Arthur Massie purchased Boots from the breeder/handler,
Joe De Loia, for $100 and together the two continued
to train the dog. At a fall Duluth, Minnesota trial
Boots won the Derby, the Qualifying, and was the top
dog in the Open All-Age going into the final series
which proved to be a bit too demanding for the 15 month
old dog. Together they entered 22 stakes, finishing
21, and in 14 of those they were awarded a blue ribbon.
In August of 1949 Boots was purchased Wm. T. Cline
of Chicago, IL, for $3,100. The following August Boots
returned to Duluth where he took his first win in
an Open. Great things did come for Boots, a second
at Midwest in October 1950, first at the Labrador
in Oct. 1950, first at American Amateur in June 1951,
and another first at Duluth in August 1951, plus other
placings.
Early in 1954 Boots was treamed up with the West
Coast Professional Roy Gonia, from then on it was
a succession of wins and placings, culminated by a
National Championship in November 1956. Boots was
retired in the fall of 1957 but only after a win at
Samish in September.
A terrific animal, he was one of the hardest going
retrievers we ever saw. To hold him on line was an
accomplishment, everything he did was style plus and
he was a wonderful sire. Among his offspring were
the sensational FC Beau of Zenith, FC Shoremeadow
Tidewater, FC Techacko's Ranger, FC-AFC Jet of Zenith,
FC Boocindys Renegade , and many others.
1956 Nat. Ch. Massie's Sassy Boots, male B. Lab.,
according to the records of the Labrador Retriever
Club, earned a total of 1481/2 Championship points,
only one retiriever in history exceeded this mark
prior to this time (Black Panther 172 1/2).
