No Rest for the Wicked
BulliesofNC
Richlands, NC
I took off this weekend to attend a big dog show up in Maryland. It was a fun get away but it's good to be back. I missed my Bullies! I left the computer at home just to take a break. Now that I'm back I'm trying to play catch up with emails. I sign on to the Forum and holy smoke I'm way behind. It took me a half an hour to read through the new posts. Loved seeing the new pics too!
Comments
He forgot to mention he has to fix his power washer cord that someone broke. I think he left it defective!!
"It's not just a Dog, it's a Bull Terrier!"
www.bulliesofnc.com
VERY political show with Saturday proving to be the most ridiculous judging I have ever witnessed or even heard about. Sunday was another story.
"It's not just a Dog, it's a Bull Terrier!"
www.bulliesofnc.com
I’d be lying if I said my experience this weekend was any different even as I lurked from the sidelines and watched my handler show Nitro. I guess that saying “It’s who you know†goes a long way in the show ring. Of course it isn’t always that way but enough to rattle your cage with disgust.
As an example, Saturday I watched a white male Bull Terrier from a reputable bloodline (name undisclosed) enter the ring as a competitor with Nitro. I hate bashing anyone’s Bullie but this guy had terrible movement, bad top line, overweight, and to top it off he actually had a red saddleback mark on his rump end. It took me all of a second to write him off as a contender due to his faults in comparison to Nitro. To make a long story short, this particular dog actually won best in Class. I (as well as everyone else) was shocked! I was wondering why the judge didn’t check Nitro’s bite when being shown. I guess his decision was made before the exhibition began. Now I know everybody will always think their dog is the best no matter what but this was different. I can take a loss like a big boy but there’s no question what so ever the judge had no clue what the standard of the BT dictated. I told my handler maybe we should paint a big old saddleback mark on Nitro’s ass if that’s what the judges like. I was so steamed at the unfairness that I almost decided to head home vice sit and watch Sunday’s final finale and show down. However, I knew the judge would be different and I prayed he’d be fair, knowledgeable, and accurate. I was told by others at the show (who told me I got robbed) that the other judge was firm, strict, knowledgeable, and very reputable. That news was good enough for me to suck up defeat from a dog that couldn’t hold a candle to Nitro.
On Sunday Nitro quickly won his class. I sat and watched the next round of bitches compete and viewed some gorgeous Bullies strut their stuff. My eyes were on one particular one. A very big bitch with a very nice head and conformation. Her movement wasn’t great but I was confident she’d win her class against some other real nice girls. She lost Best in Breed the day before but I ruled out the results of that day simply by the judges lack of knowledge and/or integrity. My intuition proved to be correct too because she did if fact win Best in Class. With this said, I was happy knowing Nitro would be fairly competing for Best in Breed with a very nice Bullie who earned her way to B.O.B. class. During the exhibition both Nitro and the female looked great but in the end Nitro took the award and walked away from the show with Best in Breed. The gang that gathered together walked by me and left the show while I was in line to get Nitro’s show win photo conducted with my handler and the judge. They must have been in a rush because there was no congratulations. Needless to say we still had fun and Nitro earned his first Major in America.
Yes, Nitro would have probably preferred a nice walk out in the woods within my backyard and a dip in the pond but from time to time it’s always nice to show face at a show and take home ribbon. If nothing else it gives the gossipers something to talk about within the Bull Terrier community.
As you all know, I suck when it comes to photos and I utilize my phone camera for everything. My still photos stink and I only took a few videos which at least look half way decent. I put a couple video’s together mostly of Nitro because that’s what I zoned in on. Here he is in a Best in Class, Best in Breed, and competing for best in Group. Kind of boring to watch in a video but I thought I’d share it with you guys anyway.
"It's not just a Dog, it's a Bull Terrier!"
www.bulliesofnc.com
"It's not just a Dog, it's a Bull Terrier!"
www.bulliesofnc.com
Congrats on the win nitro and Steve. The show circuit is extremely intimidating to me but I think Stoeger has potential. We will see. I sometimes have a hard time holding my tongue once I reach a certain level or feel as if people think they are 'better' and it's one reason I'm hesitant about the ring. I did look Into joining a bt club but I'd have to have two recommendations from club members and I havnt figured out how to get those yet...
"It's not just a Dog, it's a Bull Terrier!"
www.bulliesofnc.com
The video is wonderful, glad you posted it!
Here's a couple photos of the Bull Terrier that won Best in Class on Saturday:
"It's not just a Dog, it's a Bull Terrier!"
www.bulliesofnc.com
I fail to see how else a dog with a serious fault would even be in the running, let alone BIC.
Way to hang in there for day two Steve. Congrats to Nitro on his first US major! Give him a big hug from me and a Bullie head-butt from Stoeger.
Thanks for sharing the video, it's always good to see Nitro strutting his stuff.
1) Perhaps it's just me, but in that first photo doesn't it look like the Judge and the Handler have the same parentage.... Does that count?
2) How much does Nitro weigh... he moved fabulously by the way.
actually 3 points....
Perhaps the judge thought the dog just Sharted!?
We never showed him, maybe we would have... if that judge was in our hip pocket...
"It's not just a Dog, it's a Bull Terrier!"
www.bulliesofnc.com
"It's not just a Dog, it's a Bull Terrier!"
www.bulliesofnc.com
Nitro looked fabulous, absolutely beautiful. Watching him move, I kept thinking, "Wow, watch him go!"
Not similar, but maybe not too dissimilar, one of my sons was in a cub/boy scout troop that wasn't very friendly since he wasn't in their clique. He worked so hard on his Pinewood Derby car and lost out winning overall by a boy whose grandfather put some sort of washer or something that was against the rules. They didn't do a thing. He worked soooo hard every weekend for months making it look like a real car, painting, sanding, weighing, etc, but even though everyone attending kept telling him how great it looked, he didn't get recognized in the "beauty" part of the competition.
Next year, he worked harder, determined that he would win it fair and square. The next year, his was either second or third in speed, but he let that part go thinking for sure he'd get rewarded for all of the hard work in how good it looked. Most were truly the block of wood with wheels, while he painted it multiple layers, sanded to be as perfect as HE could get it. Again, no mention, and some rather plain cars with very little effort won. We didn't say anything, but we left upset to watch this little kid, our son, get ignored and absolutely no recognition for his effort that went way beyond anyone else. A couple of weeks later, someone told me they were upset that he didn't win that hands down, and that the reason was they overheard one of the other dads that the clique got to be judge say that he didn't do that work, it looked so much better than his son's, so there's no way he should win. When I started reading this thread, that's what kept popping up in my mind, and I felt those feelings that you might be feeling. I get sick inside when people can't be fair.
You know the bad part of this whole thing is the simple fact that each any every person that shows knows exactly what the standards dictate. However, in the event a popular person within a club decides that a "Severely Faulted" dog would be perfectly fine to show instead of others saying "Now wait a second here.." they instead support it and suddenly turn a blind eye as though it's no longer a sever fault. But for a judge to award a "severely faulted" dog with a win is just wrong. Now understand this, my words aren't burning bridges they are just explained with common sense, truth, and honesty. Some would say this would be considered calling a spade a spade. What's sad is that I can't even open my mouth, post a photo, or speak a word about Bull Terriers with out certain people analyzing my every move with hopes of discrediting. All I ask, is for those with any dilemma on anything I've said to call me or email and at least have the courage to use your real name or regular email address.
I think I'm going to just cross my fingers and hope that in ten years I'm not going to see the breed standard having to be changed because we have suddenly welcomed (and encouraged) saddleback marks on white Bull Terriers, Blue Eyes, Deafness, aggressiveness, or any other "faulted" characteristic that at one time didn't receive accommodation.
Well, I've said my peace and if someone feels I'm wrong or out of line you're more welcome to entertain me with your thoughts via telecommunication.
"It's not just a Dog, it's a Bull Terrier!"
www.bulliesofnc.com
As long as you were not doubling up on faults, you could still produce a show winner.
But to show a dog with that severe and obvious of a fault? Comical. To win? Laughable but sad.
"It's not just a Dog, it's a Bull Terrier!"
www.bulliesofnc.com