World Dog Show

On Friday 8th July 2011, Deertrackers made the journey over to France to attend the World Dog Show that was being held at Parc d’Exposition Paris Nord Villepinte outside Paris. The French Championship show was running in parallel with the World Dog show at the same venue to complicate things. We didn't take any of the hounds with us as was not sure what to expect and unfamiliar with how shows under the FCI work.

The venue was a big exhibition complex similar to the NEC with the show taking up 2 of the largest halls. Across the two halls were 90 exhibition rings, a discover dogs area, obedience ring, activities ring, main exhibition ring and the usual trade stands. One thing that stood out was how proud the French were of their hunting heritage. There was an area dedicated to stands exhibiting hunting and shooting societies and 20+ kennels exhibiting various packs of hunting hound. Handlers of the majority of the hound breeds and some of the lesser known gundog breeds exhibited their hounds in traditional hunting dress.

Griffon Bleu de Gascogne

Harriers


Bavarians were being judged at the French Championship Show on the Saturday by Bernard Rousett and drew a small entry of 6 hounds. Ch Cheivo Sfora Nemroda won Best in Breed.

Bavarians were judged at the World Dog Show on the Sunday by Andrzej Mania and drew a bigger entry of 18 hounds. Most of the hound’s handlers originated from Poland with a couple of hounds from Holland, UK and France. Ch Chievo Sfora Nemroda again won the Breed and CACIB with Locus Sfora Nemroda winning the CAC.

Ch Cheivo Sfora Nemroda - Bavarian French and World Winner

Overall in our opinion the hounds being exhibited were not of overly high quality and handlers were fairly lax in comparison to here in the UK in terms of standing their hounds for examination. It was also sad to see that one of the hounds bite the Judge upon examination and be dismissed from the ring. This hound was one from the UK but the owners are not part of the Breed Society.

While at the show we also took time to look at some other breeds we do not have here in the UK such as the Poitevin, Basset Artesien Normand and Braque Bourbonnais to name a few. We also spent time on the Sunday watching the Small Munsterlanders and speaking to exhibitors about the breed. It is amazing the breed has not become more popular in the UK given its size and versatility for the field. A SM also got shortlisted in Group 7 on the Saturday at the French Championship.

Small Munsterlander - Gippe V'ant Livinusbos

Overall we enjoyed our time in France watching Bavarians, Small Munsters and the seeing breeds we do not have in the UK, the only downside was the expense of the country. Everything seemed to be about 3 times more expensive than what you would pay in the UK.

The WDS is being held in Salzburg in 2012 and it would be nice to enter some Deertrackers dogs for exhibition under judges who know what Bavarians are and what they were bred to do.