Caroline's breed notes are also available from www.pedigreedogs.co.uk.

19 June 2006

Many thanks to Ann Travis (Annvad) for sending us a picture of her champion Pines Tipperary “Becks” after the previous breed notes. Becks is the first British bred hovawart bitch to gain a Champion Title in any country. Here she is, having no idea that she is currently the pride of the British hovawart community:

Dutch Ch Pines Tipperary with owner Ann Travis

The 2006 French Hovawart Club Show was taking place in Cibeins on the very hot week-end of 10 and 11 June. It saw only one UK bred hovawart competing this year with our Pines Piccolo avec Spicemill (a.k.a. infamous Venka) being entered to take the temperament tests on the Saturday and in the intermediate class on the Sunday.

Venka went into the CSAU ring and passed first time. The CSAU is a basic sociability test including amongst other things a stay out of sight, a recall and leaving your dog with a stranger on the lead and return. Venka also took her TAN (natural aptitude test). This includes walking around a group of people on a loose lead, steadiness to gun shot and the measure of the dog reaction under threat. Venka passed with flying colours and the judge comment: “Dog with a sound mind”. Her reaction to the threat was to look at the stick and then go and lick it (hard not to laugh at that moment), she was well aware that was a set up and was then allowed a big cuddle with the unmasked fake “criminal”. It all shows that the months of socialisation have paid off. A big thank you to breeders Elaine and John (Pines) for giving her such a good start in life!

Venka and the “criminal” at the end of the TAN

We had the pleasure of a guest appearance from Tracy and her handsome UK bred dog Olska. He did not take part in the tests but was here to support “team GB”. We hope they will be joining us at the HCGB Club Show in Oswestry in the autumn.

Sunday was the big day of the judging. Another scorching day, so we parked in the shade and setup tinfoil city. The solar reflective covers worked wonder to keep the dogs cool. Venka finished 4th in the intermediate class which was won by the lovely blonde bitch Vaïya des Trois Petits Diables (owned by Marie-Pierre and Claude Bargain). She nearly went all the way as she then snatched the RCACS, beaten only by Vesta des Leus Altiers (owned by Maryvonne Remond), a black bitch with a cracking move who was awarded the CACS and best of breed. Best male was Trevor des Trois Petits Diables, owned by Valérie Mouty, who also won a CACS. The breeder class was won by Les Trois Petits Diables with a very nice display of blonde hovawarts bred by Martine Dédier. The complete results should be available soon from the French Hovawart Club website. www.hovawart.fr

The atmosphere was overall quite good with the exception of a few owners who were a bit bitter at their dogs’ results. It makes you wonder why people who can’t accept criticism would show dogs in the first place…

Read the previous breed notes