Augusto Benedicto S. Santos III
President - Philippine Canine Club, Inc. (PCCI)
Licensed Judge: Labrador Retrievers & Golden Retrievers
Dinky was born in 1967 to a family of Bankers and “Animal Lovers” - a known SANTOS tradition which goes back to over a century and many generations.
Dinky’s romance with the Labrador Retriever started when his father bought him his first Lab at the age of 2. Unfortunately, the puppy died of food poisoning after a couple of months. Dinky has been showing dogs for as long as he can remember. At 4 years of age, he would often accompany his Father to the dog shows. They owned a German Short Haired Pointer, Phil Ch Weidenbach B’s Mac V Jove CDX (USA), who is, on record, the 1st Sporting Dog to win Best in Show in 1973 and the 1st dog in history to become a Philippine Champion and a Companion Dog on the same day. Together with his Father and siblings, he was also involved with Japanese Akitas, Bull Terriers, and German Shephered Dogs before personally getting engrossed with the Labrador Retriever in 1988.
Dinky’s SUNSHADOW LABRADOR RETRIEVERS is one of the main forces behind the success of the Philippine Labrador Retriever today. He campaigned the legendary Phil Grand Ch Driftway Truffle to become the PCCI’s #1 DOG for 1996, #5 for 1995 and #3 for 1997. He has owned, bred, and/or campaigned more than 100 Champions, Grand Champions and/or Hall of Fame Labrador Retrievers – 45 of which are Sunshadow homebred. At present, Sunshadow stands the most influential Labrador Retriever sire and the 2nd All-Breeds most influential sire in Philippine history in Phil Grand Ch Veyatie Driving Along “CHUCK” (UK) – who, as of this writing, has sired thirty-eight (38) Champions both here and abroad.
Dinky is also very much involved with Horses. He was a former Director of both The Metropolitan Association of Race Horse Owners (MARHO) and The Philippine Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Organization (PHILTOBO) – the guiding organizations behind the Philippine Horse Racing Industry. During his younger years, Dinky was a consistent member of the Philippine Equestrian Show Jumping Team. He was also the youngest member of the team that won the 1981 and 1983 Junior Asian Horse Trials in Manila and in Singapore respectively. Together with his two brothers, they are amongst the country’s few active Polo Players.
Dinky was awarded the distinction “Life Member” of the PCCI in 2005. He was the founding President of The Labrador Retriever Club Incorporated (LRCI) back in 1994. He is a member of The Labrador Retriever Club (UK) and is also a consultant of both the Sporting Dog Club of the Philippines (SDCP) and the Chihuahua Federation of the Philippines. Dinky is currently the PRESIDENT and Chairman of the Board of the Philippine Canine Club, Incorporated(PCCI).
Dinky studied grade school and high school at Xavier School – a Jesuit school. He graduated College with a degree in Business Administration at Menlo College in the United States of America.
Dinky is currently licensed to judge the Sporting/Gundog Group at Championship Level under the rules and regulations of the PCCI and the FCI. He has judged numerous shows around the Philippines and once in Thailand.