A One's Cocker
Spaniels
Berlin International March 21, 1999 -
or
Ich bin (eine JFK konnte nicht Deutsch sprechen!) Berlinerin!
Withdrawing from the group final in Malmoe was an easy decision to make. Under a
brilliant spring sun the Trelleborg-Rostock crossing gave a few hours´ composed
breathing. The Berlin traffic is nothing to trifle with, especially not on a show morning
around the TV-tower. Besides you have to know which Abfahrt to choose, or you will soon
end up in Polen. If you do not manage to get inside the gates of the closest car park by
8, your champion is doomed to miss his entry. It takes hours to get into the halls from
the other far-off car parks. And for some obscure reason you do not mess with German car-
park attendants.
Emergency in the ladies´ lavatory! Lipstick gone! Jesus, what to do? Who could
possibly wear the same shade of dark pink? After an hour´s gazing through the queue I was
seized with panic. Dark-haired European beauties just do not wear the same colour as us
blondes. And the wrong shade is definitely worse than none at all. Going into the breed
ring with not the least gloss! Don´t start crying, it´s not the end of the world. And
judge won´t even notice, he has his mind set on the dogs, for heaven´s sake! If I bit my
lips, they would certainly get a little redder, but what if they chapped? There would be
blood all over the place. And my champion bitch would be disqualified for being on heat,
for sure. The mere thought of this scenario made me shudder.
3.217 entries, 48 of which were cockers. Dr Thomas Jakkel judged. Wonder if he is a
real doctor or just a B.A. like myself? Have to ask him some time. By introducing the
Junior Champion title (DTJCH) the number of entries to junior classes has increased a lot
(The same goes for Veteran Champion title to be gained after 9 years of age.) and it is
awfully exciting to see which junior - only one of each sex, no matter colour - gets the
Jugendanwartschaft (junior CC, kind of). This time Jakaro´s Yulio, bred
and owned by well-known judge Henny Kappetijn, was presented with this desirable cup among
the dogs. My own Blue Satin Forever A One´s, bred by Aud-Jorun Nysted
and Kjell-Ivar Larsen in Tromsdalen, Norway, gained the bitch DTJAnw. And she has long
tail too, extremely long! Dr Jakkel was just about to award her the 2nd Siegeranwartschaft
as well, when the Germans interfered. She was too young. What a pity!
DTCH VDHCH Midnight Train Vom Rauhen Holz, the sire of Blue Satin
Forever A One´s, was best dog, thereby receiving his 12th Cacib and another
Siegeranwartschaft, which is of no use to him though. And so this CC can be claimed by 2nd
best dog, smart stipulation. But sometimes you have to wait for more than a year before
the DTCH Klub document arrives (VDH works much faster). So it is up to you to keep
up to date who has finished his title and who has not. Nobody will remind you. Other
champions seen today were solids Baccarat-Renmil and Getaway von
Eschenweg. Swinghall Moon Over Dixie did not turn up in the
parti dog champion class. Midnight Train was also Best Spaniel under Dr Jakkel.
Our purpose no 1 for going all the way to Berlin was our wish to get a 4th
Siegeranwartschaft to finish another title of VDHCH DT BSG97 SFUCH WW98 Moonlight
Mattie Vom Rauhen Holz´s. I have been warned against entering her litter brother
to the same show, since dogs go first. But how could one leave such a darling at home?
Mäusi was very pleased with her BoS and another Cacib, thereby beating champion bitches
like Cocker Academy Eminent Enchantress and Blanca Renmil.
Lipstick - hevreca! Thank God for those nice young girls who offer to transform little
children into Frankensteins, Plutos, pussy-cats, even tigers - you name it, they´ve got
it! There is not a shade they can´t mix for you. Who cares if they think you´re a queer
customer? As long as you get your self-confidence back in time for the finals.
Swiss elegant Mr Hans W Müller judged group 8. The loud-speakers announced the cocker
spaniel had won the group in Berlin before. How do they manage to keep abreast?
Then it was Mr Horst Kliebenstein´s turn to choose best dog of the day. Pomp and
circumstance! Hansi won again, although I heard it through the grape-wine my dark-blue
outfit was not approved of. Won´t wear it ever again, promise, at least not in Germany.
Meeting Saturday´s winner, a Rottweiler, really gave us the hiccups. What a hefty
chap! David against Goliath.
Winning Best In Show at an international show abroad is an emotional upheaval beyond
description.Besides, the risk of a heart attack is imminent after two rounds around the
enormous ring - behind a Rottweiler. Even so, Tore Fossum chose the cocker and the
gigantic cup was ours forever. Hungary, Germany, Switzerland and Norway had spoken. The
Mayor of Berlin handed over a gorgeous painting of the Berlin Town Hall in gilt frame. Not
to mention Pedigree Pal. But nicest of all was when the Rottweiler people came up and
congratulated us to a fair win. How could anyone ask for more?
Germany too now has set up a Spaniel of the Year list. The following results will yield
points:
V1 in all classes
3p
V1 incl Anwartschaft DtCh VDH 5p
Anwartschaft DtJugend-Ch
5p
Anwartschaft DtVCh
5p
Siegeranwartschaft
10p
Res Siegeranwartschaft
8p
1st Ehrenklasse
5p
CACIB
20p
Res CACIB
15p
Best dog/best bitch
20p
BoB
25p
Best in Group 8
35p
BIS at a spaniel show
40p
BIS at an international show
60p
What a shame petrol is so expensive.
More than anything else King Hansi appreciated his dalliance back in Mullsjoe, where
Miss Bumble-Bee was waiting faithfully.
Ann S |