I think the key is to redefine the term amatuer....becuse if Ricky has not been paid for his services then he is an amatuer - no matter how good of handler he is. Honestly I don't know how you can police who can handler and who can not by anything other than if they've been paid for handling services. I suppose you could require a handling test to determine that yes you are a bad enough handler so you can show in the amatuer futurity. I wouldn't want to pass that test....though I'm sure I could with flying colors :o). Better to limit dogs to showing in one futurity, the amatuer or the regular. That might encourage more newbies to show.....otherwise why bother if the regular futurity dogs are also entered in the amatuer with these super good junior handlers. Cindy LBaird1608@xxxxxxx wrote: In a message dated 10/23/2007 12:35:25 PM Eastern Daylight Time, LeBrowngsd writes: In answer to your question. Yes the dog won a group under me not RICKY. I was judging the dogs not the handlers. In saying that just because he was the handler on the DOG that won the group does not make him a professional. I have given groups to other DOGS that were being handled by non professional many times. Also have awarded BIS to DOGS that were not professional handled but owner handled. Do that make the owner now a profession because they won a BIS on their DOG. I do think Ricky is owner of the DOG I put up so I am not sure what your point is and this all I have to say on this. I answered the question you ask and I am done. Not interested in starting or taking part in any argument. This list has been very nice for the last week and hopefully it will stay that way. Your post was very strong and unnecessary. Lee Brown Lee, I was using this to make my point that the man IS NOT AN AMATEUR!!!! Nothing more nothing less! Yes, the owner handler can & sometimes DOES win groups BIS etc... BUT that doesnt mean that they are FOREVER AMATUERS. I dont post often but when I do it is usually something I feel is hurting others & sending the WRONG message to new people, part of why we quit showing to begin with it QUIT being FUN & it became brain surgery & still is to some of you...win at ANY price. All this is teaching the NEWBIES (like all the other crap that went on on this list during the Election, which mind you I NEVER once posted about!) is that playing with the terminology of the word, it's ok to bypass what the word is actually and HONESTLY meant to mean. NUFF SAID!!! Patrick & Lorrie Patricelli Sturdevant Shepherds ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com ============================================================================ POST is Copyrighted 2007. 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 - www.showgsd.org ============================================================================ Cindy www.cinosamgsd.com ============================================================================ POST is Copyrighted 2007. 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 - www.showgsd.org ============================================================================