Dear Readers,

When you read this Editorial, the Société Royale Saint-Hubert will have organised the 2016 FCI European Section Show in Brussels.

More than 12,000 participating dogs have entered this prestigious event !!! Isn’t it amazing? It depends on how you look at those figures! It’s amazing “per se” as such an entry places the 2016 FCI European Section Show among the top 3 of all the FCI Section Shows ever. It’s amazing because the World has been going and turning somewhat wrong lately but still, exhibitors and breeders do want to live their passion for dogs and keep taking part in all kinds of canine events, be it shows or sport competitions. We do thank and congratulate them for that.

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Yves De Clercq
FCI Executive Director
FCI Obedience Commission - Activity report

The FCI Obedience Commission had its annual meeting on 23-24 May 2015 in Prague Czech Republic). Representatives from sixteen countries participated; we are delighted, since the number of participants has been increasing. Efforts are made to increase the number of representatives in our commission and to spread the interest in dog Obedience sport.

One of the main topics at our annual meeting was discussing some details of and making some clarifications in the new Obedience rules and guidelines for classes I-III that are effective from 1.1.2016. Delightfully, most - if not all - European countries are applying these rules for classes I-III. In addition, most countries have a national beginners’ class with exercises and judging criteria of their own, but probably well aligned with the FCI classes I-III.

As the World Winner in Obedience will not be tied to the World Winner Dog Show anymore in the future, planning and deciding on the sites of future World Winner competitions - some 4-5 years ahead - and discussing the guidelines for arranging a World Winner competitions were important issues of the meeting.

The World Winner competition 2015 in Obedience was held in Turin, Italy, on 18-21 June. There were competitors from 21 different countries, of which 19 countries had sent a team. There were altogether 101 competitors. The judges of the WW competition were Gianfranco Giraudi (ltaly), Christelle Nomine (France), Kjell Edström (Sweden) and Palle Bergsø (Denmark).

The team results for 2015 were:

  1. FINLAND 802 points
    Christa-Enqvist Pukkila, Tending Able Tiger
    Riitta Kivimäki, Somolis Tikka
    Oili Huotari, Tending Occult
    The gold medalists
  2. GERMANY 786 points Sandra Rohrer, I'm Freezer vom Chiemgauer Ländchen
    Shauna Wenzel, Cedric, Cherish Chances von der kleinen Arche
    Birgit Lacher, Gwendolyn from Carolyn's Home
    The silver medalists
  3. NORWAY 773 points Aina Røine, Kylie
    Line Fatland Frøystad, Harry-Pepper
    Hege Bakke, Despina Galdr
    The bronze medalists
  4. SWEDEN 765 points
  5. ITALY 757 points
  6. RUSSIA 755 points

The individual medals were presented to:

1 Mirian Søndergaard Denmark Casey 275.00
2 Christa Enqist-Pukkila Finland Tending Able Tiger 270.50
3 Fedorova Galina Russia Wonder Westspacy 264.50
4 Riitta Kivimäki Finland Somollis Tikka 264.25
5 Rebecca Wiederman Germany Dancer from Schwanauer Land 260.75
6 Oili Huotari Finland Tending Occult 259.75

The three medalists

In October the FCI Obedience Commission arranged a weekend-judges’ meeting in Hemer (Germany) at the excellent and very well suitable facilities of DVG (Deutscher Verband der Gebrauchshundsportvereine). The German canine organisation, VDH, hosted the event. There were over 40 participants from some 20 countries. The arrangements were excellent and all participants were interested in and keen on learning the nuances of the new rules we composed. The Commission is grateful to all those who contributed to this successful and useful weekend.

Carina Savander-Ranne
President of the FCI Obedience Commission