V16 Astana Alfons

V16 Astana Alfons, He disappointed me somewhat this year, his courage test was outstanding, but he has not made the progress I expected over the last year, with normal development. I will look out for him next year. 

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V17 Irok Karanberg, last year’s Youth Sieger, an excellent male, I thought he looked better this year, could have been a little higher in this class, but lost places during the gaiting phase.

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V23 Digger vom Elzmundungsraum, I was impressed with this male. Excellent conformation, with much to offer, and all three in this litter, which include Daphne and Daira, are without a doubt outstanding. I feel confident he will be a top class producer in very high demand by breeders. I also considered him worthy of a much higher place. 

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V34 Yukon v.d.Bastillie, a young male, with very useful bloodlines. 

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V46 Wallace vom Holtkamper See, I like this excellent male, he has much to offer- another worthy of a much higher place. 

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EZ Vidoc des Collines du Boischaut, an excellent young male, who was excused for some reason. I thought this male would have comfortably been in the first 25 V males. 

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There was the usual large number of dogs excused at this year’s Sieger Show. I despair at this annual exodus. It is an insult to the Judges, and should be more tightly controlled. I am aware, from emails received, that many exhibitors felt their dog has been insulted by the Judge, with an unworthy call out place given to their dog, and this is why they withdrew their dog. My response is simply this, you have entered your dog for the Judges opinion, when you get it, just accept it. I am always surprised at the apparent acceptance by the Judges of the Sieger Show, of these insulting levels of withdrawals. 

The inclusion and placement of some VERY BIG males in this class, and other classes, including some VA males and females, and other Adult females, in this year’s Sieger Show, raises fundamental questions as to the integrity of the German Körung system. To say it LACKS integrity is certainly not an inaccurate statement. 

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The SV Körung requires all Class 1 males being measured at 65 cms or less at their withers. Of course a male over 65cms up to 66cms can only receive a class 2 Körung, and according to the SV rules and regulations, EVERY MALE OVER 66cms CANNOT BE AWARDED A KORUNG and EVERY FEMALE OVER 61cms CANNOT BE AWARDED A KORUNG. The SV rules further state there is NO appeal against a Körmeister’s decision in this matter, even if he measures a 65cms or 66cms male at a higher measurement, and consequently he denies the male a Körung. Such rules are unreasonable in our sport. NO man is an island unto himself, and absolute power corrupts. 

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Many believe that Herr Reinhardt Meyer is going to seriously tackle many challenges facing our breed, particularly the size issue, the jury is out. Clearly this must be an immense task for Reinhardt, as this year there were some VERY BIG males in his VA group and the rest of his class. (The Italian Sieger results will also influence many people with regards to any serious assault on the size problem – with Nando making Sieger) 

I certainly have more to say on the issue of size. However do not think that I dislike big dogs - my clear position is that I simply want our breed size standard raised to a genuinely realistic one. The dishonest practices regarding measuring that prevail in Germany, and elsewhere, must end; it is simply no longer acceptable or tolerable. 

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Many German dogs winning top honours are being used extensively at stud, and often sold abroad. I believe that many of these dogs have completely false height to wither measurements in their Körung, which if the measurement was accurate, under the SV existing rules & regulations would STOP such dogs receiving a Breed Survey (Körung) pass grade. Such a loss to our breed would be a tragedy. In the past many well oversize males, including many Siegers and VA’s, have been hugely beneficial to our breed’s progress. Can you imagine our breed today without some of those great (big) males? SV rules & regulations should not exclude such males from our breeding pool, and their inclusion should not rest on the breaking of such rules and regulations, this is why I call for changes. 

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It has been reported to me that many German Import males, with Class 1 Körung, were entered in this year’s Canadian Sieger Show, and I was informed that the German SV Judge measured these males, and threw them out of the adult class, for being oversize. I am also informed that many of the incensed owners of these males are considering legal action against the SV, for providing their Korung’s, under their rules and regulations, with obvious and very serious inaccuracies. I would like to receive more information about this occurrence and any similar. There can be no doubt that changes have to be made in our breed standard relating to the size of our GSD, and to the Rules and Regulations connected to measuring dogs. 

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Our current breed standard states the ideal size for a male is 62.5 cms - what a joke - how many males do you see of this size among the thousands at the Sieger Show? It then goes on to allow 2.5 cms either side of this ideal. Can you even imagine a male of 60 cms; I would collapse in hysterics if I ever saw one. And if I ever bred one I would be very concerned about its genetic makeup. Can you imagine taking a male of less than 62.5 cms into a show ring, or using such a male in your breeding programme? We need to get real, I have been in this breed for well over 30 years, and I am a Championship Show Judge and a reasonably successful breeder. I despair at our breed standard regarding height to withers, and I am angry at the insults to my intelligence that I am forced to tolerate on a continuing basis. At many GSD Shows, throughout the World, when I am told dogs have a Körung class 1 from Germany, and then when I look at them, and even having measured some of them, they are higher than 66 cms, and many go up to 70 cms. 

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It is way beyond time that the SV stop refusing a Körung based on oversize, and change the Breed Standard on size. I would suggest that 65 cms is the ideal size for a male, and we should allow 2.5 cms either side of this for a Class 1 Körung. Outside of this range should result in a Class 2 Körung, and an appeal should be allowed if the owner disagrees with the measurements taken by the Körmeister. One thing I am absolutely certain about, well over 95% of males in the Show rings around the World, fall within my suggested measurements. With a very large portion within the upper half. 

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We have a breed standard for size, which is considered sacrosanct, “cast in stone”, by the SV, the SV Judges and Körmeisters. Then this system allows these very people to persist in inaccurate measuring, particularly in the Körung, on a very selective basis. If anyone thinks my questioning of a Körmeister’s ability to measure both accurately and honestly is wrong, and we do not need an appeal system, then let the perfect Körmeisters step forward, please. 

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If the SV doubts the size of the problem, or in any way wishes to challenge my comments and assertions, I would respectfully request that they organise the independent measuring of the first 20 dogs in ALL classes at the Sieger Show 2008, in Aachen. My suggestion is NOT intended to replace the judge’s responsibilities in any way whatsoever; it is intended to provide independent and factual information of the size of each of these exhibits. The measurement information to be published in the SV Zeitung at the earliest opportunity. Such open and transparent checks on easily obtained information about the top dogs at the Sieger Show, on an annual basis, would be invaluable to our breed’s future progress. Surely this is obvious to all. 

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I am not forgetting for one moment that this Sieger Show is the “German Sieger Show”.  However the SV are fully aware of the Worldwide responsibility they hold for our breed, and the Worldwide impact this Sieger Show has. Not forgetting the SV Worldwide power and influence through the WUSV. 

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I firmly believe that if the SV do not introduce changes to the Breed Standard regarding size, and changes in their Rules and Regulations regarding size, especially with regard to their Körung, they will in future be faced with litigation cases from within Germany and from around the World. They should be aware that we live in ever increasing litigious times, as well as very easy and comprehensive global communications. The current situation in unsustainable, the challenge is to formulate changes which are sustainable and will encourage transparent honesty. Perhaps legal action may be directed at the Körmeisters who have such absolute power regarding the Körung, and particularly measuring the size of the dogs. 

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Note Körung Rule: 2.5.4 The decision of the acting Körmeister is final. An objection against it is not permitted.

Note Körung Rule: 6.4 Measurements and weights

The measurements for weight, depth of chest and chest diameter can be taken by the Körmeister or his authorized helper or Körung manager; the withers measurements are taken by the Körmeister. 

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Note Körung Rule: 7.5 Unsuitability for the Körung b) Oversize or undersize of more than 1 cm; 

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Note Körung Rule: 7.7.3 The breed survey can end, become invalid, through the process of revocation. This comes about through a recommendation by a Körmeister or conformation judge to the Köramt (survey office at HQ). A “hold” can be put on the process of recording the survey results for whatever time is necessary to iron out any possible problems. 

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The Sieger Judges in 2008, and all SV judges, should measure EVERY DOG, that is shown in Germany, and where they are oversize – they should implement Körung Rule: 7.7.3 immediately – if they cannot do this, then at least be honest about the ACTUAL SIZE PREVALENT in our breed, and adjust the breed standard accordingly. Ostrich behaviour is unacceptable. The size problem is NOT reducing, if anything it is growing, we need to face up to reality, and implement new breed standard height measurements urgently. I totally refute the argument that if the breed standard height is raised, our breed will get even bigger. This is an argument put forward by those that wish to retain the present dishonest and corrupt system. The way to absolutely ensure this does NOT happen is very simple, Judges and Körmeister’s measure honestly and very strictly, with absolutely NO EXCEPTIONS, not even for friends or other Judges or Körmeister’s, or any other connections. The SV must then implement a Rule to remove a Judge or Körmeister from office if they measure any dog dishonestly. Perhaps the famous German “efficiency with quality” can be illustrated by the SV in this important matter. 

Perhaps the SV Judge of the Canadian Sieger Show 2007 – had the courage (sic) to throw oversize dogs out of the class, but not enough to implement Körung Rule: 7.7.3 above. Then again perhaps he did???

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Again I make no apologies for writing about these very serious issues here in my IMPRESSIONS. The Sieger Show is the most globally important and globally influential German Shepherd Show. We must highlight all the most important issues affecting the breed’s present and future for open debate, so that they may be taken seriously by the powerful and influential German Shepherd organisations, especially those within Germany - the Homeland.