Hobby Transposed in Complete Devotion

Not once we said (and we wrote) that the Railway Journal is not necessarily a railway magazine, but a magazine of the people who work at the Railways. And these ones, besides the very important activity developed, they are similar to each of us, with our good and bad parts…
The railway employees can be animated by very different hobbies. And when they gain recognition on national plan and even international, why don't they consider it a reason to be proud of, reason to share it to everyone?
Recently, we had the chance to talk to a lady whom, although she is directly involved in the Railways activity, has many things in common with the railway world: comes from a railway employee family and works at the Health House of MLPTL. Her name is Cristina Epuras and…we better let her tell us about hobby.
Railway Journal: Since when do you have this hobby for dogs?
Cristina Epuras: For over 20 years. I always liked very much the dogs; in fact, I generally liked animals and especially the dogs. Probably my love for animals I inherited from my parents. And the hobby for the pure breed I have gained from my father, which was member of the Chinologic Association from Bucharest. My father, Dragos Epuras, is an engineer and he was for years the chief of the safety traffic unit in Grivita, and then the director of Grivita Rosie, one of the most beautiful and oldest railway undertakings from Romania. In fact, we consider that a railway employees family - the father of my father, Vasile Epuras, former chief -inspector at the railways. Let's return to my hobby! Unfortunately, the first dog that I had has been quite peaky and it died young. The pain of loosing it did not make me quit. On contrary! So there were more. Currently, I am a breeder of the English spaniel cocker and of apricot dwarf poodle, namely the Spanish cocker, as everyone calls it on the street, and dwarf poodle.
The oldest dog that I have is a cocker; it is 14 years old and its name is Puck Peanut de Ama. During its time, it has been very appreciated. But only in Romania, because, you can imagine, it has started …its competition activity before the Revolution, when going "abroad" was quite difficult. Then I had a dog female, a dwarf poodle of mature apricot color (apricot), which unfortunately, has died two years ago. I kept a doggy of it, on the already famous Princess CRISSDAN, which is eight years old and an exceptional dog: it is (as its mother) the champion of Romania magna cum laude.
Since 2000 has "come" to me, brought from England, Kyna Peter Pan, a high quality dog, which honors any exhibition attended by it, either here, or abroad. It represented successfully Romania at the European Championships from Tel Aviv on year 2001. Although the location was quite far and situated in a conflict area, there have been presented only special exemplary. And Peter has been extremely appreciated: it has been the best junior cocker from the exhibition - it was European champion at juniors and at junior champion at Tel Aviv! It is an extremely beautiful and good dog!
The last year, the "mate" of Peter has appeared, on its name Kyna Penelope Pit Stop, which for the time being has attended only two exhibitions, obtaining every time the title of the best junior of all present dogs. Certainly, it also promises to be very good…
Maybe you wonder why I am so much involve. You have to know that I do that only for me, and I want to show to the world that Romania also has high quality dogs. I felt very proud at Tel Aviv when my mother was wearing the Romanian flag and there have appeared photos with it on all the specialized sites.
R.J.: Why did you choose spaniel cockers?
C.E.: I never thought I will breed cockers… I had a dog and I bought it from the famous fair in Obor. I named it Bento and it was not a competition dog; as I have already told you, it was quite peaky and it lived less than two years… it was, by chance, a golden cocker, with unwanted white spots.
The cockers are part of a hunting dog category, which, unfortunately, they have lost their hunting quality these days. They have become pets because they are joyful, their tags are in a permanent movement and they make you feel very good. They are balanced dogs, they do not need certain dressage, the only things you need for them is time and patience for their toilet, which I perform by myself. They are extremely possessive dogs, although, in the same time, they are extremely cute. When I reach home, where they are now. In fact, a dog is like a human being: as you behave with it, so you will have it; if you are tender with it and you offer it the required affection, the dog offers ten times more affection.
Currently, I have six dogs: two taken from the streets, three cockers and the Princess, the poodle. And they cohabit very well with Ilinca, my daughter, who is eight months old. Although the cockers grow 20 years, I should recognize I am far from knowing everything about them…

Ileana Statie