Lilian remembers Ch. Ballatella Di La Scala -- aka "April" -- as one of the most beautiful IG's she has ever bred. April was key to Lilian's breeding program, as she was the only puppy she kept out of Nova (Ch. La Traviata Di La Scala). Nova was bred right at the time or after Lilian and Don moved from San Francisco to Southern California.

The picture above shows April when she won a 5 point major at a specialty in Texas. The judge is breeder judge C. Lavern Gangwish.

On a funny note, Lilian remembers that once she and and her lifelong friend Belina Lazzar (Belini IG's), with whom she had a few dogs in co-ownership over the years, tested all their dogs with a doggie intelligence test, and April came in with the lowest score. No problem: this did not prevent this sweet and gorgeous Italian Greyhound to leave her mark in the IG world. All current La Scala IG's (except the British bred Basil) have April in their pedigrees.

April was bred once to Top Producer Ch. Tucker's Texas Terror and three puppies finished their championships: Ch. Olympia Di La Scala, Ch. Don Giovani Di La Scala, and Ch. Tucker's Don Carlo Di La Scala. She was then bred to Top Producer Ch. Krezsenz Cobra Jet and Ch. La Divina Di La Scala came from this litter.

The picture below shows April winning the Brood Bitch class in May of 1984 at an IGCA regional specialty that was part of the Rio Hondo K.C. show in So. Calif. The judge was Joseph Gregory. Don is handling April, Lilian is handling Ch. Olympia, and Dana Vaughan is handling Ch. Don Giovanni Di La Scala, before he finished his championship.