Donaueschingen a fascinating adventure
By Marcello Poli – Dei Mangialupi IWs – Italy
The last time I entered my hounds at the show in Donaueschingen was dated 2003 and I still
treasure wonderful memories from that event that I keep on considering a unique show in
Continental Europe. Above all, the place where the show was held: the marvellous park of von
Furtsenberg’s castle, with green meadows, gorgeous trees, streams winding along the ground and
where cool clear waters flow slowly gladdening humans and animals living there. The show is of
paramount importance for breeders, since very year hundereds of sighthounds coming from
different countries are registered and enter the show to challenge in the ring and are judged by a
team of international professionals.
I treasure a memory which is so dear to me when, at that time, a very young bitch from my kennel,
who is living and is shown in England, won, on both days, the title of Jungsten BIS. Once back
home I wrote an issue on the Club del Levriero magazine “Levrieri” in which I suggested readers to
take part at the show at Donaueschingen, at least once in their lives; the event is fantastic and it is
worth a trip, even if in our country everybody is on Summer holiday and highways, for some days
are jammed. Being the Club del Levriero Vice-President, my goal was to succeed in trying to rival
the magnificence of a similar event when organizing the Club Meeting every year, at the beginning
of May.
Since then I could not go to the event due to too many different reasons, but this year, even if my
wife was busy at home, caring of a litter of 8 puppies, I decided I would have left with some friends
and hounds, direction Germany. The possibility of showing my Irish Wolfhounds under a judge
who is also an IW breeder was another point of merit for the event.
I sent my registrations to our little big “Wallo” Von Lehn, booked the same hotel and started my
trip trying to skip traffic jams along the highway.. and all efforts were worth!
Once arrived I could test the perfect organization for which we all have to thank a group of
excellent and brave ladies. I know how hard and difficult it can be arranging such an event that
develops in two days. We had good weather and it helped a lot! Two wonderful sunny days and it
was quite hard to fight against the sun even if we could hide in the shadow of the tall trees in the
park.
Some rings had a corner in the shadow and judges let our wonderful sighthounds stay there in order
not be in the sun.
The event began on Saturday, with the usual programs, including judges introduction and more or
less it developed within the expected timing. All judges had to judge a fairly considerable number
of dogs: Outi Piisi-Putta had 108 hounds who entered her ring, but the judge who had more
problems was Mr. Wayne Douglas, who ended his awardings over 78 hounds, after 17:30. It is quite
usual that breeders and hadlers often complain, but I think this is the consequence of the stress
caused by waiting for their own turn, because, if we have to be true, time runs quite quickly if we
talk with old and new friends.
Donaueschingen is, in fact, a nice place where you can find people coming from so many different
coutries and who can share the same interests and with whom you have already settled good
relationships and/or cooperations. There can be also good contacts with new friends whom we can
share opinions, too. As to my breed, Pitlochry’s Catwaezle was awarded BOB and he was worth, a
two year old male that everybody would like to have in his/her own kennel. I entered the honour
ring with a bitch from my kennel coming from the Young Class, Pappa col Pomodoro dei
Mangialupi, who was not 10 month old yet. It was such an emotion when I saw the the Australian
Wayne Douglas, after the team of judges’ decision, who was coming towards us to give the prize
Jugend BIS!! Besides happines and the pleasure of competition, such an end is the best prize for a
breeder since it confirms the quality of choices made in breeding programmes.
I ‘m so grateful to all judges for such an honour. Adult BIS was another hound from an Italian
kennel, Sobers Galathea a Greyhound, a magnificent bitch who is nearly 4 year old, who, this year,
won in May, during the Sighthound Club Meeting in Padenghe del Garda in Italy her BIS, then she
was BIS at Salzburg in Austria, and in July she was BIS in Mariefred in Sweden..and now here at
Donaueschingen. During the first day Galathea won against an Afghan who got the same score.
Hat’s off to their breeders.
During the evening the challenge was featured by the Super Best in Show in which only hounds
who had been awarded with the title of BIS or BOG during their career could enter. Actually, my
hound was registered, but to be true I was too tired to spend some hours in the ring and decided not
to take part in that challenge. The way this challenge develops is original and capturing, there are
different play-offs and eliminations between two specimens in the ring (in-out), up to the moment
that in the ring there is only one dog, the best one. It was nearly 11:00 P.M. when in the ring the
only hound was Pitlochry’s Catweazle, bred in Holland by Connie Fernhout. I was their ringside
main supporter, Conny & Catweazle, both for the breed and for our true friendship.While exhibitors
and judges were working overtimes, we enjoyed sharing time with friends, drinking good beers and
tasting the typical schnitzel. As I have already mentioned, these are relationship that develop
ringside and it is a one of the best moments of the event. If I were not that old and that lazy I will
come with a tent, to spend the night with friends camping in the park.
After a very short sleep everybody was there the very next day. There were some other 40 Irish
Wolfhounds in the ring I showed my bitch. If we cancel those coming from Italy, Austria, Hungary,
Slovachia, The Netherlands the number of hounds from Germany was a little bit small. Furthermore
some breeders who maybe, did not agree with and liked judgements given the day before were not
there. Well, it’s a pity that the host country, who had always shown large numbers and very good
quality hounds of our breed, should be bettere represented in such events. The final result followed
the one of the day before, with Pitlochry’s Catweazle’s awarding with BOB and Pitlochry’s Quivira
being awarded with BOS, a bitch from the Champion Class.
Even in the honour ring, I can say luckily, choices confirmed the ones made on Saturday: my Pappa
col Pomodoro dei Mangialupi won Jugend BIS and the Greyhound Sobers Galatea was BIS. Further
successes and wonderful prizes, for us.
Once again DWZRV has been able to arrange a perfect event. I would like to point out a comment,
it is a suggestion. I fully understand that such an event must have a spreading goal, it must be aimed
to let people know the different breeds to the audience and to let exhibitors enjoy while waiting for
the main challenges. We must keep in mind that the main goal of shows is zootechnical. In my
opinion I would limit everything that is not that related to sighthound breeds’ showing. Furthermore
I would cut the too high level of music and comments to the event.
This year, like some other exhibitors, I took part in three different Meetings organized by the
Sighthound Club in Italy, Austria and Germany. I must say that all three events have been organized
in an excellent way, they have registered a large number of hounds entering the show (350 in Italy,
300 in Austria and 400 in Germany), with a very high average quality of specimens shown. Places
where these events are organized are wonderful. Padenghe by the Lake of Garda, Salzburg does not
need any description, Donaueschingen it has already been described and the distance is more or less
400 and 500 km from one place to the other, that is not that far for the main supporters. It would be
nice to start a cooperation among the three Clubs, Club del Leveriero in Italy, OKWZR in Austria
and DWZRV in Germany to settle a network among the three events and maybe decide for a
special prize, a trophy, to participants or winners of the three events. In the meanwhile fanciers and
lovers of the breeds can look for informations about the next events surfing on the 3 Clubs’
websites:
www.clublevriero.org – www.windhund.at – www.dwzrv.de
See you in Donaueschingen the next year; unless some of you will come to see us in Italy on May
3rd!