Ringsides Kennel is an AKC registered kennel in Madera, California. Loren and Laurie Freeman have been raising and showing English Mastiffs since 1999. They started with Mae Bell, a loving giant of a dog. She was the inspiration for the Ringsides Kennel. The Freeman’s could see that the mastiff breed was lovable and loyal. They then wanted more mastiffs. Mae Bell had a litter of puppies in 2001. She was bred to a Mtn Oaks stud dog named Jethro. The breeding relationship with Mtn Oaks started the Freeman’s show dog hobby. Andie Williams of Mtn Oaks became a friend and mentor to Loren and Laurie. With this relationship with Mtn Oaks the Freeman’s bought a show quality bitch, named Grace. The Freeman’s started showing Grace in 2003. Grace was the start of a show dog kennel. She finished as a champion in 2004, and had her first litter of puppies in 2006. Grace has a wonderful temperament to go with a beautiful Mastiff body. Grace was shown with our other dogs and bitches until 2007. She provided companionship to the other Mastiffs the Freeman’s were showing. Grace has been retired from the show ring and has also been spayed. Grace’s days now are spent like Laurie’s, laying back relaxing with the other dogs and enjoying retirement.
Andie of Mtn Oaks recommended Leo to the Freeman’s. She had bred his parents and placed him in a home out of state. Things didn’t work out for Leo there. But that was the best thing that could have happened to the Freeman’s. They had finished Grace and were looking for a stud dog to compliment her. Leo is a large fawn male with a gorgeous head and nice straight back. Leo and Grace had a litter of puppies in 2007 and we were waiting for a repeat breeding that never happened. Because of this breeding failure the Freeman’s brought Rose into the kennel. Rose is breed from two of the oldest mastiff kennels in the US. She was shown in 2007 and 2008 and then became a champion in 2008. Rose will have large puppies. She has large bones and a beautiful apricot coat.
Ringsides Kennel sits on the headquarters of an old Madera County cattle operation. With all of this room the Freeman’s couldn’t stop at just 3 mastiffs. Bessie was brought into Ringsides because of her dark brindle color and her athletic movement. She was shown for a bit in late 2008 without too much success. Her value came shining through in January of 2009. That was her first litter of puppies. She was accidentally bred to Archie. She produced a litter of puppies that seem to be of better quality than both of the parents. The puppies were placed in 2009 to friends and family in California. Three of the six puppies are being shown in the show ring during the 2010 season. Archie is the father of that litter and will be the fourth champion that Ringsides Kennel has finished.
Archie is a large dark brindle dog. He is a slow maturing male dog whose size and form won’t be realized until 2011 and after. Archie was in the show ring in 2008 through 2010. All the breeders and exhibitors we compete against in the show ring have told us that brindles are harder to finish than fawns and apricots. They are right. Archie is a beautiful animal but he has taken the longest to finish as a champion.
Priscilla is a puppy from the Archie and Bessie mating. We thought so much of this breeding that we wanted to keep one of the puppies for ourselves. She is a real athlete. She loves to play and she moves really well in the show ring for a mastiff. She picked up the best traits from each of her parents. She is bigger and taller than her mother, she has a better top line than her father and seems to have taken the shape of his head. The Freeman’s have a silent bet amongst themselves as to who will finish as a champion first, Archie or Priscilla.
The future looks bright at Ringsides Kennel. In 2010 we have two planned breedings, Leo v Rose and Leo v Bessie. The Mtn Oaks type of mastiff will continue on at Ringsides.
