known for his studies and research on the native breeds of the island: the cane da mannera, the spino degli Iblei, the branchiero and the Cane Corso. He provided a more concrete confirmation of the labour for Corso recovery. There are still a few of Cane Corso in Sicily. Sig. Giovanni Tummenilli furnished the recovery team with historical and iconographical documentation as well as information about the traditional uses of Corso peculiar to this region. All the documentation and information came with ample photographic census of the subjects and their various bloodlines. The similarity of these Corsi with those in Puglia and those of SACC is amazing.

 

Sig. Vito Indiveri and Sig. Giovanni Tumminelli participated directly in the Corso recovery and were working to involve a growing number of Corso passionate in the recovery program. With consent of the S.A.C.C. Board these gentlemen founded the first 2 regional S.A.C.C. delegations in Puglia and Sicily. And this was another incentive to accelerate the speed of Corso recovery.

 

Appointed by the ENCI Judges’ Committee, Dott. Antonio Morsiani begun to measure and examine as many subjects as he could, both in the north and the south with the intention of compiling the breed standard. About 90 subjects were examined and the biometric profiles of about 50 subjects were taken. Basir and his sister Barak were used as the male and female prototypes. In examining the subjects both in the north and the south, Dott. Morsiani together with the Corso recovery team often had to get to the isolated massarie and sift through the countryside helped by Sig. Vito Indiveri.

 

As an example: in order to measure Gemma, a black bitch owned by Giovanni Jacobaccio, it was required for them to travel as far as Colle Sannita (Benevento) although Prof. Casolino, upon Dott. Morsiani’s invitation, had already conducted an exploratory mission.

 

At the conclusion of all these activities, Dott. Antonio Morsiani produced superb result: a Corso breed standard which not only describes the morphological characteristics of the breed in a technically perfect form, but which catches Corso’s truest and most profound essence as well.

 

This is very different from developing breed standard based on a litter of puppies for the purpose of registering them in privately owned registry. It is also quite unlike breed standard developed out of meeting by a committee with members having experiences of many years showing and breeding dogs.

 

ENCI Judges’ Committee and the ENCI Board of Directors approved this Cane Corso breed standard developed by Dott. Antonio Morsiani in November 1987.

 

After this acceptance and approval, in the following year 1988, ENCI Board of Directors decided to subject the existing Corsi to an experimental judgement. The intention is to ascertain their homogeneity of type, construction and character, as well as their similarity to the points specified in the breed standard. Such experimental judgement took place during 3 all-breed dog shows, in Milan, Florence and Bari respectively. More than 50 Corsos, 38 of them presented by SACC and the rest belonged to private owners, were tested and subjected to bio-metric measurements by the 3 ENCI judges: Dott. Morsiani, Dott. Vandoni and Dott. Perricone. The results had served to overcome any possible remaining resistance and validated with facts the existence of the breed, even though it was made up of slim tribes of Corsi spread across a vast geographic territory in the Italian South.

 

By the Autumn of 1988, Sig. Vito Indiveri concluded the census he had carried out on the ‘rustic subjects’. He sent the results of his census to Prof. Casolino: 57 Corsi registered, including photographs taken. This was a trip of hundreds of kilometres, some in most unlikely places between Benevento, Puglia, Molise and Lucania. This marvellous result was combined with the particulars of Corsi already present in the SACC recovery program and kept at Mantua. And the whole package was provided to ENCI.

 

A decision was made at this point to compare the Corsi, the Mantua dogs of SACC and the ‘rustic’ dogs of the South. This was to be conducted at an ENCI authorized SACC gathering (not a dog show) during the International Exposition at Foggia, October 1988. Prof. Casolino procured the use of the ring for the judge as well as the presence of Dott. Morsiani for the examination. He sent a letter to the ENCI delegation in Bari, in the name of SACC authorizing Sig. Vito Indiveri to make all necessary contacts, to inform the southern Corso owners, and above all to convince them to bring their dogs to the show. An article was even sent to the local newspaper by Prof. Casolino to stimulate interest and insure a richer and more interesting chronicle of the day’s events. Sig. Indiveri managed to get together about 80 Corsi from Puglia, Molise, Sannito, Irpinia and Lucania. The positive results of this event had definitely convinced the experts to guide the Corso recovery program towards the successive developments. It also signified a milestone on the highway to breed recognition.

 

By 1989, recognizing these positive signs, ENCI Board of Directors decided to institute an open stud book for the breed, a Libro Aperto. In this Libro Aperto, adult Corsi, properly tattooed and conforming to the breed standard, would be registered. ENCI delegated the task to Prof. Vittorio Dagradi and formed a Comission consisting ENCI judges Barbati, Dagradi and Quadri for this purpose.

 

“Initially, it seemed that ENCI would delegate the exclusive responsibility to SACC regarding this organizational endeavour, therein, including the dogs that would be inscribed. ….. The fact is that ENCI advocated itself as responsible for the entire “Open Book” (libro aperto) endeavour. This decision was due to the fact that ENCI decided not to exclude the possibility of having access to the Open Book and to others in the meantime who had undertaken the breeding of cane corsos that where not SACC members. ….. SACC contributed prevalently and decisively in organizing the gatherings of the Open Book and to its outcome. However, it must be clarified that the keeping of the genealogical books, the conducting of bureaucratic procedures and all regulatory decisions were under complete and exclusive control of ENCI.” quoting Dott. Giulio Mazzilli, President of S.A.C.C., on Cane Corso Pages Bulletin Board Sunday, 30-JUL-2000.

 

From 1990 to 1992, in 6 SACC-organized events held at Montova, Foggia, Ostuni, Messina, Morciano di Romagna and Empoli for this purpose, 461 Cane Corsi were examined and registered in the ENCI Libro Aperto, always in the presence of 2 ENCI judges. These ENCI judges were alternately Alighiero Ammannati, Vittorio Dagradi, Antonio Morsiani, Mario Perricone and Guido Vandoni.

 

102 puppies descended from certified parents were also entered into the Libro Aperto making a total of 563 entries registered in Open Book. Unfortunately, many of the better ‘rustic’ dogs had to be excluded because they were presented without the necessary tattoo or at best with an illegible one.

 

Of these puppies descended from certified parents it was the ENCI ruling that they gained automatic entries into the ‘Open Book’ would be examined again after 1 year. However, These puppies registered were not examined and certified again after 1 year by ENCI who owns both the temporary as well as the permanent registries.

 

“The sizeable number of subjects registered in the Open Book up until its closing, collectively with the official ENCI recognition of January 20,1994, is the result of enormous interest in the breed.  This interest spans that of a commercial idea as well. Up to the official recognition of the Corso, SACC could do little to control the explosion in the breed or the zoo-technical quality of the breed. The simple reason is that SACC did not have the potency or the proper resources.  Also in great part due to the fact that a large number of the registered dogs did not come from those affiliated with SACC. The decision that SACC not verify all descendents of the original dogs registered in the Open Book was dictated to SACC by natural happenings unrelated to SACC. Never the less SACC always looked to develop ties where there were obstacles to indiscriminately breed the corso.” again quoting Dott. Giulio Mazzilli, President of S.A.C.C., on Cane Corso Pages Bulletin Board Sunday, 30-JUL-2000.

 

The National Convention On The Cane Corso – “Covengio Nazionale sul Cane Corso” - was held by SACC in 1990 at Civitella Alfredena. Resulting from this convention is the much-mentioned publication from papers presented in this Convention - “IL Cane Corso” - by publisher L’Orsa. Further in 1992 SACC participated and contributed to the “Congresso Internazionale di Cinotecnia Genetica, Alimentazione e Psicologia Canina” i.e. the International Congress of Zoo-Technical Genetics, Feeding and Canine Psychology at Ravenna.

 

During the November 1990 European Show in Verona, Italy, the Corso breed was presented with success on November 25 to the Standard Commission of Federation Cinologique Internationale (FCI). And a “Summary of the Morphological Characteristics” written by Dott. Morsiani was given to the FCI Standard Commission in all the 4 official languages used by FCI, namely English, German, French and Spanish. 15 Corsi were presented to the panel of the FCI Standard Commission.

 

After this event FCI delegated SACC to research and identify the diverse bloodlines of the subjects registered in the Open Book (Libro Aperto). This research included the first dogs admitted and their descendents. The toilsome amount of research was conducted using the only base of printouts furnished by ENCI. Every single registration card of the Open Book on each litter had to be researched.

 

At this point and in July 6, 1992, SACC forwarded the request for final recognition of Cane Corso by ENCI as a pure native and indigenous breed of Italy. And at Seveso, end of September 1993, almost a 100 Corsi were put to the final proof that consecrated his existence in the presence of ENCI judges Bernini, Bonetti, and Vandoni.

 

Upon receiving favourable reports from the Judges’ Committee, the Committee for Italian Breeds, and the Breeders’ Committee, ENCI accepted SACC request and sanctified the recognition of the Cane Corso as the 14^th Italian breed on 20^th January 1994. This year, Stefano Gandolfi was 30 and a Ph. D. in Business Administration - 15 years from when he was in his teen and his initiation to the recovery of an ancient Italian breed.

 

The year after, February 5, 1995, SACC became officially recognized by ENCI as representative breed club of Cane Corso in Italy.

 

The Corso breed was allowed in ENCI exhibitions from 1994. The conformation title Campionato Sociale (in reality is a Campionato di Club, of no valence to ENCI) was instituted. In order to obtain the title of Campionato Sociale, the Corso is expected to already been examined for HD with a procedure coordinated by the AIVPA, Associazione Italiana Veterinari Piccoli Animali (or the Italian Veterinary Association for Small Animals). This became the take off point for a much wider scale of research on the entire known Corso population. Other gatherings took place in collaboration with esteemed Professor Claudio Peruccio of the University of Torino for the control of hereditary eye disorders. Such research was then used by SACC for the matter of international recognition of the breed on behalf of the FCI.

 

In addition to conducting courses for judges and the above activities, on 19^th October 1996 SACC organized the “1° Seminario Nazionale sul Cane Corso” - the first National Seminar on the Cane Corso - at Foggia.

 

In Arese, 22^nd May 1996, ENCI and SACC again presented 14 Cane Corsi to a panel of FCI Judges, including the FCI President Dr. Hans Mueller. Out of these 14 Corsi, 5 are from Cerebus, 3 from Dyrium and 2 from Murgese. On this occasion not only did FCI received the entire written practice of the breed’s recovery for international recognition translated in English but also the complete standard, historical description of the breed, results of analysis on HD and hereditary eye defects and anatomic designs with canine metrical proportions of various anatomic areas.  After satisfying the FCI requirements for breed recognition, FCI accepted the standard at December 1996 and officially recognized the Cane Corso Italiano breed.

 

On 1^st January 1997, SACC obtained agreement from ENCI to have the CAL-1, a work attitude test, as pre-requisite to the title of Italian Champion and Social Champion. And on 15^th - 16^th February 1997, in collaboration with the A. Morsiani Foundation, SACC organized the “Convegno Tecnico-scientifico sul Cane Corso” i.e. The Technical-Scientific Convention On The Cane Corso.

 

This signified the close of a significant chapter in the Corsi saga: from decline to recovery and finally national and international recognition. It is never sufficiently emphasised that the recovery of Cane Corso Italiano breed is neither motivated by market demand nor appreciation of the potential as rare breed show dog. It is done with passion, with own means, with much courage and no ulterior motive, and with no thoughts of compensation. It is not only a zoo-technical exercise to save an old canine breed like the saving of endangered wild species from extinction. It is the preservation of a bit of the tradition and culture of the Southern Italian past in which Corso was a part.

 

 

 

Notes on Recovery and Recognition

 

On stages of the Recovery and the Recognition of the Corso:

 

1980: The program of breed recovery began at Mantova on initiative of brothers Stefano Gandolfi and the Malavasi, with help and guidance from Prof. Bonatti, Dott. Ventura, and Dott. Breber.

1981: Prof. Casolino and Sig. Sereni joined the initial group and the searched of new blood lines in Meridione intensified.

1983: A small group of Corso enthusiasts founded the Societa Amatori Cane Corso, 18^th October, and on the same day, Dott. Giovanni Ventura examined 15 or so subjects and taken measurements.

1984: Some examples of Corso were brought for examination by the judges Franco Bonetti, Antonio Morsiani, and Mario Periccone at Castenaso (Bologna), 16^th June.

1985: First official contact with ENCI.

1987: On ENCI’s assignment to SACC, Antonio Morsiani developed the breed standard.

1989: ENCI instituted the Open book for Cane Corso.

1992: Forwarded to ENCI the issue of recognition of the breed, 6^th July.

1994: ENCI approval of Cane Corso Italiano as the fourteenth Italian breed. Corso must already been examined for HD with procedure coordinated by AIVPA in order to obtain conformation title of Campionato Sociale.

1995: SACC became officially recognized by ENCI as representative breed club of Cane Corso.

1996: FCI officially recognized the Cane Corso Italiano breed.

1997: From 1^st January, SACC obtained agreement from ENCI to have the CAL-1, a work attitude test, as pre-requisite to the title of Italian Champion and Social Champion.

 

 

From the start of the recovery and throughout the recovery, it was found by the Corso recovery team that the subjects had in common these physical characteristics:

 

- medium-large size;

- well-developed muscles inserted in a morphological construction;

- square head with broad sturdy jaw;

- heavy and tight skin;

- short hair like cow hair (as it is called in Puglia); and

- slightly converging cranial-facial axes.

 

 

The associates and founders of SACC in 1983 are: Serene Michele Angiolilo, Nardino Anselmi, Donatella Baldassari, Giovanni Bonnati, Corrado Montavalli, Bruno Bonfanti, Paolo Breber, Primo Buzzi, Fernando Casolino, Giancarlo Gallini, Stefano Gandolfi, Giancarlo Malavasi, Luciano Malavasi, Giovanni Muaro, Giancarlo Monfardini, Sergio Nardi, Vittorio Suffritti, Gainantonio Sereni, Alberto Tellini and Giovanni Ventura.

 

 

On distribution of the Corsi in the Meridone during the period of Corso recovery:

 

The Italian South consists of these provinces or regions:

-  Molise (regional capital Campobasso)

-  Campania (regional capital Napoli)

-  Puglia (regional capital Bari)

-  Basilicata (regional capital Potenza)

-  Calabria (regional capital Catanzaro)

-  Sicilia (regional capital Parlemo).

 

Dott. Flavio Bruno said in his book that Corso was common mainly in the Reign of Naples (Regno di Napoli). This consists of: Abruzzi, County of Molise, Land of work (Terra di lavoro that includes Sora, Aquino, Fondi, Laqua, Napoli, and Nola), The Principality (including Benevento, Nocera, Amalfi, Salerno, and Policastro), Dukedom of Calabria (Ducato di Calabria), The Capitanata (including Foggia, Lucera, and Manfredonia), Principality of Bari, Principality of Taranto, Basilicata and Sicily.

 

According to Prof. Fernando Casolino there were still some small families of Corso in the province of Caserta (Campania) at that time during the Corso search and recovery. Other small families were in Irpinia (Avellino, Campania), between Lucania (Basilicata, south of Campania) and around Avellino (Campania, towards Puglia); to Colle Sannita, in the Benevento (Campania); to Teramo and in other small farms of the Molise; in the countryside around Barletta, Corato and Castel de Monte (in between Foggia & Bari, Puglia). Still some other tribes had been conserved in the countryside of Bovine, the Daunia, between Lucera, San Severo, and Torremaggiore as far as S. Paul di Civitate (Foggia, Puglia), Castelnuovo and Volturara Appula (Molise). In the area of Monopoli (Puglia), though, there were a considerable number of the subjects. They too were found between Potenza and Matera (Basilicata); in the high valley of the long Ofanto and the marsh to Pantano di Policoro. There were a few left in Melfi and Stigliano. And later it was discovered that some forgotten tribes still existing between Catania and Vittoria (Sicilia). There were remarkable examples of Corsi found in the area of Gargano (Basilicata) and also presence of typical examples found in the rich Bari countryside.

 

This clearly differentiates against the non-disclosure regarding from who and where the first imports to the US by breeder of astute business sense!

 

According to description in Page 62, Chapter 10 ‘The Cane Corso’ of the book ‘A Celebration of Rare Breeds, Volume II’, authored by Cathy Flamholtz, published 1991 by OTR, it is stated, and I quote,

 

<According to Italian writer Ettore Frassinetti, the breed was in danger of becoming extinct. “A few years ago, Count Giovanni Bonalti, an authority and historian of the Molossus, gave the alarm that there was imminent danger that the Cane Corso could become extinct,” he writes. “He made known where some purebred Corsos were to be found in the Mid-Central region of Italy. This outcry was the salvation of the breed. Some skilful and caring dog lovers acquired as many specimens as possible and began the selective breeding of the Cane Corso.”>

 

Corsi were found distributed in the Italian South as described above, NOT in Mid-Central Region of Italy. There has been NO SUCH authority and historian of the Molossus named Count Giovanni BONALTI. It is Prof. Giovanni BONATTI who first brought up about the Corso and believed that they could be found in Puglia, a province of the Italian South.

 

Is Sig. Ettore Frasssinetti, an Italian writer? Sig. Ettore Frassinetti is not a writer but he is a breeder of Bracco Italiano (Italian pointer) and Corso with the kennel name ‘Spicciano’ in the province of Toscana. He was once President of the SACC Delegation of Toscana. Sig. Ettore Frasinetti was described as a kind and good man, but not one of the top Corso breeders.

 

But even when Sig. Ettore Frassinetti is not directly in the recovery team who searched the Meridone for Corso, as a Corso breeder and once President of SACC Delegation of Toscana, wouldn’t he know sufficiently to distinguish Prof. Bonatti from Count Bonalti? Or could he be just used as a name mentioned to add credence for statements he had not written or did not say? And as an Italian, wouldn’t he know where the Mid-Central region of Italy is as different from the Southern region?

 

It is emphasized many times by some of the so-called corso-connoisseurs in the US that Sig. Ettore Frassinetti of Allevamento Spicciano has been the Regional Vice President of SACC although he was just once President of the SACC Delegation of Toscana. Why is there such emphasis? Would it probably be to amplify his significance in the regards of Corso Italiano and SACC and therefore inferring the significance on what he had stated or written and being quoted?

 

It may be interesting to note that Sig. Paolo Paoletti of Casa Paoletti is a member of the Toscana SACC Delegation. Ribaldo detto Logan bred by Casa Paoletti is one of the 14 Corsi shown to the FCI panel of judges on 22^nd May 1996 in Arese. And Sig. Alberto Sacchi of Allevamento Tenuta S. Emiliano has been the President of the Toscana SACC Delegation after Sig. Ettore Frassinetti. In his kennel there was Arras (ENCI registration #AG 94L2670) a noted Corso. This subject Arras has been described falsely as a Show Champion by some in the US.

 

 

On breeders breeding outside the stock of the SACC Corso recovery program:

 

The success of the search for Corsi tribes in the Meridone, especially after 1987, led to a lot more interest in the breed, including the commercial ideas. Besides owners/breeders in the rural villages of the Meridone who were keeping the Corso breed alive, there were dogs bought directly from the Meridone, outside the stock from SACC Corso recovery program. Puppies were bred from owners of these dogs and sold.

 

 

On the SACC ordinary meeting held on November 20^th, 1988, in Hotel Cristallo di Cerese di Virgilio in 1988:

 

Partial text of the document on SACC meeting was posted on Cane Corso Pages Bulletin Board by Mike Ertaskiran of 152.163.201.192, then ICCF President, on Tuesday, 04-Jul-2000 09:12:46, titled ‘SACC meeting held in the hotel Cristallo di Cerese di Virgilio in 1988’. It is as follow:

 

<Procedure:

 

A. To increase the number of subjects, the method of transfer of the puppies that the Society’ had always adopted, is thought to be inadequate, that is the transfer of the puppy with free title with payment of the SACC membership fee. As a matter of fact, the breed’s mini demographic explosion warrants a widening of the social basis and the encouragement of the bitches’ owners to produce the most possible number of litters. For this reason it has been decided that from here on the dogs can be sold, so that it would render the breeding expenses less onerous, with formality and prices established during an assembly meeting. The sale price consists of:

- The SACC membership fee (20% of the sale price)

- The puppy’s health guarantee for the first 12 months from genetic faults.

- The tail and ear crop.

The purchaser will also promise to follow the SACC’s rules; he will be required to sign at the time of purchase. The bill will be paid according to the terms of the Monaco Convention.

 

B-C. To reach the objectives mentioned in sections B and C, it has been decided to widen the jurisdiction of the Technical Committee as stated in the SACC statute. The new powers given to the Technical Committee regard the following points:

- To decide which dogs to utilize for each mating.

- Supervise until the newborn puppies are brought to the SACC’s site and kept there until they reach 75 grams. The Technical Committee will then decide which pups will be culled for lack of typicalness or genetics flaws.

- A stamp will be applied to the pups that are considered typical, it will attest the origin to SACC, and will serve to prove the accuracy of the selection.

 

For the members that have had the dog free, the committee has decided that the proceeds from the sale will be divided as follows:

1. 60% due to Mr. Malavasi Giancarlo

2. 20% due to the SACC

3. 20% due to the owner of the dog.

For example: the price is 1.000.000 (one million lire)

20% (200.000) to the owner.

20% (200.000) to the SACC.

60% (600.000) to Mr. Malavasi.

 

Toward the owner of the male dog, the clause of the Monaco Convention will be applied.

 

There are two distinct cases if the pups are weaned at the breeder or at the care of the owner. In the first instance the owner will receive a percentage only for the pups that were sold; in the second case the owner would receive 20% for all the pups.

 

The Vice President has emphasized that it will be, in any case, the Technical Committee that would decide which dogs to sell, therefore the members will need to adhere to the decisions rendered by this organ. The discourse changes if the member redeems the dog, paying (1.000.000), as established by the committee. The member would get 80% and the remaining 20% would go to the SACC.>

 

Putting the history of Corso recovery by SACC into perspective and in regard of the above, Dr. Giulio Mazzilli, President of S.A.C.C., stated in his post on Cane Corso Pages Bulletin Board Sunday, 30-JUL-2000, the following:

 

<It is from the above context that SACC is senselessly attacked on the Cane Corso Bulletin Board.>  

 

<The resolution, in order to keep records and for completeness, was integrated with assessment cards prepared if necessary by Dr. Antonio Morsiani. ….>

 

<If one should speak of finances it must be said that the overwhelming majority of members did not have the possibility to wean litters.  Finally reaching the objectives of numerical consistence of the population established in advance by ENCI, the assembly wisely decided to support he who in the previous years was a prevalent part of the motor in breeding the Cane Corso.

 

Never the less, one could never go on pretending that such help could continue to go on completely gratis, especially in light of the excessive number of dogs bred well beyond the quantity of preceding years. 

 

Unfortunately, a practical solution was not found. …..>

 

<SACC took note of this state of affairs. In fact, it let it’s ties fade away that its own members where so devoted to. …..>

 

<NEVER WAS A LIRE POCKETED BY SACC FOR THE REGISTERING OF A PUPPY INTO THE OPEN BOOK.>

 

<The only one of our original founders that went on to breed and continues to breed is Giancarlo Malavasi.

 

Never, from 1980 to 1989, did one of our original founders ask for a single lire for the sale of a puppy.

 

HE WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE AS SUCH MUST DEMONSTARTE THE CONTRARY WITH NAMES, PLACES AND WELL-DOCUMENTED CIRCUMSTANCES.>

 

 

On Cane Corso Italiano health during the recovery and quest for ENCI and FCI recognition:

 

“SACC have provided good information regarding CCI health in the actual recovery project. We have also tried to explain our efforts with the Campionato Sociale. Dogs were examined for HD by the AIVPA.  This was an important aspect that was needed during our request for the international recognition of the breed to the FCI. .....” (Private communications with Dr. Giullio Mazzilli, President SACC)

 

 

On Cane Corso Italiano being presented to FCI by ENCI And SACC in Arese, 22^nd May 1996:

 

In Arese, 22^nd May 1996, ENCI and SACC presented Cane Corsos to a panel of FCI Judges, including the FCI President Dr. Mueller. There have been frequent mentioning of a Cane Corso being presented at this meeting in Arese, 22^nd May 1996. The fact is there were in addition to this Cane Corso, 13 Cane Corsi being presented to FCI panel of judges. These 14 Cane Corsi are:

 

-  Quaron, Anita and Drupa (of Dyrium Kennel)

-  Griso and Altergo (of Murgese Kennel)

-  Ribaldo detto Logan (bred by Casa Paoletti Kennel, owned by Claudio Marzorati)

-  Simon (bred by C. Toselli, owned by Simona Tanzarella)

-  Argo (bred by Ceberus Kennel, owned by A. Bertin)

-  Sara, Sylver, Karl, Circe and Dago (of Cerberus Kennel) and

-  Boris (bred by Degli Olmi Kennel, owned by Renzo Carosio).

 

 

Federatio Cynologique Internationale (FCI) recognized the Cane Corso Italiano breed on 12^th November 1996

 

References:

 

 

1.     "IL Cane Corso" by G. Cheicchi and G. Gualtieri 3^rd edition published 1997 by De Vecchi.

2.     "IL Cane Corso – Origini e Prospettive Del Molosso Italico" by F. Casolino and G. Gandolphi, published 1996 by Mursia.

3.     "IL Cane Corso – Ritratto Del Molosso D’Italia, Tra Storia, Morfologia E Lavoro" by Anna and Giancarlo Malavasi published 1998 by Editoriale Olimpia.

4.     "IL Cane Corso" by Flavio Bruno published 1994 by Arti Grafiche La Regione.

5.     "Brevi Annotazioni Sul Cane Corso, Nel Tempo, Nel Diverse Condizioni Geografiche, Ambientali E Sociali" by Giovanni Tumminelli & Flavio Bruno published 1994.

6.     "Testimonianze Visive E Grafiche Di Un Amico Ritrovato: “ILCORSO”: 1536 --- e la storia continua --- 1993" by Giovanni Tumminelli & Flavio Bruno 1994.

7.     "IL Cane Corso – studiato nella razza, nella storia, nella famiglia e nella societa" by Flavio Bruno published 2002 by Arti Grafiche La Regione.

8.     "A Celebration of Rare Breeds Volume II" by Cathy J. Flamholtz, published 1991 by OTR Publications.

 

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