Author and Photographer: Dr. Christine Miller
With friendly permission of the magazine PIRSCH 1/2012
At the second test run of a new international exam for large and small Münsterländer showed dogs and examination regulations what is in them.
The Münsterland is too small for the black and brown-white spotted Allrounder in the area. Dogs of the two breeds “Großer Münsterländer” and “Kleiner Münsterländer” are a popular export item. They are also growing in popularity in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Sweden or Switzerland. However, in each of these countries, hunting practice and consequently the area of application of the agile pointers are somewhat different. The requirements for hunting assistants vary accordingly. Nevertheless, the model “Large or Small Münsterländer” should remain consistent, regardless of whether Scots or Sicilians are at the other end of the leash. The look can still be controlled uniformly with an international breed standard and on the respective breed shows. But how does it look with the respective breed-typical plants and the essence? Under the long-haired chest should always beat the heart of a typical Münsterlander, both in the search for the moose and in the protrusion of snipe.
From Idea to Practice
Dog performance is measured against the demands of harsh hunting practice. There they should also be tested. However, the national breed societies in different countries place different emphasis on the use and examination of their Münsterland countries. So how do you create a working test that facilitates the international comparison of the skills and the nature of the big and small pointers? To clarify this question, Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen of the Association of Small and Karl Wichmann of the Great Munsterlander raised the project “International Münsterland Examination (IMP)” three years ago.
The tasks in the individual examination subjects form the basis for the internationally valid breed standard. But as plausible as the idea, so difficult is their implementation in detail.
Should it be a performance test or should only systems be tested in the subjects? “There are two souls beating in my chest,” summarized Bernd Jesinghausen. What shows a dog in the “lost lost search”, for one thing depends on his nose. How well he finds the game is an indicator of his investment. How well he brings pheasant or rabbit is more of a wise man for training with the leader and a typical feature.
A system test with readout character should eventually become the IMP. Whether this theory also holds in practice, had to prove various test runs.
- International Champion Series: 2nd place Martin Burggraf with “Eika vom Schmuttertal”
(D), 4th place Germain Klein with “Enya de L Etang des Nymphéas Blancs” (F), 3rd Harald
Holzner with “Wero von der Ursprungquelle” (A), 5. Johan van Aanholt with “Juno van het Izeven” (B) and 1st place Hans Joosten with “Eline Evita van de Cesannenehof” (NL) (from left) ,
Hunting mind: What the dogs get as an attachment, they perfect in hunting use.
The second IMP test took place this time from 21 to 23 October in the romantic Fachwerkstatt Wolframs-Eschenbach in Middle Franconia (Bavaria). The 15 teams from five nations – all with a national breeding approval from grade “good” in their pockets – did not know exactly what they were getting into. The ink in the exam regulations was not quite dry yet – and some of them could not even look inside.
Examination of the Test
But that much was already clear: dogs and leaders were not only tested by an international, high-caliber judiciary quorum – they were also guinea pigs for the examination regulations themselves. However, this did not detract from the commitment and zeal of the participants. At minus degrees and
Hare traces were worked on in frosty pastel colors, ducks were picked up in the reeds and brought, bushed, stood and looked after.
Half of the dogs did not pass the two-day exam – but that’s not what it was all about. “In the foreground is in the test runs the examination regulations,” said one of the organizers. This was also noticeable in the frequent and intensive discussions of the judges on how to interpret and evaluate individual tasks and performances. This ultimately benefited the participants. “I learned a lot from this exam. The judges have really put in a lot of effort and explained their decisions well and comprehensibly, “summarized Martin Burggraf his impressions. His KLM bitch “Eike vom Schmuttertal” not only reached the second highest score, she was also the best dog in the forest and received the Armbruster holding badge.
The subjects spanned the entire field of application of the Münsterländer. The examination regulations of many other breeds from wire hair to Viszla, from the Weimaraner to the Bretons served as suggestions. Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen was in agreement with the judges and association colleagues: “The dogs, which did not meet the requirements this time, show us where it still hangs and where we need to improve further.
Symphony instead of piecemeal
The goal is clear: We are looking for in an international exam calm, balanced and strong-minded dogs. They should work fine-nosed in the field, but also master the hard-working in the forest and water. We want dogs with huntsmanship, yet easy to guide. “Nevertheless, he is convinced: the perfect examination regulations do not exist. During the tightrope walk between pure system testing and the evaluation of performance and experience, there will probably always be room for improvement in the future. With the experience of the second test run, the final chamfer of the examination regulations is now being worked out. After the third, final test in the coming year, she is in the associations to vote before. If it is accepted there, it can be regularly organized and conducted as an “official” examination in the various national Münsterland breed societies. In any case, the dogs and their guides in Wolframs-Eschenbach have already shown how to find out what a true Münsterlander is like this year.
Bernd-Dieter Jesinghausen: “The examination regulations of the IMP have passed the stress test of the trial runs and get a chance.”
Info:
original report (in german) as PDF: Zeitungsartikel Pirsch 2011 Frau Dr. Miller