Lone Star Legends: XL Bullies, Maxx Performance Harnesses and PresaMania (Bully Max Sports Ep. 9)
Episode 9 of Bully Max Sports is a three-stop Texas road trip: XL American Bully conformation champions near Dallas, a UPF-sanctioned weight pull at HDB Arena outside Houston, and protection training with PresaMania Kennels near San Antonio. Along the way, the people behind The Incredibullz, Maxx Performance weight pull harnesses and PresaMania explain how they train, build and feed their dogs. Here is what each stop showed us.
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Watch Bully Max Sports Ep. 9: Lone Star Legends
The Incredibullz have fed Bully Max for about 12 years. Our 30/20 formula gives 30% protein and 535 calories per cup for active adult dogs.
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Key Takeaways
Lone Star Legends at a glance
- Stop 1, Whitesboro: Katie McCutcheon’s The Incredibullz, a home-based XL American Bully kennel focused on UKC and ABKC conformation.
- Stop 2, HDB Arena: Ron and Leann Smith’s working dog complex hosted two weight pulls, slat mill races, lure course and wall climb. They also make Maxx Performance harnesses.
- Stop 3, San Antonio: Travis and Kassidy Torrez of PresaMania train for weight pull and protection sports.
- Training lesson: “every dog is different.” Find a reputable mentor and trainer, and be there for the training yourself.
- Feeding lesson: “Workouts with diet. It goes a long way.”
Stop 1: The Incredibullz, XL American Bully Champions
The first stop was Whitesboro, Texas, 70 miles north of Dallas, where we linked back up with Katie McCutcheon, owner and operator of The Incredibullz.
“So The Incredibullz are a group of XL American Bullies. We mostly focus on conformation shows”
— Katie McCutcheon, The Incredibullz
The program started with a dog named Marvel, who did agility and dock diving and was a conformation champion. Katie says she has lost count, but The Incredibullz have “maybe 10 or 11” UKC title dogs, champions and grand champions, plus a couple of ABKC champions. Their goal is to produce dogs “that can show and win” in all the registries.
The last time the crew visited, Katie introduced her newest XL Bully puppy, All Pro Kennels Her. At 15 months, Her has earned her UKC champion title and is two wins away from UKC Grand Champion. Katie’s friend Kaitlynn Hendriks of Good Bull Kennels also brought out her dog Peso for the shoot.
New to the registries? Our guide to UKC vs. ABKC standards for bully breeds explains the differences, and the best dog food for American Bullies guide covers feeding XL and standard bullies.
Why The Incredibullz feed Bully Max
The kennel’s Bully Max story goes back to Marvel:
“So we first got involved with Bully Max when I had Marvel and he was doing everything and he was just like shredded. But the food that we were using just wasn't enough.”
— The Incredibullz, Bully Max Sports Ep. 9
“Their coats are all nice and shiny, and they go swimming in the mucky, nastiest ponds every day.”
— The Incredibullz, Bully Max Sports Ep. 9
“The food helps, put back what they put out during these tough exercises that we put on them.”
— The Incredibullz, Bully Max Sports Ep. 9
Stop 2: HDB Arena and the Story Behind Maxx Performance Harnesses
Outside Houston, HDB Arena is a working dog complex created by Ron and Leann Smith, and the venue for a UPF-sanctioned event that weekend. The event had it all: two full weight pull competitions, slat mill races, lure course and the wall climb.
“Hi, my name is Ron Smith, owner and operator of HDB Arena.”
— Ron Smith, HDB Arena
Ron started with obedience, moved into bite work, and spent almost two weeks training in Europe with Leann alongside a contact involved in the DCF (Dog Cross Federation). After meeting Brian Hosfelt of the UPF, he and Leann started training seriously in weight pull.
How a weight pull harness company started
Ron and Leann own Maxx Performance, whose harnesses are trusted by handlers at some of the biggest pulling events. It started because they could not find a good harness after many top makers had quit. One of them already made custom ball gowns for their students, so they started experimenting. A student who works for NASA as a rocket scientist helped with the design. After Brian Hosfelt saw one at an ADBA Nationals, they built a harness for his top dog at the time, Max, which is where the name comes from.
“And hence the reason it's called Maxx Performance is because it was Max, the one that basically got the whole thing going.”
— Maxx Performance, Bully Max Sports Ep. 9
A properly fitted harness spreads the load across a pulling dog’s body, which is part of what makes the sport safe. See our Episode 8 recap for the rules, and how to train your dog to weight pull.
Ron Smith’s training advice
“So training the dogs is not a problem. Training the people to train their dogs is the problem.”
— Ron Smith, HDB Arena
“One of the, smartest things that was ever told to me was every dog is different. Some should have obedience first. Some should not have obedience first.”
— Ron Smith, HDB Arena
His practical advice: find a reputable mentor and a reputable trainer whose methods you agree with, avoid one-size-fits-all programs, and never use board-and-train. “You need to be there because you are the one who does it.”
Stop 3: PresaMania Kennels Near San Antonio
The final stop was Travis and Kassidy Torrez’s all-in-one training compound outside San Antonio, built for serious working dogs, with conditioning equipment and training areas throughout. The crew also went down to a nearby river, where the dogs swam to cool off and showed off bite work in the Texas heat. Read the full PresaMania story.
Form follows function
“I love weight pull, because not only it shows the strength of the animal, but form follows function. So if you got a functional animal that can pull a lot of weight, you obviously have a good conformation dog.”
— PresaMania Kennels, Bully Max Sports Ep. 9
The point is the same one the ADBA makes in the show ring: shoulder and rear angulation give a dog reach, and “without good reach, you’re not going to pull as well.” A show dog that follows the standard is a dog that is “functionally and conformationally correct.”
How Champion Handlers Feed and Condition
PresaMania’s conditioning routine is built around a year of work toward The National Weight Pull, without letting the dogs get bored:
“So I mix it up, I put them in the water, I let them have a good time. I let them cool off. I'll do a couple drag workouts that’ll be half my weight, and I might finish it up with a little carpet mill for the end of the week.”
— PresaMania Kennels, Bully Max Sports Ep. 9
“and it's all about building the dog slowly and making them more comfortable to the track.”
— PresaMania Kennels, Bully Max Sports Ep. 9
| Conditioning tool | How it is used (per Ep. 9) |
|---|---|
| Swimming | Variety, fun and cooling off between harder sessions. |
| Drag work | A couple of workouts at about half the target weight. |
| Carpet mill | A short finish at the end of the week. |
| Track work | Easy pulls that give the dog a good win, building comfort on the track slowly. |
Feeding is the other half, and the PresaMania crew was direct about what they have seen since switching:
“My dog's put on 10 pounds since I started feeding Bully Max, I’ll tell you that. And it's not fat heaviness. Yes, it's solid strength.”
— PresaMania Kennels, Bully Max Sports Ep. 9
“Workouts with diet. It goes a long way.”
— PresaMania Kennels, Bully Max Sports Ep. 9
Every dog is different, so start from the feeding guide on the bag and adjust to body condition. Hard-working dogs that struggle to hold weight may need a more calorie-dense food; see our high-calorie dog food guide and best dog food for working dogs.
In our customers' words
“I have a big dog and I need a brand that’s made for big dogs”
— Bully Max customer, post-purchase survey
“I began to notice the positive change in their coats, build, and digestion”
— Bully Max customer, post-purchase survey
Watch PresaMania’s 19,834-Pound World-Record Pull
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Next in the series: Episode 10 at the Green Country APBT Club in Dewey, Oklahoma.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an XL American Bully?
The XL is the largest American Bully size class. The Incredibullz, featured in Episode 9, are a home-based XL American Bully kennel that shows mainly in UKC and ABKC conformation.
What makes a good weight pull harness?
A harness that fits properly and spreads the load across the dog’s body. Maxx Performance, featured in Episode 9, was started by Ron and Leann Smith when they could not find a good harness.
How do I start bite work training?
Find a reputable trainer whose methods you agree with and stay involved yourself. Ron Smith’s advice: every dog is different, and never use board-and-train.
How do PresaMania condition their Presa Canarios?
They mix swimming, drag work at about half weight, a carpet mill finish and easy track pulls, building the dog slowly so it stays keen.
Need a chicken-free option?
Bully Max 30/20 Beef is meat-based and chicken-free, with 30% protein and 530 calories per cup.
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A chicken-free, meat-based food with 30% protein, 20% fat and 530 calories per cup, complete and balanced for all life stages.
Save 10% with autoship and get each bag delivered on a schedule.
Family-owned since 2009 · Made in USA · Every batch triple tested · Zero recalls · 50,000+ 5-star reviews · Dog Food Advisor 5/5
