news - 18/12/2015
BRUSSELS 2015 Final rehearsel - Belgium
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by Karl Donvil
BRUSSELS DOG SHOW 2015, the final rehearsal.
More than 10 years ago I wrote in my report that the Brussels Dog Show should do something to become the leading show of Belgium. I wrote that all committees of other shows should help to achieve this goal as Brussels needs to be the window on all shows in Belgium and if this window is not attractive, people will not come in to see what Belgium has on offer. The president at that moment, Mr.Degroot, came to me some time later to congratulate me with my article, telling me too that he resigned due to this article. "Your're right" he said, "all committees should put hands together to turn the Brussels Dog Show into the store window of the Belgian cynological shop and I'm not able to do this. That's why I resigned. But your article was discussed in our committee and taken into consideration". When I see now what this show has become since, I'm happy to know that my article made such a big change.
If the Belgium would not have been in the ban of terror treats, there would probably have been over 4000 entries. The days Belgium was filling the headlines of television and newspapers all over the world, only a couple of weeks before the show would take place, the number of entries dropped to an alarming low level. Fortunately it took only a few days, but for sure the treats affected the show.
It was the 119th edition, the rehearsal for the big show in 2016, the European Dog Show, the 120th edition of this show ( Belgium had the first ever dog show in the world in 1847). The Belgian show calendar had to be pulled about. It was a good idea to print the show calendar in the catalog. Saturday was a rather calm day. It was the last weekend before Christmas and for many people the last shopping opportunity. On Sunday it was a big difference and the halls were pleasantly crowded, positively correcting the turnover of the trade stand holders. The main ring was nice, covered with grey carpet tiles and with red ones, tracing a line where the dogs were supposed to run. The podium was very nice and alike we used to see more and more for European and World Shows, no single blocs for the dogs to stand up, but one long podium. The background was a nice picture of Brussels, nice for Christmas, but I hope that the background will be brighter for the European. This kind of podium is very nice and much more comfortable for the dogs, but for the finals the places should be switched into 2-1-3 instead of 1-2-3, simply because here it looked like the Afgan was the winning dog when all the judges were posing behind the winners.
Notwithstanding the threat of terror, 30 nationalities were present . 1779 Dogs were Belgian dogs, France entered 833 dogs, the Netherlands 612, Germany 286 and the United Kingdom no less than 111. It is clear that Britains like the Belgian shows. Let us hope that next year a lot more Russians will find the way to Brussels as only 30 were here. One dog from Japan was entered , one from the USA, 6 from Israel, 4 from Greece, 2 from Romania and 3 from Ukraine.
34 Judges were invited from 16 different European countries, 8 of them Belgian judges. That's the way a well-balanced International CACIB show should be. 13 Of them judged one day only. The average day rate is 71,44 dogs/day which is more than OK, excellent in fact. Top judge in popularity was Mrs.Wieremiejczyk from Poland with an amazing 231 entries on her name. She is also the best scoring judge op Saturday with 129 Dachshunds. On Sunday it were the 67 Border Collies who helped her reach another 102. Part of the Dachshunds were shared with Mr Silva Zeferino from Portugal. His best day was Saturday too with 89 dogs in his ring. Mr.J-C Klein from France had the French Bulldogs on Sunday, a popular breed. They were with 68. Mrs.Crawford from Ireland had the Aussies on Sunday, alltogether 58. Mrs.Kavcick from Slovenia had a total score of 175. SHe had 73 dogs including 39 Dogues de Bordeaux on Saturday. On Sunday she judged Spitzes and Primitive breed, good for 102 specimen.Worth mentioning are the 34 Beaucerons for Mr. Vondrous Otakar from the Czech Republic. Sunday was also Mrs.Lepasaar's most busiest day when she focuses on 93 subject from group 9. Mr.Blangino from France had 79 dogs in his ring as well on Saturday as on Sunday. Mr.Richardson came from the United Kingdom for the Golden Retrievers. No less than 89 were waiting for him in the ring and that was by far the best scoring breed. Unless you consider the different colors of the Great Danes as one breed. In that case they win with one more, all for Mr. Wagner from Germany. Mr.Lepasaar took the 52 Labradors for his account on Saturday and the 50 Rhodesian Ridgebacks on Sunday. Along with some other breeds he totaled 164. Mr.Adras Korozs from Hungary is a regular visitor to our shows. He judged the American Staffordshires on Saturday when he had 103 dogs in total. On Saturday he had 85 and that included 26 Eurasians and that is unusual for this breed. His partner Mrs.Papp had 112 entries , the only day she judged, amongst them 49 Scottish Collies and 38 Shetland Sheepdogs. Best scoring judge on Sunday was Mr.Hectors from Belgium. She also judged on Sunday only. Mr.Norman Seth from Norway was de second most popular judge of the show. He finished his weekend after 178 dogs in his ring of which as many as 95 on Sunday. Both Mr.Des Manton from Ireland as Mr.Theo Leenen from Belgium had a score of 154 entries. Mr.Manton judged 66 Bulldogs and 42 Bullmastiffs on Saturday. Mr.Leenen had a nice total of 43 Boxers. The 25 Dutch Shepherds for Mr.Dewilde are also worth mentioning as are the 86 entries for Mr.Kotlar. Both judges officiated only on Sunday.
Best In Show judge of this edition was Mr.Gerard Jipping from the Netherlands. He was on term on Sunday only and had 71 entries for his account , including a nice total of 46 Japanese Akitas. He had to place all group winners. The Lhasa Apso, winner of Group 9, came on place 3. Marion Radstok is the proud owner of "Close to Perfection Next To You". She bred this male in 2010 and made him Champion in short time. 15 Lasas were entered for Mr.Zeferino. Group judge was Mrs.Urek from Slovenia. The Afgan Hound "Agha Djari's Blue Steel" from Mrs. Karin Hessling from Germany was shown the way to place two. 33 Were entered, Agha in Champion Class males, being 6 years now. He was the pick of Mr.Vanaken who judged the breed. The Group was judged by Mr.Sistermann from Germany. Dogs from the United Kingdom are not just entered out of curiosity or for the fun. Usually it is a calculated bet as coming over from overseas is still a little more complex than coming from France or Holland. Mr.Des Manton was the judge of the Bullmastiffs and that raised the chances probably for a good champion like "Costog Mompessons Home Bru". Entered in Champion Class he won the breed from 42! He probably had no problem to impress Mr.Harnik from Poland enough to get the ticket for the finals where Mr.Jipping was totally charmed by him. Costog is five and owned by Oma and Warren Roni and WIlliam from England. I bet he will soon be back in Brussels for the European Dog Show in August.
Let's hope that there will be no terror treat this time. Brussels hopes to have 15.000 as a minimum. I count on all of you to make it to 20.000. Expectations are high and I am confident that you will not be disappointed.
Text , photos and results: Karl DONVIL
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