Member Spotlight: Tammara Morgan
Tammara Morgan of Barba Bagnata, who lives in Virginia, will be our new vice president. She isn't new to SCOA or Spinoni and has been around a number of years, plus has served on the board from 2017 to 2023, as well as serving on several committees, including judges’ selection, nominations, and serving 13 years on the website committee.
Professionally, she is an Agile Product Owner in the tech environment, like a project manager, responsible for managing complex projects from the initial planning to implementation and keeping the team engaged and meeting the targets. Skills that have served SCOA well in the past and will continue serving well into the future.
Like many of us, we saw a picture of a beautiful dog and wanted to know more about them. Back in 1998, she saw her first picture and aggressively pursued learning all she could about the breed. This definitely was dedication because it was before sitting down at the computer or phone and easily accessing Google. In 1999, she got her first Spinone from Guido Malandruccolo, Mia di Morghengo. Not having a foundation in dog shows or hunting, this was a brand-new world for her. Mia completed her championship and received a NAVHDA Prize III. If you ever listen to Tammara talk about her time in the show ring or out in the field, you will know she has been told and accepted that the dog was far better than the handler. She had her first litter with Mia in 2002, and after 24 years of breeding Spinoni and 28 years in the breed, this is where her heart truly is. She is a true wealth of knowledge and has continued to study the breed as well as pedigrees. Even with the challenges, frustrations, and heartbreaks, she loves to talk about the rewards.
Over the years, she has produced so many wonderful Spinoni and has produced wonderful companions for some really fantastic homes. There have been so many successes in the show ring, in obedience, rally, agility, scent training, hunt field, the list goes on. Her passion and focus is on the future of Spinoni, which she believes rests in the hands of the caretakers, the breeders. She always talks about wanting to see this breed come out on the other side for the better, with worldwide engagement of all breeders, working together, to protect the health of these wonderful dogs.
We have talked in depth about the breed, structure, ability, health, breeding opportunities, hilarious stories, and cried over dogs of the past. I consider her a true friend and a mentor; my journey through this breed would not be the same without her. The club is lucky to have her as a wealth of knowledge and dedicated preservation breeder.
Erica Cross