Zeus is an AKC Gold Grand Champion, owned by Ron Maes of Spitfire 81 Staffs. He definitely sets the standard for what every Staffordshire Bull Terrier should be. With his shiny red coat and muscular build, he is a force to be reckoned with. Hopefully he will soon have the chance to earn Platinum Grand Champion status in the AKC; making him the second Staffordshire Bull Terrier in history to reach that title. Ron describes Zeus as being energetic and full of life. Zeus is always smiling and clowning around. It is the personality of this breed that makes them such a great addition to the family. The shimmery red coats of his dogs help to show off the muscular builds. Spitfire 81 Staffs produces some of the deepest reds you will find in this breed. This kennel holds multiple champion and grand champion titles. Spitfire 81 Staffs is the place to go if you are looking for quality, temperament, structure, and personality.
Ron got his first Staffordshire Bull Terrier as a gift from his Dad at the age of 14. He found the overall look, short coat, compact muscular build, and personality of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier to be very unique. He immediately fell in love with the breed. His family had raised Collies when he was growing up. So he has a lot of experience with dogs. Some years after discovering this breed, he and his family decided to start raising Staffordshire Bull Terriers.
After buying Sophie, Ron and his Mom decided to start showing Staffordshire Bull Terriers in the ring. It all started with their dog, Sophie. Sophie is a currently a Silver Grand Champion with the AKC. She has maintained the #1 or #2 spot for the last couple years with the SBTCA; which is an impressive feat. Ron’s mom hand picked Zeus after looking at 20 different studs. She knew he was a perfect match for Sophie and that this was the right direction for their kennel. Once Zeus joined the family, they decided to show him as well. He used to pose naturally almost as if he were in a stack off while going about his regular daily routine. “Zeus was a natural” said Maes. So it took very little training to prepare him for the show ring. Ron’s mother told him that if he was serious about taking their dogs to the next level in the show ring, that Ed Thomason needed to be their dog handler. So Ron’s father talked to Ed Thomason about handling Zeus in the upcoming shows and Ed decided to take him down to California for the next big show.
In his first show with Ed, Zeus took the prestigious title of Best of Breed at Woofstock. Ed told them that he was a “natural showman.” So Ed continued to show Zeus and started raking in the points. Zeus soon reached Gold Grand Champion status. To reach the Gold Grand Champion title, the AKC requires 400 points. At 5 points per award won, you can imagine how many shows a dog has to place in to receive this honor. Zeus is currently on his way to Platinum Grand Champion status with an impressive 610 points. Zeus was the number #1 Staffordshire Bull Terrier in the AKC for 2019 and currently ranks number 5. Ron wanted to achieve his mom’s dream of creating show winning Staffordshire Bull Terriers and he has made it happen.
Zeus and Sophie are the founding male and female of Spitfire 81 Staffs. They are already producing champions from their litters. Bo (Ares the Red Bodacious the Bull) became a champion at only 9 months. Both Ruby (Athena the Red) and Phoenix (the Red Phoenix of Joy) were already champions before the age of 1. Maes said when he announced the first breeding of Zeus and Sophie, that he had some doubters. He ignored the naysayers, kept his mom’s vision alive, and followed his instincts. It was his mom’s dream to make this breeding happen. He has now proven that time and time again in the show ring, that this was the right choice. He has already produced 3 champions out of these breedings; not to mention all the titles from his founding sire and dam. Ron says that Bo is on the same track as Zeus with his show career. Maes tells us “Bo has it all and he is the one to follow in the future.” Spitfire 81 Staffs is breeding for a solid temperament and health; in addition to providing a pleasingly unique look. See pictures below of what his kennel has produced so far. To contact Ron email at Spitfire81staffs@gmail.com or go to Facebook at https://m.facebook.com/81staffys/ or to contact by phone 971-404-8230.
