Cate`s Gr Ch “Nigerino”

Another famous Eli bred dog was the 5xw Nigerino. Nigerino represents some of the purest Eli Jr. blood to be found today and is a highly respected bloodline in its own right. The thing that make the Eli dogs so popular is that they are powerfully built dogs with devastating mouths who consistantly throw these traits into their offspring.
One of best crosses to be made with the Eli line, was with the ‘ROM’ Snooty dog. Snooty was an extremely intelligent dog who added the highly desirable traits of pit intelligence and style.

Eli dogs tended to be barnstorming dogs and this would lead to short-windedness. The Snooty cross corrected this problem without sacrificing the highly desirable Eli traits. Probably the best known dog from this cross was the 4xw Ch. Chinaman ‘ROM’. Chinaman had it all and has subsequently produced a superior line of dogs. The Chinaman dogs consistantly throw intelligent, powerful, game dogs with a lot of mouth, literally a complete package. These dogs are true fast lane quality and continue to make an ongoing impact in today’s sporting era. It would be impossible to list all the quality dogs that came directly or indirectly from Eli Jr., Bullyson, or Brendy, because their impact on the sport continues on today.

Their are literally hundreds of famous dogs who owe their success to the Eli line and its originator Floyd B. and it would take an archive of novels to list the accomplishments of them all.

Nigerino was born in July of 1979, out of Jackson’s Wolfman, a son of Eli Jr. and a grandson of Bullyson, bred to Hathaway’s Lela, a daughter of Gr Ch Art and double grand daughter of Eli Jr. Sam Cates acquired Nigerino and his littermate sister, Bolita, from their breeder as puppies. There was a condition; that Bolita was to be bred back to her sire Wolfman.

For whatever reason, this was not done. When Bolita came in heat she was bred to Cates’ Poncho, who was out of Stompanto bred to a Bullyson/Art’s Missy daughter. Some time later, both Bolita and Nigerino were stolen from Sam Cates’ yard, as well as a aon and daughter from the Poncho/Bolita breeding.

The story goes that the breeder of Nigerino and Bolita had the dogs stolen, supposedly becasue he felt the agreement had been violated. Cates found Nigerino on the yard of another Texas dogman and reclaimed hm, the two pups off Bolita (Leo and Miss Kitty) were later returned to him, but he never got Bolita back. It was rumored she had been sold to another dogman. The whole situation started a major feud between all parties involved that lasted several years.

Nigerino’s first match took place in South Texas against Peace’s Al Capone at 37 pounds, the referee was Granger. Nigerino worked the head and chest; Al Capone was picked up at 37 minutes. This amtch was part of a 5 match convention and Nigerino took Best in Show.

For his second match , he was conditioned and handled by Oklahoma Shorty. His opponent, Maddox’ Louie, was a one time winner in over 2 hours. The referee was Bobby Smith. Louie does a good job of holding Nigerino out, but Nigerino gets ahead working the chest and stifle and Louie is counted out scratching at 1 hour 20. Nigerino was once again awarded Best in Show and recieved a trophy.

His third was at 36 pounds against another two hour winner, McMillian’s Brindle. This match was refereed by Selso. Nigerino is ahead all the way and scratches to win in 37 minutes. Nigerino wins his champion title.

The fourth was against a group from Califronia who called themselves the ‘Black Attack’ the weight was 37 and the referee was Morgan. Nigerino’s opponent, Guerro’s Ranger, was counted out in his corner at 37 minutes. Nigerino’s son Sampson (out of Miss Kitty) won the same night in less than 30 minutes.

Three years later, when Nigerino was 7 years old, he won his fifth match. The weight was 37 and the referee was DelGarza. The referee from the fourth match, morgan, had a hard biting head dog called Rowdy he felt could beat Nigerino. Rowdy was a very talented one time winner out of Ch. Tonka/Bolio breeding and managed to hold Nigerino out for the first tenn minutes, with Nigerino driving. Nigerino gets on Rowdy’s nose, then into his chest, and then to the rear end several times and rowdy was singing by the thirty minute mark. Morgan picks Rowdy up at 37 minutes. Nigerino is a Grand Champion.

A couple of months later, Nigerino died of unknown causes on Cates’ yard. Because of the incident before, there was some speculation that Nigerino had been poisoned but nobody ever really knew whether his death was due to natural causes or foul play.