A Proven Road to Success FROM A GOAT
do everything in their power to achieve them. They understand that it takes hard work and dedication to the task to reach that ultimate prize. The great breeders, exhibitors, and handlers did not reach a high level of success without putting in the hours, months, and years of hard work to reach those heights within the sport. Placing blame is, of course, a small part of human nature in dealing with disappointments. There is no doubt that it is easier to blame the judge, the competition, the weather, the facility, and any number of rea- sons than to accept any outcome that was not desired. For those whom we will put into the mediocre group, they may find they are "too busy" being mediocre to put in the extra work required to get to the next level. Which group would you place yourself in? Successful people look deep within themselves and identify their strengths and shortcomings and are constantly putting in the effort to be the best they can be. Breeders who can honestly evaluate their breeding stock for not only conformation but also health and temperament will work hard and do their research in planning their future breeding. They understand it is not just about the show wins but it’s also about the long- term growth and preservation of their breed. On the other hand, we have those who only care about winning at all costs. These individuals only appreciate what they have and often find fault with the judges, as well as with the owners and handlers of the other dogs in competition. The proof of this is everywhere, especially on the Internet where they can hide behind a keyboard and look for other mediocre achievers to commiserate with them. All of us need to understand that none of us are perfect. Judges make mistakes, planned breedings don’t always turn out as planned. Some- times our dogs, or ourselves, have a bad day and our performance is not the best. When these things happen, the high achiever tries to evaluate what went wrong and goes to work to correct it. The good judges con- tinue to review and work with their mentors to keep themselves on top of their Breed Standards. Many of us who have been around for a few decades can still remem- ber when our fellow breeders and exhibitors stayed for Groups, and not only supported one another but were also able to share civil conversations without arguments about our various ideas and approaches to breed- ing, showing, and the like. The lost art of communication is a tragedy of society today. High achievers tend to attract other high achievers, and the mentality of these individuals and their willingness to adapt keeps them at the top. Achieving greatness is not easily achieved, and once there, it is even harder to maintain. However, establishing that goal and getting there will bring you great satisfaction. If you settle for mediocrity, you have no one else to blame other than yourself. Remember those words of Coach Saban: “Mediocre people don’t like high achievers and high achievers don’t like mediocre people.” Which one do you want to be?
BY WALTER SOMMERFELT I f you are a follower of college or professional sports, especially college football, I think you would agree that the recent retirement of Nick Saban from Ala- bama was indeed the end of an era of tremendous achievements in the sport that may never be repeated. Saban will forever be remembered as one of the GOATs (Greatest of All Time) in college football history. Nick Saban was not an overnight sensation. His legacy was built through hard work and effort while learning his trade as an assistant under the direction of other head coach- es from whom he mastered his craft. Blake Toppmeyer is an SEC (Southeastern Conference) columnist for the USA Today Network . In a recent column following the announcement of Saban’s retirement, he shared a quote from Nick that occurred several years ago while Saban was discussing team chemistry during spring prac- tice. Saban said, “Mediocre people don’t like high achievers and high achievers don’t like mediocre people.” This is an accurate description of most facets of life in general. In the world and in our sport of purebred dogs, it seems at times like we are surrounded by people who think they are “entitled” to various degrees of success regardless of their efforts to achieve it. In our sport, it is common for breeders, exhibitors, and handlers to find fault with any number of excuses as to why they did not achieve the desired results they are looking for. While some always find excuses, others take each experi- ence as a learning moment and work even harder to achieve their desired result. These are the “high achievers.” These are the people who set their personal goals at a high level and
108 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, FEBRUARY 2024
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