[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: A Sign of the Times
- From: Sheila Lieberman <sheilaofmiami@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: Showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2006 15:46:09 -0700 (PDT)
I am second generation. In truth, whether it is because I have had no
champions or because I keep my opinions about other dogs to myself, or because
I have long hair, I am treated like a kid, most of the time. Only a few
handlers know I have been here on and off for 30 years. The handlers that are
about my age treat me with due respect, as I do them. But the true old timers
look down at me still. And the ones who did not know me as a kid tend to treat
me as a newby.
I have been raised on the standard, and I did not breed until I thought I had
a shot at making something really special.
Now that I have a litter, small though it may be, I am hoping my male will
set the record straight about what I think I know. Even now, he is looking
like a champion. At 4 weeks I gotta say, he makes an impression.
But he has yet to be seen by the fancy. So I look forward to opinions about
my pups as soon as they are seen. I hope everyone who sees them will venture
an opinion. I don't have to agree with anyone, but I want to hear.
Sheila
Kathaleen Strong <inflight2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
-----Original Message-----
From: showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
hckryhillgsd@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, April 03, 2006 1:05 PM
To: Windwalkergsds@xxxxxx; Showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: A Sign of the Times
Where has mentoring failed? Steve had an interesting conversation at the
National with someone asking about the mentoring committee..the persons
exact words were " We really don't want new people in the breed competing
with us and possibly beating us. We have paid our dues..and when someone
new comes in and wins..we don't like it.." Before everyone gets up in arms
and says.."what a bad thing to say.." Well..she just said what many others
demonstrate with their actions. The old guard in many cases pays lip
service to truly wanting new people. I know..I was stupid enough to think
that if you bred a pretty good dog, you would be embraced by the "old
guard". I was embraced alright..just like Caesar was by Brutus. I would
have thought that the "old guard" would have felt pretty good about younger
breeders like us and others who were new..willing to listen and seek out
advice and learn about the breed..such was not the case with the exception
of a very few good people who didn't view us as a 'threat" but as the next
generation that would become the "new" guardians of the breed. This may be
hard to stomach, sometimes the truth doesn't paint a pretty picture..but if
you want to know why participation in the breed has deteriorated to an all
time low..many of the "old guard" need look no further than themselves.
C.Grainger
Holy Moly --- What a post. In this paragraph Christine has characterized
what I have personally felt was a serious absurdity in this sport.
Here is a scenario that will help illustrate what I'm talking about. When I
got into the breed seriously in 1985, a group of people who had by virtue of
their success in the breed had a level of "pillarness" or status. They had
bred their fair share of good ones, and had attained the ultimate of wins at
the National on at least one if not more occasions. Being in my early 20's
and giving them the proper respect they were due because of their success, I
looked up to them and tried to follow their example. I wanted to emulate
what they had been able to accomplish and through a lot of study, trial and
error and good luck -- viola, I was able to accomplish what I set out to do.
I just celebrated my 40th birthday yesterday at the hospital with Grandma.
21 years into the breed and I look back at how far I've come, and I realized
-- the same people I considered "pillars" are still pillars today, some by
right, but those of us who have accomplished as much or more then they did
when they gained their status -- are certainly not in the "club". The even
bigger absurdity is that people who have not achieved nearly the same level
of success in the breed but by virtue of whatever persuasiveness, and I
guess, self-promotional ability, they have been allowed into the high ranked
group of people.
I am basically the same age now as a lot of these successful pillars were
when I started in the breed - yet, here you have 2 breeders, The Graingers,
and myself, who between us have bred 2 GVs, 2 GVx's, numerous Selects, ROMs
and Champions on regular working folk salaries, saying - you need to look no
further than to look at the Old Guard/pillars for a lot of the reasons why
people get out of the breed and new people don't bother to join.
It's only by sheer determination and stubbornness that I stuck it out as
long as I have, because I can tell you, it has NOT been an easy road -- the
kinds of things I've seen people do to each other in this game, including
those "pillars" - totally blows my mind - yet here they are still holding on
for dear life their status.
Anyone who wasn't nuts probably would find more appropriate ways to spend
their money than to get into and stay in dogs. Not that there's anything
wrong with that.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Kathaleen Strong - Inflight Kennels Reg'd - Breeders of:
1995 US GV, AOE-1996 US GVx, Jubilee ROM
http://inflight.cnc.net http://www.inflightcoatformula.com
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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Sheila of Miami
Mernydex GSD's
Loving Obedience Dog Training
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POST is Copyrighted 2006. All material remains the property of the original
author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of any kind
are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of the
Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY
MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS
PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY
FORBIDDEN, AND IS A VIOLATION OF LAW. VIOLATORS OF THIS PROHIBITION WILL BE
PROSECUTED.
For assistance, please contact the List Management at admin@xxxxxxxxxxxx
VISIT OUR WEBSITE - URL temporarily deleted due to AOL issues
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