Ewers Circle..Do Ewe know yours?

 A friend sent me a link that got me thinking. Yes the door is closed on the incident..and yes it still bothers me. If I said it didn't I'd be lying.

I am sure people are NOT wondering why I was banned from the USBCHA Finals this year..

Why are they NOT wondering you ask? With the rumors people  have fabricated, they are confident they already know.

Does it bother me that they have sensationalized rumors that are no where near the truth?

In reality NO it does not...Why doesn't it? The answer lies beneath in the video I have posted..I KNOW MY CIRCLE.

I am not here to defend myself, just here to set the record straight. Will I detail every little thing? No I won't who has time for that shit...

Here is a timeline.. (very simple in a nutshell) as to the happening that got me banned..

1. Ran dog
2. Scored extremely low
3. Told by my fellow handlers to ask them to recalculate score sheet
         (There had been mistakes made on the math in previous days runs)
4. Asked course director to please check the math; she sent me to the "technical tent" Asked those ladies to double check math.
5. Took sponsor picture.
6. Stood around chatting amongst handlers while dog cooled down.
7. Notice judge out of tent (figuring a bathroom break) handler waiting to send standing at post.
8. Judge hunts me down
9. Judge very firmly (not yelling, but very angry) speaks in my face for 20 minutes about why he thought my run sucked and continued to tell me about better runs he had seen previously in the day)
10. Handler still waiting at the post..spectators and handlers witness the tongue lashing but no one comes to my aid. No one tells the judge to get back to work.
11. Judge goes back to his duty.
12. I post on Facebook Status "That's the type of shit that makes you wanna Quit"
13. 200 comments about dog trialing.. In the comment (that got me Banned) "I say Lane got through, Soot is out fucking asshole" (Exact quote)
14. Sometime in the thread one of my "old circle" members copies and pastes that comment..not the 199 prior comments ..no names, no accusations, not even a mention what trial I am at..although most people knew what trial was going at the time. The whole thread was like a  chat around a campfire that everyone has had at one time or another.
15. Next morning I am counseled by the Trial Manager (whom is a very nice person) I had no idea what she was even talking about. She wanted an apology..for the comment I had made the day prior.
16. Apology made..(I was thanked for that) She wanted me to apologize to the judge..I couldn't do that at the exact time because the trial was going. But did that upon arrival home.
17.We head home..along the road Ron and I talk about filing a grievance on the judge because of the coming out of the tent and lashing out..we decide "oh well that's dog trialing"
18. 3 weeks later I receive a letter..stating "although you have not violated any rules, we are going to call it unsportsmanlike conduct". I respond to the HA about the incident with the judge. That I did not approach  him that he approached me..I was sitting in the grand stands when the incident took place. No one cared..At this point I am still thinking I was being punished for the incident with the judge..even though  I said nothing during the time of the ass chewing.
19. They respond that this is going to the committee and they will decide what the punishment is. (I still have no clue it is about a FB post) After pulling teeth I get a copy of the complaint, signed by the director that filed it (no he wasn't at the trial) and I get a copy of the copy and pasted FB post...(Surprisingly enough it wasn't about the incident with the judge) It was because I said ^^ THE ABOVE^^ (refer to bullet point 13).
20. I am told to respond with a letter, and there will be a conference call. Well obviously I am not waiting I respond with a letter..sent certified mail to the person that sent me the letter certified and also responded by certified letter to the secretary..The first certified letter was never picked up..In other words I responded to the person whom sent me the letter, but my letter was never picked up at the post office. (Thank god the other letter was picked up.)
21. Receive a call that I get a letter OR a conference call, that I cannot have both..(but since I already sent the letter I basically forfeit my call...I didn't choose to "not show" for the conference call...I forfeited it with the letter..(another mistake I suppose).
22. I just want this to go away
23. Another month goes by. Receive a letter laying out my punishment (Which is I cannot attend the Finals this year and I need to send another letter of apology to the HA for publication on their website.) (There is no appeal process)
24. I send a very short note, apologizing for above incident. I no longer have strength to fight the allegations.. nearly hospitalized for illness and panic attacks I can no longer fight.
25. November 27 receive another letter stating my apology was not "good enough" that I show no remorse, and that they will pull the sanction for my trial. I have like 3 days to respond by US Mail with another letter that they can publish (after approval) or my trial  will be canceled..and they will ban me  for a year.
26. Another letter written sent overnight mail, LOST by post office, another letter sent overnight mail..finally gets there.
27. APPROVED..PUBLISHED on the HA website..The trial can happen.
 (ps if you need copies of letters or correspondences that can be arranged on a case by case basis)

So the funny thing is the rumors I hear.."I STORMED THE JUDGE'S TRAILER AND CALLED HIM AN ASSHOLE" - no folks not even close. 

In speaking to the folks that actually asked me about it at our trial it was so interesting to hear the responses. Responses such as "SO AND SO has never liked you guys" really? Such news to us...Like why? What have we ever done? Like I am a loose canon running around dog trials harassing people? I guess our hospitality to those who never liked us was their gain..and we were the fools.

So really in the light of the recent happenings..we are still trialing, we are still smiling. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger. For the folks who thought this had no impact on us...you have it all wrong. To the folks who thought I didn't care, you don't know me, so please don't claim to. For those of you who have never liked us please don't come to dinner at my camper during big dog trials, We now know who you are.

Please enjoy the video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUYVVIC0wFs