Unofficial translation of "Thoughts of the National Breed Warden" - Page 1

I hope this unofficial translation of the National Breed Warden's letter regarding judging of the working class males at the BSZS.  The letter in the German language will always take precedence over this unofficial translation. 

Part 1.

Yearly highlight to the Exhibitors

Thoughts of the National Breed Warden

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, dear exhibitors, dear friends of the German Shepherd Dog,

.

Shortly before the German Siegershow, I would like to put forth my thoughts regarding  the placements of the working dog males.  As in each year the BSZS is the highlight for the exhibitors.  The whole year long a lot of personal effort to prepare for this big event is made. 

The dogs have been prepared via Club and Regional shows to be „topfit“ on the weekend of the BSZS.

The written ordinance of the SV is in especially founded in the breeding and promotion of the German Shepherd Dog as a working dog.

The BSZS forms an important foundation to be faithful to the written ordinance as well as to our breed.

In particular in the working male class we have on this weekend the possibility to to judge the dogs not only on their anatomical merits (as is the case in the club and regional shows).

We are also given the opportunity at the BSZS to judge their temperament drung the protection test through competent colleagues.

Part 2.

Also the exhibition of the progeny groups give us a further, overall very important criteria to judge the breed value of individual males.

The breeders and exhibitors have during the whole season at different breed shows submitted themselves to competition.  Many are calculating their placement to be “high” and already have expectation where their dog might be placed.

But especially in the working dog male class at this event next to the placements already achieved at previous shows, other criteria are also taken into account.  

The Rating of „V“ (Vorzueglich) can only be given at the BSZS to a dog in the working class that has on Friday received „Pronounced, let’s out“ in the TSB-Test.

I am not telling you anything new, that within this  valuable rating, there are differences from dog to dog as far as the quality of work is concerned.

I see it as my assignment as breed warden to allow a far above average performance to flow positively into the placement, to not only which does serve all of our goals in promoting the working ability. 

Another attribute for a high placement has to be the exhibition of the progeny group on Saturday.  As was already mentioned above it is here that the prepotency of the Sires is shown.  The age of the sires have to be considered in this.

Part 3.

The quality of the progeny group is therefore naturally has an influence on the placements. 

Further it must be the goal of the Parent Club to ensure a broad blood basis.  

You will surely agree with me, that broad genetic diversity can only be positive for any breed.

For the above reasons there will result in the working class males  consideration to the placement with respect to the Stand examination before the ring presentation. 

The main criteria for the final placements is the actual competition.

Here the condition and constitution of the dog plays a significant role.

During the gaiting, physical efficiency, condition, presentation, dynamic of movement but also nerve, will to win has an influence of the loss or gaining of placements.

Whereby, I would like implicitly mention that the trot in the groups without leash, is impressive and wanted, that the dogs are to be led in the middle trot.  The mid-trot is the original movement, that gives the dog the possibility to show powerful far reaching  movement in good balance.

By very fast, also known as the flying trot, that many exhibitors have attempted to achieve in the last few years, will lead in many cases to losses in placement.

I have to express, in consideration of the competitive nature of such an important large event, that these mentioned factors will have an influence on the placements.

Part 4.

Is it not this competition that we not all want?  Is it not the competition that makes such an event so interesting?  Is it not the competition that all the participants and viewers want to feel?

This competition gives us always the motivation to start something new.

This has the result that the dog owners, should not necessarily rely or orientate themselves by the placements of previous years.

It will therefore not be necessarily automatic that a dog that placed highly will slip forward, only because some dogs that placed before him did not show up.

Because of my reasons outlined above, a dog that during the season – perhaps on several occasions – beat the one or other competition, that at the BSZS he may lie a few places behind.

Part 5.

Every BSZS is a new competition.  The dogs must prove themselves each year.

My dear exhibitors and visitors, it was a need of mine, to give you my ideas in detail regarding the placements in the working dog males class.

Maybe it is easier for you then to understand the placements of individual dogs.

I wish the breeders and exhibitors the wished success with their dogs and for all of us an exciting weekend with the German Shepherd Dog.

Many Greetings,

Reinhardt Meyer,  National Breed Warden

Link to original letter:  http://www.schaeferhund.de/site/fileadmin/download/veranstaltungen/platzierungsiegerschau.pdf

Thank you for the translated posting of this.  It will be very interesting to read how this is followed during the BSZS.

first of all Thank you for translating  and you did a real good job doing so!!

I am however skeptic of the performance test  I have read and heard to many speeches about the performance and  only got disappointed !!

I sure hope Herr Meyer will take what he said to heart   and  stick to his word as far as working ability will have a part in placement of the dogs  and hopefully the same will go for bitches :))

Herr Meyer stated ...I see it as my assignment as breed warden to allow a far above average performance to flow positively into the placement, to not only which does serve all of our goals in promoting the working ability. 

well far above average is to  high to reach the far above average dogs in working ability are in the BSP -Nationals and Worlds :))         I be happy with a average good   and  pronounced dog :)

How do they "exhibit" progeny?  Are there usually progeny there for other levels of testing? Do they have a sort of written collection of how many got titled, etc? How does that work?

I think... giving only V-rating to a dog that does good in protection and "AUS" is a good idea... this way, the working dog class  that get only G or SG rating will not be compressed near the end of the line and will root out pre-conditioned dogs... This I think will also make working line dogs that are not so pronounced but OUTS upon command a better chance in getting V-ratings, thus increasing the numbers of working-line dogs with V-ratings...

I think... the idea of not letting the next dog move on in placing...in case the better one was not shown is a good idea provided the judge has an explanation making the absent dog retain his VA-position...

Vegas has a good chance with his progeny this year I think... He is so far the VA dog without near line-breeding in his pedigree...