25th International Contest of German Shorthaired Pointers
(article published in issue 1.2012 Brać Łowiecka)
Translated by Urszula Gacsalyi-Pudełko
The German Shorthaired Pointer is the most numerous breed of continental pointing dogs, widespread and used for hunting in whole Europe, both Americas and even in Australia. It is also the most frequent breed of continental pointing dogs in Poland. In Germany and in the majority of the countries where the breeding of this breed is conducted, it is based on breed clubs of German shorthaired pointers taking care both of the training as well as the estimation of the exterior. The whole system works off course within the framework of the regulations established by the FCI – the International Cynological Federation. What large-scale and complex this system is , let the numbers speak. In the National German Shorthaired Pointer Club in Germany there are 40 Regional Clubs registered, and here to should be added the national German shorthaired pointer clubs exist in the majority of European countries to the Ural. It is necessary to say with unpleasantness that in our part of Europe Poland is the only country where such a club does not exist.
The specificity of the breeding of this breed is the very well organized breeding selection system, based primarily on the traits of utility of the dogs, and popularized by the German Shorthaired Pointer Club, which arranges for nearly 80 years already every second year the Contest of Dr Kleemann for dogs registered in the GSP clubs of Germany. For 50 years alternately with these there are conducted also contests that are of international character (Internationale Kurzhaar Prüfung – in commonly used abbreviation the IKP), based on similar regulations. Making use of a good performance of Polish pointing dogs during the 25th IKP , which took place between 13-15 of October2011 in Surwold, Germany, it is worth bringing nearer the regulations of this contest and the results of this year to Polish hunters.
The regulations of the IKP, the translation of which is findable on the web page www.psymoje.pl ( in the book-mark “Information – Regulations”) is rather simple, what does not mean low level of requirements. In the first article already we can read that the entered dogs are required to be highly, above average trained and with hunting experience. The conditions for admission to the contest is at least two Ist degree diplomas from the natural ability test (Derby) and versatile hunting test or hunting utility exam (in Germany Solms, AZP or VGP) and an individual water test VBr-E, and also one at least a “very good” estimation from a dog show (both for males and females).
The whole contest lasts for three following days. On the first day except for the organizational part, registration of the participants and drawing of groups and consequently the place of field work, the evaluation of the exterior of all dogs is taking place. On the last editions of IKP the number of participants usually exceeds 150, therefore the judging in the ring is realized in four show-rings simultaneously, two for the males and two for the females. Three-personal different judging teams work in the rings with international membership but always with distinct majority of judges from Germany and Austria. After an initial presentation of all contestants the individual description of the dogs is taking place with audible discussion of advantages and faults of them. On each ring the 10 best dogs are selected and after that in two rings the best 5 males and females are chosen. The deciding voice belongs to the breeding chiefs of national GSP clubs of Germany and Austria. The condition of participation of a dog in the further part of the contest is to obtain at least “very good” note.
On the next day the view of field work of the dogs is taking place in groups up to five participants. During the whole day and in all competitions the dogs from a given group are estimated by the same team of judges, among whom also – similarly to the exterior judging – the judges from the German GSP clubs dominate. As I mentioned the regulations are not complicated – “great field” where the manner of search, nose, pointing and a simple single retrieve is examined. Each dog is judged in the field repeatedly in different terrain conditions and each of them have chance of multiple contact with game. The close cooperation of the dog with the handler is required.
Extremely difficult component of the contest is the work in the water after a live, not flying duck , which should cover the whole body of the water reservoir the contest is conducted on , and requires a great independence during working. The job of the dog is to find and rise the duck to the open water and after the shot retrieve it precisely. However working in the cover without duck is not required. The dog can obtain a Ist or IInd price diploma, what usually a 20 to 40 % of participants can not succeed in.
On the third day of the contest the best dog is being chosen by a K.O. system. This part of contest is called “Schausuche” and consists of working of the dogs in the field in pairs. Only the manner of search is judged, the loser falls off. The winner appointed this way obtains the CACIT title (the qualification for international working championship), and the second dog in the rank the res. CACIT title. A CACIT title obtains also the best dog chosen from among all the participating dogs basing on additional plus points given by the judging teams evaluating the groups.
These were the general information. And how the last contest did look like? The competition took place near the German and Netherlands border and were organized by the GSP Club Voran Weser Ems. The base of the contest resided in the place Surwold. Here it should be added that each of the 25 contests was prepared by different GSP clubs on Germany , also by GSP club of Austria (seven times), the club of Hungary (two times) and of France (two times) and one time by the Netherlands GSP club. The next edition of the IKP in 2013 will be organized by the joined committee of three Czech GSP clubs, therefore there will be an occasion for participating in this contest nearly on our border. So it is worth considering the participation in the IKP 2013 even dough in the role of an observer.
On the IKP 2011 190 German Shorthaired Pointers have been entered, but after all in the contest 168 of them participated. Divided into 42 groups they were judged by 130 judges. Four dogs were entered from Poland: Archie Keiviento of Iwona Porębska, Flora Czarny Dwór ze Skolnitego of the author of this report, Eros von der Wacholderheide of Ireneusz Nowicki and Quintus von Neuarenberg of Marek Pudełko, which by reason of a serious illness after all did not participated. Besides the dogs from Germany and Austria, there were dogs from 11 countries from the USA up to Finland.
Archie Keiviento finished the contest with Ist price diploma and Flora Czarny Dwór ze Skolnitego with IInd price diploma. These are the second and the third diplomas obtained on IKP by Polish GSPs in the whole 50 year history of this competitions. As first the IInd price diploma was acquired by Heder Moon Eyes of Urszula Lichniak two years ago.
The detailed data about the results of the contest can be found on the website of the German Club of German Shorthaired Pointer, www.deutsch-kurzhaar.de , and a short description of the trip and photographic report of the contest on the site www.psymoje.pl.
Zbigniew Ciemniewski
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