Coming home to download over 1200 emails, and this is the 1st I am responding to. I met Ricky White the week before the National. I have heard about him through my friends Lenny Brown and Jamie Clute. I have heard he is the nicest guy and how much fun he has in the ring and how he is not a professional handler but always there to help out and to help and encourage Juniors. Well, I brought a dog down to Augusta for one of my best friends Linda Delarso to Melissa just the weekend before the National. While he took reserve NE Maturity dog. we all knew he was not the type of dog for either judge at the National.but Ricky was so excited to show a fully trained nice dog so he could go out there and have some fun.and so I offered to continue to help when I could in the finals and class, although I also had my clients dogs that we went for to double and groom. We did just that.I know this isn't the dog in question.however, please stop the negativity. Any new event has it's quirks.and needs to be worked out however, from what I understand and witnessed.Ricky is not a professional, doesn't claim to be nor accepts any $ .but rest assured, I would give him a puppy or any dog any day because of his soft hands with the dog making it fun.he is not into ego.rather than going and having a good time with a good group of people. (Something we all fought to get back this past week) I got to know him a little better at the party's in Augusta 2 weeks ago and personally I could tell he is a guy who would go out of his way for anyone anywhere at anytime.a true gentleman. I don't know who or what started this, but I hope it's done with.Ricky deserves the joy of winning and in the spirit the program was made to be.Thank you Nancy for coming up with this new program.and for dealing with the Fut/Mat system as a leader despite all the hard decisions you have been forced to take in this past year ! Donna Calabrese Donna M. Calabrese & Leslie L. Dancosse Aramist Kennels aka The Girlz, Home of Am & Can GVX Ch. Ivana, OFA ROM, Can Sel Titanic, OFA, ROM , NE BIM CAN SEL Ch & AM BIS CH Can GVX CHYNA... Visit our website at www.girlzofaramist.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 ============================================================================