Flyball Wizard
Jazz over a jump and on her way to the flyball box!
What can you do for fun with your Stafford? Well, here is one activity - flyball. You've never heard of flyball and would like to know more about it? Go to the site below after reading about Jazz - The Flyball Wizard!
North American Flyball Association.
What generated this web page was an email from Alisa Romaine to The Staffordshire Bull Terrier Forum Email List. She posted the following message:
Just wanted to get out a quick note to all of you Stafford-owned humans. ESPN has invited 4 of the 9 regional flyball champions to St. Louis on June 6-7 to do some head to head competition for a special that ESPN is filming. Top Dog Racers of Dallas, Texas, was one of those teams invited. Jazz, my Stafford, IS on the ESPN team and will probably be filmed. As we all know, this doesn't mean she will end up in the cut version of the show. However, I will keep you all posted as to when the segment will be aired and we hope that Jazz will be a good Stafford ambassador and a good representative of flyball. Also, there is a regular flyball tournament going on as well that weekend and Jazz will be the sole height dog for her team - a first for her as she has just started real racing. (They will break regular racing for 2 hours to film the ESPN special) Jazz is on Top Dog Racers "A" Team - the fast team, and so this is a huge responsibility for both of us to anchor that team. We are REAL excited!
Also, for any of you in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, Jazz will be racing in a local one day tournament, in Seagoville, on June 28. If you want to see some flyball and meet Jazz, please email me privately for more information.
Thanks for the support you all!! Jazz and I will do our best to further the good reputation of our Staffords.
Alisa Romaine & Jazz "Let's Race, Mom"
This got me interested for more information and I asked Alisa to send some photos and a short biography. Her response was as follows:
Hi everyone. My name is Alisa Romaine and Jazz and I live in Dallas, Texas. I got Jazz (Boomtown Jazz Ma Tazz) from Rob and Carol Martin in Oklahoma after much searching for what I felt was the perfect Stafford for flyball. Her sire is Trugrip Palatine; dam is Yankeestaff Feisty Britches.
I chose Jazz specifically for flyball as a height dog (smallest dog sets the height of the jumps for the team) so I looked for parents with specific things. 1) parents on the small side of the standard; 2) parents with ball drive - did previous litter show fetching drive; 3) female as they tend to stay smaller than the males. Jazz was the only female in a litter of eight and she definitely bossed her brothers around. When I saw her as a small pup, I knew I would have my hands full and was very glad that all that energy and drive would have a specific outlet in flyball. Jazz has exceeded all my expectations both in flyball and as a wonderful companion. At 11 months old she already has one conformation point - taken from the 9-12 month old puppy class. She has shown an amazing aptitude for agility and obedience - earning her Canine Good Citizen title at 7 months of age and running a short agility course off lead on her second session. Jazz has already earned many admirers from her first flyball tournament in May, 1998, in Houston, Texas, and I hope she will continue to be a wonderful ambassador for the breed as she continues to compete. Jazz is a wonderful all around dog and I can't imagine what my life was before her!
Boy these weeds sure grow fast. It's like a jungle out here.
I am really honored that people want to include Jazz in their websites and I hope that she will continue to do me - and the Stafford community as a whole - proud.
Alisa Romaine
Good luck from all of us, Alisa, and especially to Jazz. We will let the Cyber Stafford community know how you do on the ESPN special.