Thanks to the invitation of the Svenska Schäferhundklubben– the Swedish German Shepherd Club – and particularly of its chairman Bo Edoff, we were able to attend to the Championship 2005, which took place from July 29 to 31 north of Göteborg. The local Vargada group was in charge of the organisation of the week entirely dedicated to the German Shepherd. Vargarda is a 10,000 people town 70 km from Göteborg and 420 km from Stockholm. And this small town had the opportunity to host an historical SSM (Championship) with a record participation of 615 dogs entered.
Anne Chaterine Edoff, one of the leading actresses of this Championship show.
Let’s underline that many other breed clubs organise prestigious shows in Vargarda, such as the Retriever, Lhasa Apso, Schipperke or Golden Retriever Klubbens.
The Swedish Club had rented a holyday resort for a whole week for all the exhibitors, who came mostly from Scandinavia (Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland), but some of them also came from Germany. Unfortunately, there were no French exhibitors, and that is a pity because many of the winning dogs in Vargarda will probably be exhibited in Ulm at the beginning of September for the Bundessieger Zuchtschau.
Henning Setzer (with his arms folded) commenting his judgements to all his fellow judges.
Indeed, before the three days dedicated to the Championship itself, different trials had already begun on Monday 25, as well as a symposium on Working Dogs organised by Anne Chaterine and Reino Oskarsson.
The jury of the Championship show was made up of Margit Van Dorssen (Dog classes 12/18, 18/24 and over 24), Henning Stezer (Bitch classes 12/18, 18/24 and over 24), Lars Hammer (6/8 months classes), Sune Karlsson (Dog classes 4/6, 8/10 and 10/12) and Anders Eriksson (Bitch classes 4/6, 8/10 and 10/12). German judges are regularly invited to Swedish Championship shows: indeed, in 2002 Ernst Rückert and Erich Bösl had been invited, in 2003 it was Peter Messler and Hans Peter Rieker and in 2004 it was Erich Orschler and Franck Goldlust.
Bo Edoff, the president of the Svenska Schäferhundklubbens (Swedish Club of the German Shepherd) had every reason to be happy with this 2005 edition. With 615 dogs entered (mainly Scnadinavian, of course), this was a record entry: there were 328 adults and young entered – among which 76 in the dog 12/18 months – and there were 287 dogs entered for the classes under 12 months of age. Compared with the 2004 edition, when 434 dogs had been entered, this represented a 45% increase! This was really impressive, if one considers that the number of birth per year has decrease from around 6,000 to around 3,000 in ten years.
The “small classes” were judged on Friday, 4/6 months, 6/8 months, 8/10 months and 10/12 months. The three judges in charge of these classes were three Swedish specialists:
Sune Karlsson, who’s been breeding under the affix Pilfalken. He imported from Germany at the beginning of the 80’s Dax Vom Reusch (a son of de Nick Von Der Wienerau).
Anders Eriksson, whose affix Mischaland’s is one of the most significant at the international level, and also the most important in Sweden, both regarding quantity and quality. Anders Eriksson is the only one who bred a Champion at the BSZS, Mischaland’s Simon (Max Della Loggia Dei Mercanti x Mischaland’s Vronie), judged SG 1 by Rudiger Maï (Vom Bierstadter Hof) in 1997, in Düsseldorf.
Lars Hammar, whose affix av Ulfsäter is one of the oldest affixes in Sweden, as it was created by Lars’ father – Gustav Hammar – in 1943. Lars has been running the affix since 1971 and he lives with his wife Carina, near Sollebrunn.
Saturday morning was dedicated to the behaviour trials of the dogs and bitches over24 months. And although it rained a lot in the afternoon, this had no effect on the exhibitors and judges’ good mood and enthusiasm.
Sunday was a special day, with the judgements of six classes - 12/18 months, 18/24 months and + 24 mmonths) by Margit Van Dorssen (dogs) and Henning Setzer (bitches). Their judgements confirmed the domination of the lines of Ursus, and also showed the truly impressive quality of the dog classes.
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