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nass, north american sieger show, 2005,

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NASS - 2005 North American Sieger Show

by Fred Lanting

Copyright October, 2005 -

 

The largest Sieger Show in North America to date was held outside of Pittsburgh October 14-16, 2005. Known as NASS, for “North American Sieger Show”, it actually is one of four Sieger Shows held in North America, by as many “national” GSD clubs. If one were to give the pedigree (or “father-line”), acknowledging the sponsoring club, one might have called the event “the NASS of the WDA/GSDCA/AKC”, since that is the hierarchal lineage. The other U.S. club is the USCA (also known as USA, for United Schutzhund Clubs of America), older in holding Sieger Shows, but slipping behind WDA in recent years because of management and personality problems. Their pedigree is USA/WUSV/FCI but as a bastard offspring, because they failed to secure full WUSV membership in the beginning, forfeiting that honor to the GSDCA. There are also independent North American Sieger Shows held in Canada (GSSCC) and Mexico, which last I heard was still part of North America.

The WDA show had an initial entry of 447, but of course that included such classes as Veterans and 4-6-month puppies. Absentees were somewhat numerous in some classes, and a half-dozen or so in each sex failed to make the cut in the courage test in order to qualify to stand for examination in the breed ring. The Sieger Shows in Germany and most countries have dogs of a minimum of 12 months age. Still, the big turnout was something that the organizers should be praised for. Chris Mandela, Gayle Kirkwood, and staff (mostly from the Keystone-Buckeye club) did a great job, although many events did not start close to the published scheduled time. I understand they had an uphill battle with the WDA and GSDCA directors in some matters, but they triumphed anyway.

Handlers were from the USA, Germany, Canada, Holland, Belgium, and other places. So were many of the dogs. The biggest and best-known kennel groups were Mittelwest (Chicago), Wilhendorf (Connecticut), and Kirkwood (Pittsburgh); they and several others showed what good results can be had with a combination of many breedings and much work and selection. However, for the sake of catalogue readers who don’t go to every show and don’t know the unspoken meanings, a couple of advertisements about their achievements could have been worded more clearly. The Mittelwest kennel of Julie Martinez claimed to have the #1 kennel in 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 (even though this year was not over yet!). John Henkel’s Wilhendorf ad said that theirs was the #1 USA kennel in 2002 and 2003 (and other years). Now, maybe it would have been clearer if Julie had said “WDA” and John had said “USCA” or spelled out United Schutzhund Clubs of America, because “USA” has more than one meaning.

The judges were far less confused or confusing than the ads, though. Gayle and all her associates picked eminent and excellent judges, Heinz Scheerer and Leonhardt Schweikert, both of whom have been Chief Körmeister for SV. The helpers for the bitework qualification tests were also excellent choices.

For new readers, the Working Dog classes are basically for those 24 months and up, with a schutzhund title, having passed the courage test at the current show, and having certain other prerequisites. They can be rated V (excellent), SG (very good), or (rarely) G (good). Dogs between 12 and 24 months can get rankings as high as SG, and puppies under 12 months as high as VP (very promising), the rest usually get P for “promising”. The best of the V animals get VA (excellent-select). Customarily, that goes to about 10% of the class entries at the Sieger Show (in Germany and elsewhere).

Now to my comments, as requested by many websites and magazines. I was busy handling a bitch and a male in the adult working classes, so I missed several critical observations, but I studied many of them at the bitework ring, around the grounds, and when the breed judges were not looking in our direction. A longer list with brief comments is attached or at the end of this piece. Let’s look at the Working Class (titled) males first. Herr Scheerer’s choice for Sieger was a very cowhocked Cherry Bergmannshof son Leido Kuckucksland, who could have had a little more width of chest in the area of the elbows. Cherry is an Ursus son ex the Scott Deodatus dau. Whitney Agrigento. Leido’s dam: Zala Arminius (Scott son Zeppo KlepingerSchloss ex Ursus dau. VA Zambia Arminius). From back in the V-7 position, I heard the judge say that the dog was well known to him in Germany (where they both live). Well-deserved VA-2 was Linda Lundborg’s Ghandi Arlett son, Urban Gleisenauer-Schloss. VA-3 was the dog from Holland that I would have had exchange placings with Leido: the Orbit Tronje son Gonzalez. Five more dogs were given VA rankings, and at 28% of the class, that might be a little excessive, but at least it wasn’t like the last USA Sieger Show, where the vast majority seemed to have been awarded this honor that should represent only the cream of the crop.

In the titled bitches over 24 months, the Siegerin was from Norway, which was a first, if memory serves me. Bloodlines represented by the females were somewhat varied. There were 8 VA awards (nearly a third of the class!). It was a nice touch that the club gave recognition to American-bred animals, giving an extra trophy for that reason to the VA-3 Olly Mittelwest (Commander daughter). In males, that honor went to the VA-5 Zeke Kirkenwald. Both of these adult classes had quality in depth. I was handling a Hobby grandson to a V-7, right behind us was a beautiful Chuck van der Lust son, with and true excellence went all the way back to a striking dog in V-25 place (whom I had handled at a show over a year earlier).

Helder Garcia of Maryland, who really got his feet wet when he went on one of my Sieger Show tours, had both the first and last place in 4-6-mo. bitches. His VP-1 Eva is really a super pup and should do extremely well as she matures. The next two behind her were also very nice. Proportions, toplines, and gait on all these were outstanding, even at such a young age. In 4-6 males, the leader, an Orbit Hühnegrab son from Canada, was the stand-out, which must have pleased the judge, who is the breeder of the sire.

With an entry of 41, the 6-9 female class had four out of the top five from Connecticut. There were three really outstanding winners up front at the end: two Marko della Valcuvia half-sisters were 1 and 2, and Val MacMillan’s Hannibal Stieglerhof pup was 3rd. By the way, Hannibal was the only adult male at Ulm this year who did not get a V rating there. "Hannibal became ausreichend because of Schussempfindlichkeit [evidence of gunshyness]. On a show in Germany directly after the Siegerschau with the gun test he was V-1 under Heinz Huhn". That quote is from one of Europe's most capable and respected judges. Watch for Hannibal to do much better next year. I missed the 6-9-mo. males.

In 9-12 females, a truly fantastic Pakros d’Ulmental daughter out of an Eros Luisenstrasse daughter took the class. Her catalog photo shows a very steep croup, but she did not evidence that in a natural pose or in trotting. Her litter brother was VP-2 in the 9-12 male class, although there again, the best one in my estimation was the VP-3 Gonzalez son (looked very much like the sire), Odin Gold-Berg. This was a small but high-quality class of 18 pups with about a third standing out.

The German winner of 12-18 mo. females is, I was told, a complete outcross VA- Quirin Hochmoor daughter. Right behind her were equally beautiful Yusko Kirschental dau. linebred on Ursus Batu, and then a very nice Ando Altenbergerland daughter. In the same age group males, the winner was the spectacular Nero Nöbachtal son from CT, Teejay Wilhendorf. In second was a Yasko son who stepped too high and wild in front. When I looked at the fronts in the Yasko progeny group, I saw too many that were close in the elbows and relatively short in upper arm. He has not yet produced the same quality as has been shown in Europe. The 3rd-place CT dog and 4th-place Pittsburgh dog were much better in front action. 5th place went to a dog bred by the judge. But hey! He would not have placed him there if he didn’t deserve it. I remember Mort Goldfarb agonizing over whether to give a first place to a pup he had bred, and I convinced him to forget what people might say, and put the right dog up. The dog can’t help who bred him.

I only remember the first two or three in the 18-24 females, and greatly admired the first couple there in a brief look at the class. In 12-18 males, there was a very nice SG-12 American-bred dog (Odin DreiEck) that I would have placed much further up. The class winner was a Quantum Arminius son, pressed by some very respectable competition.

I had asked several people to send photos to me, but sometimes that takes longer than getting the article written. I hope you will find the ones attached to this article as I send it out, to be fairly representative and interesting. Those that will have come in too late will just have to be used in their owners’ ads.

Let’s hope that the USA (USCA) organization (whose members incidentally supported this WDA show very nicely) will have a respectable entry next April in Connecticut. Until the two merge (unlikely until the WDA shakes off the manacles handcuffing them to AKC), we will continue to have competing Sieger Shows in this central band of the North American continent.

[see abbreviated placings accompanying this article.] F.L.

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Kennel Groups: #1 Mittelwest; #2 Wilhendorf; #3 Kirchenwald; #4 Salerno; #5 Wüstenbergerland

Working Class - Males

4-6 Month Females

4-6 Month Males

6-9 Month Females

6-9 Month Males

9-12 Month Females

9-12 Month Males

12-18 Month Females

12-18 Month Males

18-24 Month Females

18-24 Month Males

General info on The Sieger Show Experience with tour guide Fred Lanting 

The  SV Bundessieger-Zuchtschau (BSZS or Sieger Show) in Germany is generally held in the last week of August or first week in September at a different location each year, depending on stadiums available. (The cost of stadium for this one-weekend event, and the competition with soccer/football events that sign contracts for many per year, determine the choice.) For the past 20 years or so, I have offered my non-profit 6-7-day guided tour of the show and sightseeing, including visits to kennels and training clubs. Get an SV judge's perspective of the bloodlines and procedures, along with experienced introductions to Germany's culture and beauty. My groups come from all parts of the globe, so even just the companionship is like a world-travel experience. We usually arrive on the Wednesday or Thursday before the show, and return the following Wednesday.

Looking for a great dog-related experience combined with seeing a different part of the world? Whatever your breed or activity in dogs, the annual Lanting guided show-and-sightseeing tour could be the experience of a lifetime. Read my annual “Impressions” articles on various websites for an idea of what we've seen in recent years. Tours centered on other countries’ Sieger Shows, the BSP, and world Schutzhund trials are also available if enough people sign up.    

None of "my people" have ever been sorry, and all have wished they had done it earlier! You will see the best of the breed, meet important GSD people, sometimes see another country or two, and have the over-all greatest dog show experience of your life. I also include, if you decide to join us, a variety of travel tips. I offer an SV conformation judge's perspective of the show (I also have AKC, UKC, and foreign judging experience). One year, when a travel-agency tour leader again deserted his group, they came to where my group was sitting and asked me questions. References available from previous tour participants. Testimonials are numerous. I hope you will join us and recommend this tour to your friends and acquaintances. As a judge with much experience in Schutzhund training and competition, and being very familiar with Western Europe, I am able to give the best tour possible. People going it on their own cannot see the important parts of the country (sometimes we tour adjacent countries, too), and paying for your rental car is more than chipping in to pay for the van and my expenses. Read my "Impressions" on various websites for an idea of what we've seen in recent years.

There will be 3 long days of the big show, and about 3 to 4 days of sightseeing and visits. Please let me know as soon as you can, with a $400 (US) deposit, so I can start putting my notification list together and finalize (hold) hotel reservations for you. There is a lot of work involved in putting together such a tour! I will make the hotel plans based on your deposits, & arrange the visits and van(s). Easy, fun, educational and, for most --- the unique trip of a lifetime. You will not be any younger next year, and if you don't make the decision to get out there and smell the roses NOW, while you think of it, you're more likely than not to lose the opportunity and desire.  Join the group! Tell others about it, too. Fred 

Contact me at  Mr.GSD[at]netscape.com and tell your friends and Internet contacts.
Postal mail: 3565 Parches Cove, Union Grove, AL  35175-8422 USA

 

Editor’s Note:  A well-respected and frequent GSD specialty and all-breed judge for many clubs around the world, with KC and other-country credentials, Mr. Lanting since 1966 has lectured on Gait-and-Structure, Canine Orthopedic Disorders, and other topics, and has judged in about 30 countries, including the prestigious FCI Asian Shows hosted by Japan Kennel Club and the KC of India, the Scottish Kennel Club, and many National Specialties in the USA and elsewhere. He has been described by a former OFA director as the world’s leading non-veterinarian authority on hip dysplasia. A dog breeder since 1945, a GSD owner since 1947, and a show judge since 1979, he has lectured at numerous veterinary schools in the USA and abroad. He is the author of “must read” books for the dog owner (see below for ordering info).  Curriculum Vitae available upon request.

Announcing the new “Canine HD and Other Orthopedics Disorders” book: The expanded revision is a comprehensive (nearly 600-page), amply illustrated, annotated, monumental work that is suitable as a coffee-table book, a reference work for breeders and veterinarians, and a study adjunct for veterinary students. It is equally valuable for the owner of any breed. It covers every aspect of HD and other orthopedic, bone, or spinal disorders, and includes genetics, diagnostic methods, treatment options, and the role of environment. Your autographed copy will be mailed from the USA as soon as the appropriate amount is received and is processed. Pricing: US $68, plus $5 postage in the U.S., or ask about mail overseas. Combine orders with “The Total German Shepherd Dog” by the same author ($50 plus postage). 17 of the 20 chapters are suitable for owners of any breed.



 

 

 

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