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Message: [QUOTE="capewind, post: 162877, member: 4510"] I didnt play politics, but I did use a professional handler. Logical choice, I was toting at least one dog, if not two, and 2-3 kids. When Cierra completed her championship so fast, it was said that she only did so because of who her handler was. I was still pretty naive to the dogshow world (BTW, I grew up in the horse show world LOL) .. I honestly hired the handler I did, because Abigal LIKED him. Even back then, we were all using message groups (although back then it was Yahoo groups) and when I mentioned I was bringing my Butler daughter out, it created a bit of a stir. I told everyone Cierra was no threat, she was coming out for the ring experience only. Hell, she wasnt yet trained to gate, and her stand stay/stack was weak. I have never had a dog who loved the ring as much as she did. She walked into that ring with so much attitude, she literally took over the ring (called ring presense) with her "look at me" spirit. I LOVED the stir we caused when showing Aanya and Clifford at the same time (those were my next dogs out after Cierra). Aanya was shown by her mom, who had never before shown a dog. My normal handler had a conflict (he was campaigning a Special). The person showing Clifford in the picture with both dogs was just a friend. He bred Berners and Great Pyrs, and did some part time handling. As a friend, I loved him, as did my dogs ... as a professional handler, honestly, he sucked. THAT blew the accusations of me using a political handler out the window LOL. The following year when we were showing Homer, we caused the same stirs. Now in this case I did play politics once... My other puppy owner came to one of the same shows Homer was at, and we THREW Homer (made him lose), to LET Charlie take the points. Homer was better than Charlie, but there was nothing else at that show (out of about 40 entries) that was a threat. The biggest threat was Charlie's handler absolutely sucked. I blasted that woman one day at a show for "stringing Charlie up" (she was choking him with the collar which prevent free forward movement) .. Even the judge overheard it, I was so pissed off. I dont care who anyone is, dont EVER manhandle one of my dogs. Charlie took the reserve to the 4 point major that day, when he should have taken the points. People learned quick that I didnt show a lot. If I entered a show, I was coming TO WIN, and did so more than 75% of the time. There are different varieties of Mastiffs, but mine are THE Mastiff. Sort of like saying Standard fin koi verses Butterfly Koi... You need one to make the other. My MASTFF breed is over 2000 years old. The AKC simply calls ours MASTIFFS... the UK calls them ENGLISH MASTIFFS, the same breed. THE Mastiff is the heaviest breed of dog. To give you something to ratio the size of a true Mastiff, here is a picture of Homer, with my youngest. She is 13 here about 5'0 (she only grew to 5'3" LOL). Homer was 33" at the shoulder, and 252 lbs. [IMG]http://i712.photobucket.com/albums/ww129/capewindmastiffs/Z%20Animals/Dogs/Clifford%20x%20Cierra/Homer/homer_zps16203417.jpg[/IMG] [/QUOTE]

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