It was a challenge to persuade Rottweiler friends from all continents to come to a country that in Western perception may not share the Western way of treating and living with dogs.
However, all those who had been here before or now came here for the first time, know that this perception is false. All have witnessed that the love of the Chinese people for the dog is just as warm and great as it is in other continents and that the dog has in China become just as much part of the family as in the West.
Coming here and standing side by side with the Chinese dog lover was a way and a must to prove this and to support the hard work of the Chinese dog lover for a legally consolidated canine welfare.
The organisation of the FCI World Dog Show and of the IFR World Show must and will contribute to a more correct perception, to better contacts, to a better communication, to a better mutual exchange of knowledge and of canine genetics. Breeders, owners and the dogs will profit from this, not from self-proclaimed braveness on Western keyboards.
The role of the CKURK and especially also its President Mr. Zhao Dongmin is not to be underestimated and for this, again, my thanks.
Bringing the IFR World Show to China was a challenge, it was also a necessity for other reasons.
Not only is it proof of the international nature of our Federation and of our interest and respect for the Rottweiler and Rottweiler Friends from all over the world, regardless of their geographic or cultural origin, it was also an occasion to introduce, discuss and emphasise the IFR’s goals and ideals to all Asian Rottweiler lovers and clubs.
At the last meeting of the Delegates of the IFR, we gave a clear definition of the purpose and the working instruments of our federation : the preservation and the promotion of the Rottweiler, worldwide, in one homogeneous definition : in body and mind a healthy and stable dog, extremely versatile in his utility, with a place in the family but also on the working field and always with the physical and mental characteristics of the working dog. This will only be achieved by prior testing of all parent dogs on their health and both physical and mental conformation to the breed standard.
There is still much work to be done to introduce this idea(l) to all Rottweiler clubs in the world, especially as even some clubs who are a member of the IFR do not fully comply to the above stated criteria.
In many ways, the Chinese club may in fact be an example for other clubs. It is indeed heart-warming to witness how the club, very isolated from other countries, on its own and but driven by a boundless love and understanding of the breed is striving to realize the IFR goals.
The club has introduced health tests as for instance HD and ED. It introduces mental tests, incl. tests of social behaviour (BH) and it underlines their importance. The drives of the utility dog (IGP) are promoted and the club is doing its best to unmask imported dogs that were imported with working certificates but who have in reality may never been on a working field. Judges are asked to judge correct and openly, maybe even hard, and to penalize dogs that show extreme characteristics or lack the traits needed for utility, …
In short, I have seen the Chinese Rottweiler Club evolve towards the sort of club that we, Rottweiler lovers worldwide, need. The sort of club that the IFR needs : a club that is not just there to organize shows of create a market for breeders but a club that aims at breeding and keeping the correct Rottweiler in the correct way.
I was therefore happy that organizing the IFR World Show clearly opened the door for a better communication with Western clubs but also with other (well represented) Asian clubs. My suggestion to organize a broad regional event under the auspices of the IFR, aiming at a cooperation between countries as for example China, Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, … and maybe even Australia, was discussed and will hopefully take concrete form. This will doubtlessly help to introduce the IFR’s goals and ideals to many more countries.
About the show itself, nothing but praise. The show field was perfectly organized and taken care off. Numerous tents offered shelter. Flags gave national pride but also a colourful cheerful atmosphere. The rings were more than large enough to judge the dogs in movement and all were nicely equipped with tent, table and chairs and an individual sound system.
The price-table was beautiful and showed not only cups and statutes (the latter offered by a Western sponsor) but also the statute of a Rottweiler, created by a famous Chinese sculptor, that the evening before had been presented with lots of splendour to the numerous audience that participated the opening diner.
Unknown is unloved … and the CKURK did all it could do to bring change to this : all judging was filmed in close-up and live broadcasted so Rottweiler lovers all over China could follow in real time. There were camera-teams between the rings and even camera-drones hovering above the rings and national television gave not less than 4 times a full hour coverage of the event.
A last word to the Rottweiler lovers who had entered their dogs for the show or who were present as visitors : whatever the results your dogs achieved, thank you for being here !
As I said before the show started : our IFR World Show is much more than a just a show and more than just a contest for the title, however prestigious the World title may be.
Our World Show is indeed not just about winning, it is an event to feast and honour the breed, it is an event for all lovers of the breed to enjoy and promote the Rottweiler as the great dog he is … even if it is not your dog.
You have come from far away to participate in this feast and to support a message that is the message of the IFR : that the Rottweiler is a great dog who deserves his place on every continent, in every country, in every culture, in every family !
To the organisation and to all participants : thank you ! To the breed : I wish you a bright future !
On behalf of the IFR-Board,
D. Vandecasteele
IFR-President.
