Exactly. And, if that level of gameness is the most treasured commodity in these dogs, then taking dogs that game to their death is (essentially) throwing the most treasured quality away with both hands.

Not a very good strategy for success, to say nothing of clean sportsmanship.

If I wasn't able to breed to the deeply-game dogs I started my yard with, I wouldn't have enjoyed the win/loss ratio I did as a breeder. I think founding a yard on deep gameness first, and then gradually breeding for more ability, is a better route to go (strategy-wise) than trying to breed high-ability curs together, and then trying to "add more gameness" ...

The former makes for more confidence in the trenches

Jack