2017 ADBA Top Ranked Champion - G/C IX Lucio

Seguss’ G/C IX Lucio began his ADBA show career in 2013 and has never looked back. After only 1 ½ show weekends, he earned his conformation championship, and by eleven months of age he was competing in the champion class. At fifteen months old, he was an official Grand Champion. Since then, he has finished in the top ten of the ADBA champion rankings every year. His highest finish prior to this season was third place in 2014. Lucio is a special dog who loves being in the show ring. Win or lose, he is always a pleasure to handle. I never worry about him being uninterested or getting tired. An unknown fact about Lucio was that in the spring of 2015 he nearly died. While training, he suffered what appeared to be a severe case of heat stroke. On the way to the emergency vet he had a major seizure and was unresponsive. After treatment, he recovered briefly but then got progressively worse. After many tests (including surgery for muscle biopsies sent to UC Davis) by a veterinarian of Internal Medicine, we discovered he had contracted toxoplasmosis. Lucio would end up missing half the show season that year, but rallied strong to finish the year ranked seventh in the champion rankings. The highlight of that season was his second place in the champion class at the ADBA Nationals under Judge Rodger Scott, only four months after his surgery. He also finished second in Top Dog while earning the highest climb on the wall. In his five year career, he’s one of only a handful of dogs to earn over 1,000 points. His Champion Cup total currently sits at (44). To date, he is the only dog in ADBA history to win four champion cups in one show weekend.

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Lucio's first show at ten months old.​

Lucio started off this season on fire, winning eight of eight champion cups. He went on to win a blistering (19) champions cups in 2017. His champion cup ratio was an astounding 70.37% (19/27). He also won multiple athletic events and placed first in the only Top Dog Event he competed in.​

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Much like his sire Seguss’ Sniper POE, Lucio is straight ahead, intense and serious. He works hard, is highly intelligent and possesses incredible athleticism. He is a sound dog with beautiful structure, angulation and extreme power. All of this is coupled with a rock solid temperament with people. He is everything a true heritage bred American Pit Bull Terrier should be. I thank the dog gods every day for him.

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In closing, I’d like to thank the American Dog Breeders Association and all the clubs all over the world for putting on events so that we can showcase our dogs. I’d also like to congratulate all of the previous winners of this award because I know first-hand just how hard it is to accomplish. Winning this title is very much a grind of attrition. It requires many miles, many dollars and a damn good dog to pull it off. I’d like to specifically thank a few people who were instrumental to Lucio’s championship season. To Mona Watts and Grand Champion Gweedo, you two kept the pressure on us until the very end. I couldn’t have asked for a better sport to battle with weekend after weekend. Michelle Falcon for always staying in my ear and making sure we stayed on the grind. Matt Martin, my road partner on many trips and one of Lucio’s favorite people.My girlfriend Erica Biagetti for holding down the dog yard while we were on the road, you are now officially a dog woman! We will see you all in 2018!

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Matt Martin & G/C Lucio at a show in Florida in 2013.​

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Lucio is a fine looking dog.Looks very much like my dog Mac

 

Congratulations on the accomplishments of a great dog and handler.

YIS

 

Yes. Top Rank Champion and Dogman of the year 2017. A hell of a feature and a lot of hard work can not deny that. Still don't mean I have to like you. Great work for the ADBA and with your dog..Hats off to you.

 

nice to see

 

lol..