Our Uk news correspondent
Mr. John Ward.
My interest in German Shepherds dates back to 1968
when living in Bedfordshire I brought a pet Sable
female called "EZRA" , later to be mated in
1970 to "Arkle ReBEL", this was the first litter
to bear the "BELEZRA" affix. My first experience
of the show scene was in 1974 when I purchased a
puppy "Octavia of Shootersway"over the next couple
of years in top competition she did quite a lot of
winning .It was during this time I moved to
Cornwall. The early years in Cornwall saw me
travelling all over the UK handling for some of
today’s top kennels meeting up with many old
friends and making my first trip to the German
Sieger Show in 1979. After seeing the dogs in
Germany my mind was made up of the type I wanted
to breed in the future. Our "Champion Bedwins
Kokarde" gained her title in 1986, born in
quarantine (Quai von der Boxhochburg ex Mausi v
Seebachtal). From this excellent female in future
generations we produced "Belezra Zapp" 1cc, "Breed
Council top Sire 2003" We have owned 9 imports
since our first in 1981 "Dago vom Ketcherwald"( VA
Irk von der Wienerau ex Ylka von der Wienerau) and
our most recent "Onyx vom Estherlager" RCC sired
by VA"Ghandi v Arlett. I am on the Executive
Committee of the "British Association for German
Shepherd Dogs" and Chairman of the Cornwall Branch
also The Panel for the "German Shepherd Breed
Council" and a Championship Show Judge since
2001 having judged throughout the UK, Ireland, and
Sweden. In 2006 I was appointed a Breed Council
Surveyor. In 2007 I was privileged to be the Event
Manager of the "British Sieger Event" I actively
promote the Junior Handing Classes for the long
term future of the breed. We live in the far west
of Cornwall which entails long trips to meetings
and shows and ever increasing cost but our love of
the breed is first and foremost. The dogs are our
hobby and with my wife Gill who trains our dogs in
the sport of Schutzhund we hope to continue
promoting the breed both in the
UK
and in the South West.
2nd March -
John Ward writes;
Welcome to 2008 and our first
Championship Show of the year Manchester Dog Show
Society which was held on the 17th of
January with judge Carol Marsden doing the
honours. CC and Best of Breed and made a Champion
on the day was the consistent top winning female
“Lararth Sassy” (Ch Lararth Houdini ex Ch Lararth
Ayesha) well done to David and Sharon Bowen and
partner Brian Wadlow. Dog CC and his second went
to Berrys “Arjaybe Adrio” (Ajax vom Muhlbach ex
Vandagreen Becks) RCC in males was Davy and Joan
Halls “Ch Gayvilles Nasko” (Ch Benny ex Gayvilles
Java) and in females RCC John and Sue Worleys
“Bine vom Gleisenauer Schloss” (Urban von
Gleisenauer Schloss ex Perle vom Naturpark
Altmuhltac), with best puppy female “Mascani
Giselle” (Ch Nikonis Yago ex Mascani Dixie) being
awarded best puppy in breed.
Saturday the 23rd
February and the second Champion ship Show of the
year hosted by the GSD of Kent took place, same
venue as the last Essex Show in December and with an
excellent total entry of 184. This promised to be a
good start to the first Championship Breed Show of
the year with Judges John Lijffijt from the
Netherlands and Freddie Christensen of Norway who
was a late replacement for Mrs Eva Oster (Israel)
who was taken ill just a couple of weeks before the
show and could not make it, we wish her a full
recovery. With good venues hard to find I can see
why at this time of the year this venue was the
choice for Kent. The committee headed up by Chairman
Adrian Miller and Secretary Elaine Lowe did a superb
job and put on a good show. Top honours and the CC`s
went to Steve and Mike Cox “Shotann Fabious” (Ex von
Arline ex Sezanna von der Kahler Heide) his second
CC and winner of a good entry of 13 open males of
which 11 were presented. Top female again was “Ch
Lararth Sassy” taking the CC and Best of Breed,
once again in top form , RCC to “Sassy” a new
import owned by Williams and Young “ Baffie von der
Falkenau” (Karats Ulk ex Zina von Baronenwald) who
put in a class performance, one I would tip for top
honours in the future. The RCC male “Tramellas
Orange” (Solo v Kottersbruch ex Tramella Bizzi) came
from the puppy dog class and really put it all
together in the challenge to take his award and best
puppy in show for Ryan Rambridge and Karen Sygrove,
although only a youngster he shows a lot of promise
for the future and excellent movement for his age.
Best Puppy Female was John and Leslie Robinsons
“Corjon Otty” (Ch Philipp aus der neuen Haufstrasse
ex Corjon Gucci) Veteran was won by Worleys
“Willowdale Emme at Samstag” (Ch Rafaye Igel from
Shotan ex Willowdale Yves). The two junior handler
winners were Katie Slater- Powdrill and Marina Jane
Julian.
As the show came to an end the
talk was all about where everyone will meet up next
, yes Crufts , although not my favourite this is the
largest dog show in the UK and a great place for
meeting old friends. Crufts is on Saturday March the
8th at the NEC in Birmingham with Terry
Hannon (Jonimay) judging with a total entry of 146.
If you only want to watch the judging then make sure
you get an early seat at ringside ( alright if you
do not want to go shopping) to appreciate this event
you really need two days one to watch the dogs and
one to walk around and enjoy all the trade stands
etc. For those who have entered their dogs good luck
and I hope you do well. A report on the judging and
any other news will follow.
Our Thanks to
John for his Crufts 2008 report
Crufts 2008 and what an event
this proved to be. After all the months of
speculation the day finally came and yes he did
turn up!! “Zamp vom Thermodos” Sieger 2006 arrives
in the UK. With all the interest and more people
than I have ever witnessed gathered around the
ringside it was hard to believe that we ever
doubted the future of the breed in the UK. In
winning the Open Dog Class and being awarded the
CC and Best of Breed at this years show “Zamp” did
more than just show us all what a super dog he is.
He gave us all chance to appreciate why we all
love the breed and what we should all be aiming
for. If only by making an appearance he was able
to bring back some renewed enthusiasm for those
who have any doubt about our future then he
deserves our gratitude. What a privilege for Judge
Terry Hannan to have the opportunity to judge such
a great dog the second VA he has judged in the
past few years, the other being “Salome v Oasis”
at the Two Day National in Wales. For me this was
one of the few times I have actually enjoyed
Crufts mainly because of the atmosphere around the
ring and on this occasion the opportunity to see
history made by the presence of a German Sieger.
With an entry this year of 146
the judging started with Veteran won by the 8 year
old “Blerio Reflection” handled by his owner Brian
Wooton, led the class from the beginning with both
handler and dog giving a good performance for their
age! Special Puppy Dog was won by a good youngster
Robsons “Ashmarai Robbie”. 1st in Special
Junior Dog was Paynes “Videx Luigi” a “Ch Ice” son
another who led from the start with a steady
performance, pushed at times by Howitt`s “Tramella`s
Natz” who unfortunately could not quite get it
together in the smaller ring, two very good young
males. Postgraduate Dog followed with 17 entries the
second largest entry on the day 1st was
Jackson and Rice`s “Conadrew Lesko” an excellent
male whose Championship Show career started with a
1st in Minor Puppy at Crewe and North Staffs,
awarded by myself in 2006 “Lesko” always gives a
very good performance and is currently one of the
top winners in the UK. Limit dog saw the very
consistent Res CC winning male Davies “Silverliegh
Esto” take first place, he was followed by another
double CC winning male “Arjaybe Adrio” into second.
Open dog and the one we had all been waiting for
including the German camera crew, what a class,
numerically not very high but with some very good
quality males in the line-up. As mentioned before
the winner and eventual CC winner was “Zamp v
Thermodos” owned by the Dieterich family and handled
superbly by their daughter Lisa, “Zamp” made light
work of the small ring and absolutely looked the
part, cheered on by the crowd and leading the class
from the start he really showed us all what a truly
excellent male he is never once standing wrong
presented on a loose lead calm, confident, balanced,
correct proportions and faultless angulation." ZAMP”
was followed by Paynes Top winning UK male CH “Ice
vom Steinhauerberg” who made 2nd place
and also awarded the Res CC, in super condition and
never looked out of place fully deserved his place
staying with “Zamp” all the way to the delight of
his owners, 3rd and originally pulled out
second was Halls CH “Gayvilles Nasko” another top
winner, 4th was a male who shared the
same stage with “Zamp” when he made Sieger in 2006,
Farleys CH “Nikonis Colin” another consistent winner
who has won in Germany as well as the UK. The
Working Class and standing alone to win was Bergh-Roose
“Toilers Timo at Sarsway” a repeat of last year.1st
in Good Citizen Dog was Bowen and Julians “Lararth
Sonny” brother to the eventual CC winning female
“Sassy” also owned by the Bowens. 2nd
Timmins “Alexbria Gustav”. After a short lunch break
Judge Terry Hannan insisted he took time out to make
the presentations of the Breed Council Junior Awards
for 2007. Terry fully supports our efforts to
encourage these youngsters and we are very grateful
to him in presenting their awards. Special Puppy in
the females and continuing her winning ways the
consistent Robinsons “Corjon Otty”. Special Junior
and another two “Ch Philipp” daughters 1st
and 2nd, Halls “Gayvilles Zora” wins her
class over the 2nd placed “Romanville
Darla” two very nice females. Post Graduate and what
a class, 18 entries, highest entry of the day with
some top females, Davies “Tirgram Oddyssey” another
by “Ch Philipp” really came back into form in super
condition to take 1st place, repeated her
success of last year and going one further by taking
the Res CC, 2nd was another favourite of
mine Dodds “Ardenburg Allegra”with the level of
competition in this class it was a pleasure to watch
it judged with Barclay/Williamsons “Korzwin Jilli”in
3rd and Owens/Sutton/ Newlands “Blerio
Schira” 4th place followed by Farleys
“Flickzenburg Catalina in 5th super
class. Limit and again some top quality animals 1st
Swan /McDonald / Greers “Starhope Qualli” one of the
last to be bred by the late Jayne Swan she would
have been proud. Never put a foot wrong to take the
class and once again beat some very good females 2nd
Powdrills “Vonmeister Fanta and 3rd
Barclay /Williamsons “Korzwin Linzi. Open and once
again top females presented, winning the class and
showing us all why she is a Champion fresh from
winning 2CC`s already this year from Manchester and
Kent Bowen /Wadlow`s “Ch Lararth Sassy” won her
class last year and this year the Open and to put
the icing on the cake in a super line up was awarded
the CC. 2nd was Worleys Bine vom
Gleisenauer Schloss, 3rd Halls “Bara vom
Haus Yu” 4th Belfields “Ch Daira vom
Elzmundungsraum 5th Prince/Ayling`s
“Anderma Rena.” I make no excuse for listing the
first five in this class as I am trying to give you
some idea as to quality of the well known females
presented. Veteran 1st Hensleys “Zuberg
Deenika” handled by one of this years top juniors
Jasmyn Davies. Working 1st Pitts “Tirgram
Ratta of Alrobin” and 1st in the Good
Citizen Class Edgington`s “Starkstrom Isoletta” As
for the challenge for Best of Breed “Zamp” as
always looked and performed like a Sieger, “Sassy”
stayed with him all the way handled to perfection by
Andrew Connolly. All you could hear around the ring
side was how well “Zamp” would do in the group? This
was well before the BOB was handed out and as you
know it went to “Zamp” and one of the first to admit
he deserved it was the Bowens who confided in me
after that the good thing about gaining the CC at
this years Crufts was in the years ahead this is the
one everyone would remember and being able to share
centre stage with such a great dog was a dream come
true. After judging the Pastoral Group in her
written critique we were informed by the judge that
“Zamp” is a Top Class male and she gave him an
excellent critique. But felt he was let down badly
by the handler. For this he failed to make the top
four. I for one have never seen anything to do with
handling written in the breed standard. For me
”Zamp” was a clear winner and “Lisa” the young
handler from Germany was handling in the way she has
been taught and handled in the way she has done many
times in Germany, maybe the occasion caused her to
be a little nervous but this should not have
influenced the judges decision one of which she will
most certainly be remembered by in the future.
Congratulations are in order
for some dogs who have been awarded titles and have
gained some good results in Germany over the past
month. Well done to you all.
Baffie von der Falkenau V2 and
V12
Tramella Nokia SG1 , SchH 1
Tramella`s Orange VV2, VV3
Tramella`s Moto Sch 3, Kkl 1
Conbhairean’s Leska SchH 1
Astana Alfons V1 twice
Corjon Mark BH
Asatana Cellie del Belezra
SchH1
If I have missed any please let
me know and I will include them next Month