Jag hann knappt lägga ut nedanstående (förhoppningsvis) forfarande tänkvärda notiser, så hör läsare av sig och kan inte se vad det står på sidorna. Texten på de avfotograferade sidorna är i hög upplösning och går fint att läsa, men bilderna på bloggen blir dessvärre ihopkrympta. Allts, snäll som jag är kommer draporna här in extensio:




Ur Dog World Annual 1983:




Naturally, critisism is the first step towards improvment. So when a large number of people feel strongly about someting there is bound to be a change sooner or later. Look what happened in the past when Sweden got rid of the preposterous rule that nobody over the age of 70 should be allowed to judge. But althought knowledgeable, experienced dog people aired their voices and had the rule abolished, there are a number of rules and regulations creeping up that caused further concern.




A majority of exhibitors feel - regardless of breed - that the best dogs should win the top awards. However, the Swedish rules prevent this in a large number of breeds. Some breeds, like German Shepherds, Boxers, etc., cannot compete for certificates, until they have passed a character test and even if they do, are not granted their show titles before meeting certain working test requirements. In gundogs and some other breeds an exhibit may not compete for a CC before having qualified in the field. The situation is not satisfying to say the least.



Heated debate



What else are dog people som displeased about? The new character test of course!



This is the subject of the most heated criticism. Even the tiniest Chuhuahua has to be passed in the test before being awarded the title of of show champion. Many feel that to be an insult to the judges that have considered the dog good enough to be awarded the CC. The education, examination and passing of judges has, incidentally, been subject of many heated arguments in Scandinavia, as in England. Everyone visiting a dog show in Sandinavia must have noticed that judging often becomes extremely tedious and lacking excitement for both exhibitors and spectators.


There is a "double" procedure utlilised when judging each dog. The dog is forst awarded a prize corresponding to its own individual merit, without regard to the other dogs in tthe class, if any. The very good are given a first, the not quite so good a second and so on down the line. All those rated first are placed in order of merit, just as in England.


To make it more complicated, the judge is supposed to write a critique on every exhibit, regardless of its awards. This is all vere fair and good in theory, but in practice however, the whole procedure does not work so smoothly.


Suggestion to change over to the British system have been put forward from time to time over the years but, so far, have never been accepted. Dog people in Scandinavia have for a long time been voicing their discontent with various rules, not only man to man but publicly. The demand that their sport should be run by people who really know what the are about.

A new system?

The Swedish Kennel Club has had a Show Committee put to work and the result of its work was that an approximation to the British rules is now to hand. The decision is now with the board of the Swedish Kennel Club and I hope that within a few years we will have all class winners (champions or not) competing for the CC, just as in England, no character test before being awarded the title of Champion and the best dogs to challange for the top awards, whether or nor they are qualified in the field. This will give the champion title a higher value.

Anyhow, let´s hope that Sweden, Norway and Finland att least can agree to adopt the SAME system. The present situation is causing endless troubles and misunderstandings, to put it mildly.

Ur Dog World Annual 1984 by Lisbeth Ch Sigfridsson (i.e. Högman):With 1984 on the way people of Sweden, Norway and Finland can comfort themselves with the thought that their Kennel Clubs still rule in a compartatively democratic way. Liberal democracy does encourage people to take an intererest, and take part in the ruling of their clubs, and the future of dog sport.Sweden boasts a man at the lead of international dog affairs as chairman of the Swedish Kennel, for Bertil Lagerblad is now chairman elect for the FCI as well. FCI (short for Fédèration Cynologique Internationale) is the govering body of most Kennel Clubs of the world, save the great dogsport nations like the United Kingdom, USA, Australia and the Republic of Ireland. All the countries within the FCI are governed by the regulations laid down by that body and, although each country has its own national equivalent of the Kennel Club, for international shows each must stick to the rules laid down by the FCI.FCI has many times been criticised for its bureaucrazy, for lacking realism and efficiency and people have aired their views that Sweden should leave the FCI and be run more like the UK. The election of Bertil Lagerblad as FCI chairman, pessimists grimly say, was a diabolical but skilful move to ensure that Sweden remains under the wing of FCI. More optimistic people, on the other hand, have strong hopes that this great gundog man and international judge will bring a bit of common sense and efficiency into the Continental system.

Bero var hett efterlängtad; vi hade hälsat å honom två gånger under väntetiden. På så vis bev han en ovanligt dyr valp, men vad gjorde det? För nästan precis 10 år sedan inträffade den historiska glädjedagen, när han skulle hämtas i Värtahamnen som medskick med utställningsresenärer. Bero trampade för första gången svensk mark. En undsluppen kommentar, "Bero escaped twice" avslöjade att 9-månadersvalpen, storvuxen och ovan, kanske inte varit helt lättmanövrerad på bilfärjan... Vi parkerade i baksätet på Volvon med en påse Frolic och framme i Roslagen var vi bästisar. Bero och jag gjorde allt tillsammans; han sov i sängen, vi gick dagliga timslånga promenader, han lekte med vårt barnbarn Felix, vi gick på kurs... Utställningsdebuten var inte direkt lysande - en 2:a på Stora Stockholm... Fortsättningen blev desto bättre; Bero var stor och stilig och vann lätt sina titlar. In alles blev det 5 cert, 5 BIR & 5 CACIB. Vi åkte tåg till Boden, Oslo och Göteborg, färja till Helsingfors och Åland, vi gjorde vallanlagstest och exteriörbeskrivning. Bero hängde med överallt, i ur och skur. Jag minns en äventyrlig resa till Svenstavik genom vattenfall och med nerrasade broar och bortspolade vägar bakom oss... sista resan med vår gamla Volvo... Resultatet BIR & CACIB samt doublé med Ada, Ch Fennican Glada Gladiolus, som också hade kommit till familjen. Det var en mycket lycklig tid, kanske den roligaste i mitt hundliv. Tyvärr varade den inte så länge...



Bero var en känslig, lite vek, men framför allt genomsnäll hund. Han hade tre fobier som vi aldrig blev riktigt kloka på; mattpiskning, ljudet av glassbilen och manspersoner som stod på knä. Då blev han besinningslöst upprörd...



De sista åren fick han bli husses promenadhund, då jag inte kunde gå som förr. Bero fick inte uppleva sin 7:e födelsedag, han dog i en hastigt förlöpande lymfcancer. Vår sorg och saknad var obeskrivlig.

Titta här vad jag hittade i gårdagens post - ett brev från Marianne Westerberg, Ysters kennel, med bilder från en promenad på Mellingeholm våren 1999. Hunden är vår första och mycket älskade västgötaspets S & N U Champion Fennican Buffalo Bill "Bero" 980116-041121e Int Fin S & Est Champion Fennican Odin Ormhassel
u Int Fin S & Est Champion Fennican Kulta Kimpale. Tack så mycket Marianne! Massor med tankar och känslor väcks till liv...