Only 11 months after surrendering to surgery for his knee, Shiner Bock has announced his retirement from professional ball retrieving. He had been wavering on a final decision until earlier this week when a mild sprint brought him to his paws. As he lay looking up at the blue sky, he knew that his career was over.
It was not as if Shiner had no time to prepare. The Kindsfather’s persuaded Shiner to push through another season running after balls, but then he hurt his knee, had surgery, and finally injured his leg again. Retirement was imminent before his owners this week declared that his knee problems were career-ending.
The media conference yesterday (which aired nowhere for nobody) was possibly the biggest in sport since Sassy won the ball chasing record a few years ago. Shiner said it was one of the toughest days of his life, starting with fronting up to his brother in the morning before their regular walk and letting him know this was it.
“Woof”, (translation: I couldn't even look them in the eye, it was that sad) Shiner said.
“Woof, woof, woof”, (translation: Being a part of ball catching for the last 4+ years, you train catching a ball, you eat and sleep basically with balls, you do it every day, and it's just so sad to not be a part of it any more. But life must go on)
And lastly, “woof” (translation: Ball catching has been my life — or half of it. It means so much to you and you don't realize until you have to hang the ball up how much it does mean. I haven't thought too much about what I'm going to do after retrieving balls. I wish I could lay here and just lick mine, however they were removed).