Winner Amsterdam 15-12-2013 and CACIB 13-12-2013

This was the short version abouth the Winner Amsterdam, now one week later I finally have found the time to write the complete story. 

Judge for the Old English Sheepdogs and Bearded Collies was Mr.. Johann Andersson/Sweden, breeder of the famous Alistair Bearded Collies

Best of breed Bearded Collies was our Int-NL-LUX-Ch. Winner 2012 and now as well Winner 2013 Lärkängens at Firsticebears

Best of breed Old English Sheepdogs was our Super Multi Champion bitch “Jadore aus dem Elbe-Urstromtal.

Normally the Winner Amsterdam is held every year in the month of November in the RAI. My first Winner participation was in 1975 en I believe, that I haven’t missed one since. It is the biggest and most known Show in the Netherlands and for me still connected with exitement and anticipatory pleasure. This time everything was different. We were in a different Hall complex, the Show was in the middle of December and one Friday there was a One-day Winner, read a CACIB Show with all breeds and that on Friday the 13th and I am supersticious! If you want to be in Amsterdam at 07.00, on a normal working day, because the Hall opens at 07.30 and also want to park close to the Halls, yes then you will have to start driving (in this case Eef Martens and Conny) at 05.15 hrs in the morning. Get up at 03.15, because all the dogs have to go out, the showdogs wear their socks and that absorbes time. I myself need about 45 minutes to get myself fit to be seen. We had Lasse and Geddes, the two Beardies to show with us, the young Beardie bitch Prada who had to learn and our wonderful OES male King. Something that I had missed, was an e-mail send at 01.00 hrs. This mail said, that their had been a change in Judges and that not Mrs. Indergaard from Norway would judge the 23 Beardies, but Mr. R. Doedijns from the Netherlands. I was very dissapointed when I heard the news that morning. Mr. Doedijns judges all over the world, but in the Netherlands he adapts himself. Unfortunately. We have already seen a phenomenon once with a Bobtail. This dog always won everything, but only under Netherlands judges. As soon as there was a Foreigner, he didn’t win. Of course we could have withdrawn our dogs, but this I didn’t want to do to Mr. Doedijns. Afterwards you are always more clever. With our OES Male King, Friday the 13th was also not a good day. The only advantage we had, was the fact that we could go home at 15.00 hrs, just in time to avoid the traffic in the Netherlands.

Lasse (Ch. Lärkängens at Firsticebears) shows his beautiful movement

Lasse became 2nd with Res-CACIB

In the Youth Class, 2 sons of our Lasse had been entered in the contest. Marja Ojevaar won with “Clan of Storks Las Vegas” and Peggy Jeurissen with the other Lasse son “Firstprizebears Letterman” ended on the 4th place.

Clan of Storks Las Vergas

and Peggy Jeurissen with Lasse’s son Firstprizebears Letterman

Clanyardbay Mac Geddes stood in the large Youth Class and ended on a well deserved 2nd place with Excellent.

1.Something Else Hunique Historie D’amour, 2. Clanyard Bay Mac Geddes (Own. E. Martens), 3. Snugglebears Kieps Sjiek Blumpke, 4. Winsdale Design of Blue

Inge Schreurs had shown her “Firstprizebears Jade Jagger“. She was the only Bitch in the Open Class, but lost against the Bitch from the Youth Class and received the Res-CAC and CACIB

As far as I am concerned, “Lasse” is and stays the best

It was Sunday, the 15-12-2013, again getting up at 03.15. This time Harry was with me and without his help, I would not have made it. Eef Martens was on the way to the Winner together with Peggy Jeurissen, as our car was completely full. We also had our brown Beardie Bitch “Scioko” with us. I was going to show 4 dogs and should have in fact shown a 5th one, Geddes owned by Eef. However, my Achilles tendon was causing so much pain, that I didn’t even know if I could do it all yes or no. You run quite a bit of a show like this, the rings are large and the judge wants to see movement. I was really excited and curious, how Mr. Anderson , the Swedish judge would judge the 28 OES and 43 Bearded Collies. He himself is the breeder of the famous Alistair’s Bearded Collies and in the meantime judges many breeds. It gave me a headdache, that he was judging the Bobtails and the Beardies. You normally do not win with two dogs under the same judge, this needs a huge personality.  Our “Doro” was in top shape and both of us wanted to win. Doro had never won the title Winner Amsterdam.. It worked! Not only did she become Best Bitch, but also won Best Of Breed and received a glamourous judging report. Conny was over the moon! That Mr. Andersson has a very strong personality, could be seen in the fact that he gave Best Of Breed to our Bearded Collie Male, “Ch. Lärkängens at Firsticebears” as well.

The Youth Class males excisted out of 11 dogs. Mr. Andersson had to judge many dogs this day, so the Show-Organisation had decided that the Youth Class Males was going to be judged by the Russian Mr. Khomasuridze, whojudge on a very Special way. Both “Lasse’s” sons, Clan of Stork Las Vegas and Peggy Jeurissen with “Firstprizebears Letterman“, ended on a 3rd and 4th place.

Our Lasse had been enetered in the Champion Class with 7 males (of which 1 was absent). It was thrilling. There was one dog from Russia and someone from Germany, who was at a large show in the Netherlands for the first time. This lady had bought, about 4 months ago,  a puppy from Mr. Andersson! It did not help her, she had to leave the ring as first with her male and became placed 6th. Lasse showed himself from his best side and we won this very strong occupied class with Best Male and later on he even became Best Of Breed. This victory under this judge meant a lot to me. During the last shows, Lasse, had won everytime under International Breed Specialists.

Lärkängnes at Firsticebears (1), Beardie Connection Kenji (3), Clan of Storks Just Quibo (4), Dazzling Dodger Of Deboras Farm (5), Miners Lake My Way (6) and Oeps I did It Again del Cuore Impavido (2)

“Lasse” Best Male with Judge Mr. Johann Andersson

Our “Prada” (Firstprizebears Meryl Streep), had her Show debut with her 8 months. She had one competitor and became 2nd. I was very satisfied with her. She had done everything perfectly.

1. Colepark Saxon Rose and 2. Firstprizebears Meryl Streep

Eef had shown her “Geddes” herself in the Youth Class, in which 9 bitches had been entered. As only one she received a Very Good.

Our “Schoko” (Firstprizebears Liz Taylor) was alone in the Intermediate Class and therefore received an Excellent 1st Place.

Our Beardie Ladies had no luck this day. Inge Schreurs received a 4th Place with Very Good, with her “Firstprizebears Jade Jagger” and Vicky van Tiggelen became 2nd in the Champion Class with “Firstprizebears Just Beat-it”.

The winning Beardie Bitches:

Youth Class Bitches: In Vouge Island Hidden Secret (Res-CAC), Intermediate Class: Firstprizebears Liz Taylor, Open Class: Pretty Bears Sweet Pepper who had come all the way from Hungary, CACIB and BOS. Champion Class: Dazzystars A Groovy Kind of Love and the 13 year old Bitch from the Veterans Class: Somethingelse Samsara Shine who came from France.

Best Bitch Pretty Bears Sweet Pepper, Own. Upor/HU, the Judge Mr. Andersson and Beste Of Breed “Lärkängens at Firsticebears

In the Big Ring, the Spanish Mr. Juan Naveda Carreo judged the large Group 1, which excists out of almost 42 Dogs. The Winner’s Organization had instructed the Judges to make a selection of not more that 6 dogs. Out of the 10 Groups there are about 3, who only have 12 to 15 dogs! By the time Mr. Carreo was almost half way, he had already selected his 6 dogs. The speaker in the ring pointed this out to him and all could leave the ring after this! He didn’t even have the decency to take a glance at the 2nd part of the Group. Once again Chris Beirendonk had been so kind to stay a little bit longer, to show our “Jadore” in the Big Ring, as I was showing the Beardie. We where standing at the end of this large group as last and fore last. This was very frustrating. To stand in the Big Ring with 2 Breeds at a Show like this, is something special. Therefore the judge should have the decency to have a look at all dogs in the ring. But, life continues.