The Good Kind of Bully

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

When Tiare Hubbard decided to partake in a new hobby, she wanted to take all of Molokai with her. And she’s always had a soft spot for puppies – specifically pit bulls.

Last year Hubbard started Sucken Mean Kennels, the only bully kennel and breeder on Molokai. A ‘bully’ canine is the collective term for pitbull-related breeds not recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC): American Pit Bull Terrier (also know simply as the pit bull), American bulldog, English bulldog, ‘Short’ bull (mini American bulldog) and ‘Staffy’ bull (mini Staffordshire pit bull terrier).

This year, she decided to bring the bully scene, which is thriving on other Hawaiian islands, to Molokai by hosting a bully show. To help raise funds, she organized a benefit concert at Paddlers Inn last Saturday night.

Hubbard hopes to have the American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC) Bully Bash dog show in September, and with the help of Hawaii’s Strongest Dog Kennel in Oahu, several other bully kennels off-island, and lots of attendees, was able to make a dent in her costs.

The concert featured three bands and a lot of donations for not only Sucken Mean, but the Molokai Humane Society as well.

“It went better than we thought for a last minute thing,” she said.

Hubbard also asked the fundraiser’s guests for donations to the Molokai Humane Society to help keep a permanent veterinarian on island – “because to have a kennel you need a vet” – and Toys for Tots. Those who donated were entered to win one of two bully puppies, donated by Hope Kennels in Honolulu and Hubbard herself.

Hubbard is also raising money for an ABKC bully pulling competition, set for April.

Pit bulls were originally bred for fighting and guarding, said Hubbard, but are primarily pets now. Because of their strong stature, however, a new sport of pulling is becoming more popular. The bully is harnessed to 3,000 lbs or greater, sometimes a pickup truck, and has to pull 16 feet under 60 seconds. The largest weight class can pull more than 6,000 lbs, according to Pat Augustus, of Hawaii’s Strongest Dogs.

About the breed
Bully breeds are not recognized by the standard for dog breeds, the AKC, partly because their similarity to the American Staffordshire Terrier, which is recognized by the AKC, and partly due to its long history of aggressive behavior.

But Hubbard is working against this stereotype.
“My mission is to change the reputation that pit bulls have. To let people know the owners are the problem, not the pit bull,” she said.

Hubbard started with two pit bull puppies, and now has eight of all colors and bloodlines. She also started farming out her dogs, to others interested and qualified to own a bully. She sells a bully at half price, teaches the new owners how to breed the dog, and receives a puppy from the first litter to replace the original.

“We breed for temperament, we breed for color, [and] we breed for physique – in that order,” she said

With the help of these “co-owners,” as well as smaller bully kennels that have started in her wake, Hubbard has started a bully community on Molokai, which she hopes to expand to monthly barbeques in the future.

Another endeavor that came with Hubbard’s new business was a clothing line. She explained that kennels have their own logo designs. It becomes a competition to see who has the best design, she said.

Overall, Hubbard gets a lot of help from the other kennels.

“I’m an equal on Hawaii, but heading the effort on [Molokai],” she said. “This is about a group coming together to better the breed.”

Molokai Scoreboard

Sunday, December 6th, 2009

Last Week’s Scores

Girls’ Soccer
12/4  King Kekaulike 8, Molokai 1
12/5  King Kekaulike 6, Molokai 0

Girls’ Basketball
12/2 Molokai 45, Kealakehe 21
12/3 Konawaena 45, Molokai 35
12/4 Iolani 33, Molokai 29
12/5 Molokai 42, Kamehameha-Hawaii 40

Coming up…

Girls’ Soccer
12/11 Molokai v. Kamehameha-Maui @ 3:30 p.m. (Kaunakakai Ball Park)
12/12 Molokai v. Kamehemeha-Maui @ 10 a.m. (Kaunakakai Ball Park)

Girls’ Basketball
12/10 Molokai v. Kamehameha-Kapalana (Moanalua Tournament)

Youth Football
12/11 Molokai Peewees vs. Kapolei @ 12 noon (Kapolei)
12/12 Molokai Peewees combined scrimmage (Aloha Stadium)

Awards

Girls’ Volleyball
Kalei Adolpho – MIL Div. II Player of the Year
Danna-Lynn Hooper – MIL All-Conference First Team
Kailana Ritte-Camara – MIL All-Conference First Team
Kalei Vaivai – MIL All-Conference First Team
Kawena Puhi – MIL All-Conference Second Team
Wailani Hernandez – MIL All-Conference Honorable Mention
Natalia Levi – MIL All-Conference Honorable Mention

Catching Up

Thursday, December 3rd, 2009

Since the ancient days of the first Makahiki games, Molokai has had a proud athletic tradition. Today, the island continues to produce an unproportionally high amount of sports stars. From high school to college and the pros, our athletes have represented the Friendly Isle well on the national stage. Many have gone on to play sports for colleges throughout Hawaii and on the mainland. A few of Molokai’s now-professional athletes are listed below. If you have information about any of these athletes, or how to get in contact with them, let us know! The Dispatch wants to help share their stories with the island and inspire a whole new generation of great Molokai athletes.


Jarrin Akana -- Basketball

Joe Kupaka – Volleyball

Keith Luuloa –Baseball

Miles Luuloa –Baseball

Mike McCutcheon –Baseball

Kaipo Naki – Basketball

Kimo “Scooby” Von Oelhoffen – Football

Split Decision

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

Farmers win season opener, fall in rematch the next day

The Molokai girls’ basketball team tipped off their season at The Barn last weekend with a win and a loss against visiting King Kekaulike from Maui. The Farmers came from behind Friday night to pick up a 37-30 win before dropping the rematch 40-37 the next morning.

“Both these games had a similar hard fought style,” said Molokai coach Michael Hooper. “The girls need to learn how to play these types of games if we want to repeat for a state championship.”

Friday night’s game was also the debut of The Barn’s brand new gym floor. The bright new parquet with a fierce-looking farmer at mid-court was designed by William Kaole Place with help from one of the school’s art classes.

“The new floor was nice. It was a little slippery at first, but after that it was great,” said senior guard Danna-Lynn Hooper.

played really well,” Michael Hooper said.  “I think we’re going to have a pretty good team.”

Round Two
The following morning, Molokai and King Kekaulike were back in The Barn for a rematch. This time the Farmers’ comeback fell just short.

Once again it was three-pointers from King Kekaulike’s Carillo and junior Tori Kawahara that put the Farmers behind in the first half.

Molokai kept things close until Na Ali`i sophomore Jennifer Treu scored seven straight to give her team a 29-22 edge with time running out in the third quarter.

Jolenta Duvauchelle had a pair of clutch hoops to keep the Farmers close late in the game, but King Kekaulike was able to control the ball and take away too much time in the final quarter.

“We need to work a little more on ball control, sticking with the defense and our mental preparation,” Danna-Lynn Hooper said.

Coach Hooper said with only 10 practice days before their first game, he wasn’t surprised the girls weren’t completely mentally prepared.

“It was kind of expected,” he said. “But this is what we’ll be facing all preseason – big, quick and aggressive.”

King Kekaulike is one of the several Div. I teams Molokai has slated for their 12 game preseason schedule. Coach Hooper said the tough line-up was necessary to have the team ready for the postseason.

The Farmers get back on the court this weekend for four games in four days on the Big Island. All four of their opponents are Div. I teams including last year’s champions, Konawaena.