STEEL CITY KENNELS’ CH BISHOP

STEEL CITY KENNELS’ CH BISHOP

I have been in education for a long time, teaching as well as being a student myself. I have always been taught that you must endure the hard and rough times, and they will make the easier more smooth times that much sweeter. On my current journey, there have been so many road blocks and obstacles that have stood in the path of success. Most people in my situation would have given up. Well, giving up could never be an option when the game you are in is all about perseverance. I am writing this story straight up from my imagination, to illustrate a sample of a great friend and endurance. Although it may sound a true story it is truly all my imagination. The same way books like Harry Potter is all fiction. This is a story of one of the best companions and friends a person could have. This is the story of a true soldier, a warrior and my best friend…This is the story of Champion Bishop...

Bishop was born in the East Coast of Kazakhstan the a result of an accidental breeding. The “breeder” of the litter hated this breeding and didn’t wanted the offsprings. Bishop’s sire was a two timer by the name of Dracula. Now, the owner didn’t liked Dracula simply because he was bred down from the RedBoy strain that Mr.G used in his “hay day”. To the owner of Dracula, he was just “simply” a dead game dog that didn’t bring anything else to the table. Bishop’s dam was a good producing female by the name of Kay. She was known to have thrown a few good ones from different breedings. Bishop was a very big puppy and pretty much dominated the puppy pen at an early age. The breeder sold everything of that breeding and was looking to sell Bishop as well, but he was acting so good that he held on to him for a while. It wasn’t until he placed another puppy from another litter in the pen with Bishop that he really made his mind up to sell him. The pup was bred by another camp and he pretty much bullied Bishop in the pen. Right then he called a guy who had been inquiring about Bishop to come get him. Bishop was four months old at that point. Bishop grew to be a very large and strong dog, so his new owner decided to try him with a grown at nine months, but Bishop wanted no part of that and took off running. His owner put him back on the chain and waited a little longer. A few months later, at the age of twelve months, Bishop was showing signs of wanting some action, so his owner tried him again on a two timer from the the South and this time Bishop gave the dog everything he could handle for 45. When brought to the corner Bishop was unccontrollable and sctratched like he was shot out of a cannon and broke the two timer’s spirit. The next time he looked at Bishop was with a four timer whose camp was quite envious of the owner and hated to see the progression of this young pup. They brought this Champion over to shut Bishop’s career down before it even got started. However, the outcome was even more impressive than the last time. Bishop destroyed the dog in only eight minutes and had this four timer singing and pissing himself. Wow! Bishop started getting bigger and started feeling himself around the yard. He got excited and even bite the owner at one point, placing a slight uneasy feeling about him in the owners mind. It didn’t help that the owner was having a few health issues of his own, so he decided to sell Bishop. A guy from Russia inquired about a certain Buck female that the owner had for sale. He came down to Moldova to purchase her and the owner “D.E” convinced him to take Bishop as well. Well, it didn’t take much convincing because he was such a beautiful sight to see. Now at 17 months, Bishop was now owned by Steel City Kennels from Russia who brought him up north and started to prepare him for his…

Carrer

A few years prior to Steel City Kennels purchasing Bishop, Steel City had a showdown of two great dogs in the name of Gameline Kennels Ch Slick vs. Cut-Throat Kennels Ch Homie. This was an epic battle that went 1:32 with Ch Slick standing the line. Slick was conditioned by Gameline, but due to an unforeseen incident on the way to the show, was unable to attend and Ch Slick was handled by Steel City. Homie prevailed that time and went on to have a great career. That never sat too well with Steel City Kennels, the way everything played out, and he never forgot that. Steel City definitely wanted revenge. He was able to get revenge a few years later with Bishop.

LAZY BOY (2xW) vs. BISHOP

Cut-Throat Kennels was known to be a great conditioner and always brought a very good dog. They were in the tall mountains of China and they came to the Moscow area the time before so it was only fitting that we came to their back yard this time. It was the middle of the summer and the weather was unbelievably hot this particular weekend. We traveled to China in a small vehicle with no air conditioner and got there only to experience a natural disaster that weekend in the whole province of Guangzhou all power was off unless you had a generator. We rode around the area for three to four hours in 90 plus degree weather without air conditioner and Bishop was panting like a mofo. We tried renting a hotel but twenty minutes after being in the room, all power and generators went out there too. Everything that could happen, did happen. My camp was telling me to let’s just turn around and go back home, but I was determined to do my dog. Cut-Throat Kennels assured me that they had conditions under control at the spot and was ready to go. They had been in air conditioning the whole time and their dog was comfortable and rested. They were just waiting for show time, to finally make Champion on me once again. Well, we started the weigh in and Cut-Throat was dead on weight at 53lbs. I knew we were going to be under but not to the extent that we were. Due to the extreme conditions and stress on Bishop, he came in weighing 51lbs. I knew we were in for a tough one, but I had all faith in the keep he had gone through. We started washing the dogs and for some reason, by this being Bishop first real match, he knew what time it was because it felt like he got ten pounds bigger and started buckin’ like a wild horse. We show time, dogs are released and meet in the middle of the field, Bishop is driving, but Lazy Boy is experienced and got on top of Bishops head and rode him for a while. Lazy Boy started displaying moves that had the audience amazed. The air was thinner in the mountains and it took Bishop awhile to get acclimated with his breathing. On top of being extremely talented, Lazy Boy had extreme mouth, coming down of Clemmons’ Durango Red blood. This too didn’t seem to discourage Bishop for he was showing extreme gameness, and he knew that if he allowed Lazy Boy to continue move ahead in the match, that he would eventually get killed. At that point is when Bishop turned everything around. Bishop got a good hold in Lazy Boys right shoulder and shook him off of his feet. Everything that Lazy Boy did to Bishop only made him angry. He went he left the shoulder; it looked like ground hamburger meat. He then went to the chest and kept him in the center of the pit until he put holes big enough to place 2-3 fingers in. He finally wanted to finish Lazy Boy and drove him to the corner and punched him in the throat. This turned out to be his toughest fight…DOA in 41…Steel City Kennles’ Bishop 1xw.

CH ELWOOD vs. BISHOP

A few weeks later we were contacted by some real jealous haters from the same city area. They wanted to set me up with a Champion out near the big lake. They were trying to convince me that they felt I could beat them and that the dog was only average, but the whole time they did not mention that they had just gotten killed by this dog a month prior. Anyway, the show was set and I worked Bishop stronger than before, because I knew he had to be on point to beat the experienced Champion Elwood. The weight was set for 54 1/2lbs. Elwood came in right on, but due to the anxiety about the first show, I brought Bishop in a little heavy. He came in weighing 56lbs and I had to pay the forfeit. Elwood’s owner said “We still want to do our dog, we didn’t all the way here for nothing”. And those same guys, who were setting the show up, were all betting with Ch Elwood. Once again I was the underdog and the haters wanted to see me lose. Dogs are released and Champion Elwood coming down from the Turtlebuster/Eli strain of dogs came out fast. He brought out all the fancy tricks and moves and those that saw him would have thought he would win this show with ease. The few that came with me were able to get every bet they had off due to Elwood starting off so fast. This only pissed Bishop off and at the 20 minute mark Bishop grabbed Elwood in the shoulder and took him to the corner and damn near knocked Elwood out cold from the violent shaking, slamming his head hard against the pit walls. He then went to the chest and got a good hold under Elwoods breast bone and drove him to the opposite corner and proceeded to drive deep. Bishop looked like a Greek god driving his whole head in Elwoods chest. Bishop lifted Elwood up in the corner and drove so hard, that he drove him right out of the box. The referee had to pick both of those big mofo’s up and bring them back into the pit. Elwoods camp was getting a little nervous at this point and all those haters were quiet as a mother f**ker now. And my man who I purchased Bishop from told one of the guys from Elwoods camp to go ahead and pick him up. He said, “I know you done based your whole yard off of him, don’t let him get killed”. Elwoods camp said, “Aw naw, Elwood’s been there before, he will weather the storm”. Well the storm didn’t stop and they sure were prepared with an “arc”. By the time they decided to pick him up, Ch Elwood was gone…DOA in 41…again…Steel City Kennels’ Bishop 2xw.

ROCKY (2xW) vs. BISHOP

After his second it was hard to get a match for him for a while, and we were starting to get a little frustrated. He was OTW and we called everywhere, from coast to coast, north to south. We finally got him hooked 11 months later into a respectable camp from Frank Sinatra’s song city. So it is now set, the two time winner Gator Boys’ Rocky vs. Steel City Kennels’ Bishop. Both dogs going for their Championships and it was said to be one for the ages. Messages were sent to me that they were going to kill me in short order and that it was no way that our kennels would out do the kennel that says is from the fast lines. We took the long drive to Joseph’s hood and was not accommodated at all. Very poor hospitality and we spent seven hours looking for a hotel that would accept pets and never found one. Bishop stayed in the crate in the car for two days waiting for show time. No class and no sportsmanship at all. Showtime comes and Rocky is a pound over at 54 ½, those boys at home, and brag on how pro they are, yet over weight like rookies. Anyone can win like that. Due to all the stress Bishop comes in at 50.8lbs. My whole camp said no. Take the forfeit and go. I contemplated over and over again, and like before in his first one, I knew what we went through in his keep. He was more than ready. So I made a judgment call and said “f**k it, let’s rock”. Rocky came out extremely fast and hard, pushing Bishop back for the first five minutes, but seven minutes into the fight Bishop gabbed Rocky in the shoulder and shook him down. Bishop knew he had to dispose of this rough killer quick because of the weight advantage and Bishop changed holds from the shoulder to the chest at the 8 minute mark. He dug so deep into the chest that Rocky’s second gave the gesture of a person’s hand slicing their throat, signaling that he was done. Bishop had deep black blood shooting out of Rocky’s chest, and the Gator Boys were begging me for a scratch to continue, but I said no. I told them that we came all the way from North to do a job, and if they wanted to save Rocky, they needed to touch their dog and acknowledge that they lost. They refused to do that, so we said we were going to show them real “23 legend town bulldogging”. Rocky was screaming and pissing as Bishop punished him in the throat. He was done in 12, but Bishop just finished his job in 28… DOA…Steel City Kennels’ Champion Bishop. At this point, the breeder of Ch Bishop is contacting me to breed to Bishop. Remember, he was the product of an accidental breeding and he really didn’t like the breeding at all. “Too Much RedBoy blood”. Anyway, he now wants to work out a breeding with Ch Bishop back to his mother, Kay. He wants to do the breeding but just pay a stud fee. I told him we could do the breeding, but we have to split the litter and the gyp has to whelp the pups with me. I just didn’t trust his honesty due to a past dealing. None the less I put that past us. Needless to say that breeding never got done and Ch Bishop was still in the woods. I contacted a guy who I had been admiring from a far for his dedication and hard work with the breed. I was very interested in acquiring some of his blood to cross into mine. Well, he did his homework on me and we both found each other to be stand up guys. “NOT THUGS”. I corresponded with Lopez, from The Chosen Few for about a week, back and forth, and he told me we would work out a deal. He brought me a pup in exchange for one of mine. It was more about developing a relationship than anything else, and we did that. He came to Moscow and stayed with me for a day and a half, and we discussed our goals and what direction we both were trying to go in. He was very interested in Bishop and wanted to see his career take off. He made the suggestion that I allow him to take Bishop back to the jungle with him to condition him and we show him in a Taco City convention. I laughed at first and said to myself, “this mother f**ker has to be crazy”. We had a good breakfast the morning before I took him back to the airport, and it was something about the bond that we developed. I saw the seriousness and determination in his eyes, and when I dropped him off at the airport, all I could think about was the opportunity for Bishop to accomplish something great. A few weeks went by and TCF and I had continued to correspond with each other and the more I talked to him the charged and eager to go with the idea. “To get to places you’ve never gone, you have to do things you’ve never done”. I told TCF I was ready to go…he was excited as well, and he booked a flight back to Moscow in the dead of the winter and picked up Bishop. Now, I knew this wasn’t going to sit too well with my camp. They all thought I was nuts. They all said that I would never see him again, and that that was the stupidest move a person could make. They said Bishop was going to be gone gone forever. Well guess what? They were all wrong…Lopez conditioned Bishop in the Jungle and he took him through rigorous training, none like he had ever seen. He had Bishop looking so strong, so powerful, ripped, full of well defined muscles. Looks as if Michelangelo himself made David’s dog companion! So strong that people actually thought he was on steroids. This makes me laugh every time I hear that. Bishop was acting out the whole time while in the jungle and he destroyed his hardware further more fighting the chain. This was a major concern because he relies so much on his mouth. Never the less he looked good as a motherf**ker, and he was on his way to the land of Zapata. I flew into the country to meet them there and Bishop was so happy to see me, and vice versa. The scenary was breathtaking and freedom was all around me. It was one of the most beautiful settings I have ever been in. The hospitality was great, accommodating everything we needed and everyone there was very professional. The Chosen Few treated me as family and always was on my side. There were at least 200 people there from all around the world. Some very prominent dogmen were present and it gave the atmosphere an electric feeling. Several matches went on before us and I had butterflies in my stomach waiting for our time to shine. Our time was here and we were ready. The air was so thin. I hardly could take a deep breath. It was bad. We were at 9000 feet above sea level. However, Bishop was happy and it seem to be doing great.

ARTURO (2xW) vs. CH BISHOP

The stage was set and the highly anticipated show between two great dogs was ready to happen. Arturo, a dog classified as an ACE was a two timer out of CML’s Little John x La Coja. He was an exceptional head dog and this was supposed to be the one that was tailor made to shut Ch Bishop down. This was going to be a major challenge for both Ch Bishop as well as Steel City, for we were in El Distrito and I did not speak a bit of Spanish, yet TCF was on my corner. The dogs were released and Arturo went straight to the face. He worked his hold to perfection keeping Bishop from getting what he wanted. This one hold put a cut like with a knife of six inches on top of Bishop’s head. It looked ugly. Arturo was bad from the face to the head doing some serious damage without allowing Bishop to touch him like he wanted to. Bishop finally got to corner Arturo and was able to touch him but was unable to hurt him bad due to him slipping out of holds. This gave the crowd great confidence, once again Arturo had another victim. Well, so they thought. Bishop never paniced and was driving the whole time. Arturo could not keep running and to keep this powerful force off of him was really taking its toll on him. Arturo controlled the fight for the first 25 before Bishop was able to get what he wanted and drove his opponent into the corner and was determined to make him pay for everything he had dished out. Bishop drove deep in the chest and had Arturo squealing. He was looking around and he did not wanted any part of it any longer. I called a turn on Arturo because I knew he wasn’t game. His handler got a quick handle and Arturo scratched with no hesitation. Bishop grabbed him and continued to punish him when TCF would talk to Bishop from outside Bishop would jumped on a high gear. Also as hollered out “go get that ball” and Bishop went into a rampage trying with everything he had to finish Arturo right there in the box. Bishop slipped out of his hold shaking very hard and Arturo tried to run. I handled Bishop and he shot out of the corner with no hesitation trying to get back to what he was doin: grabbed him and slammed him back into the corner and went straight in the throat to finish him. Arturo was screaming and pissing and that had his camp very upset…he was quitting and his camp knew it. He was looking for the wall and Bishop tried to grab him and nipped the referee in the process as Arturo was running trying to get away. Bishop missed him, nipping the referee who got in the way. The crowd entered the pit claiming that this was a disqualification and took their dog out the pit, as their dog was trying to bite them. This disqualified them. They clearly didn’t knew the rules. Furthermore they did not had a bulldog. The match lasted 47, but was clearly decided by 32. Bishop is now declared Steel City Kennels’ Interna – tional Champion Bishop 4xw… I would like to thank all those who believed and supported us following his spectacular career. It was a long and hard journey which is respected worldwide. Champion Bishop clearly took the road less traveled and de – serves all the accolades given him for he has truly earned them. I would like to give a very special thanks to my friend The Lopez from The Chosen Few for making this happen and be – lieving in Bishop and putting in that incredible keep to take him to the next level. You are the definition of a true dogman.

NOTE FROM THE TCF

I am very private when it comes to dealing with anything other than my own dogs, but this man was an edu – cated dogman, a person of character, and Bishop was a really solid dog. I took it to consideration that was not one of the 1000’s of neighborhood cheese titles in that country. Yet a dog that had travel into the better dogs on his weight. Bishop was an eager worker and I dropped the hammer on him. A crazy chain fighter, otherwise I would recommend for him to go fur – ther. My advice to his owner is to keep him away from the ferocious “ Fast and the Furious” mega buck peddlers in that country. To be selective and let the billion thugs holding their dicks. To be selective on to who uses him. I wish him good luck on his road. A good dog.