Good post EWO.

I really consider South America as the new mecca of the sport, they are staging large shows with world class bulldogs and camps are traveling more ''freely'' from country to country (something that is very difficult to do through out North America) to be able to compete into the best competition that's available.

North America, the U.S. in particular still have in my opinion the lb for lb best hounds overall (with exceptions of course) and the sport is more alive and well then I think the casual enthusiast realizes.
However the U.S. does not make up North America alone and there are exceptional animals to be found in many of the countries that are a part of it. Mexico alone is a prime example of this.

Eastern Europe in many cases have a very different mentality with regards to breeding and while they do have their sheer of ''home grown'' bloodlines many of their best dogs seem to come from one off breeding's from best to best with less importance being put on breeding to cultivate family lines. That said there has always been an argument to be made for best to best breeding and there are some real killers throughout Easter Europe and close surrounding areas and similar to South America they can travel more freely to ensure best face the best. Also the fact that you are seeing hounds from Eastern Europe being imported into North America show they are doing something right and are a force to be reckoned on the world stage.

Everything about the sport in East Asia is HUGE, the yards are huge, the shows are huge and the bets are huge. I believe that like anything that operates on such a large scale you are not always getting the best that could cut it on the world stage but with that being said they have had more then their sheer of exceptional dogs and for the most part thanks to the efforts of a few dedicated dogmen you are seeing the dogs vastly improved over the last decade.

I think overall it says a lot of positive things for the sport at the world stage that the dogs from different regions are so very close in quality with each country having their share of ''breakout stars'' that no one place has the monopoly on the game. As EWO said, ''one could swap most any country and any of the numbers above and make it a true statement.''

In the end being the best in your own backyard is just not enough anymore and if someone wants to be the best they have to be willing to take ALL of the risks associated with travel and face into the best, the competition is out there.