Ambiorix Trofee 2020

 As usual, this show is held in Genk in the Limburg Halls that suit very well for a dog show. On Saturday it was difficult to walk around because still too many people don't mind about other people and for them, the rule," first come first served" means "first-come, most space" seem to apply.

Maybe the organization should fence up space a little more. It has proved to help in many other shows and even on Sunday, when small arrangements were made, it was better. A grooming area and separate areas for setting up stuff seem to help.

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When people can just sit wherever they want, they don't mind where and how much space they take. The result was that some passages were blocked and created dangerous situations in case something might happen.  People were urged to move and make passages free again, some with heavy protest. Why do certain exhibitors need to sit right beside the ring with all their stuff and dogs in cages, grooming and picnic tables opened? Sometimes other exhibitors can hardly find the entrance of the ring. Where are the good old days when dogs were in cages like at Crufts. 

But this was only a detail of this show, something that was solved already in the morning of the first day. The rest of the show was more than OK.  The timing was good and that is important. People like to go home in time, visitors like to see the finals before leaving and still be in time for dinner and if every item of the finals is going smoothly, it is not boring. Last year this club made a new podium and a trophy display and again it proved very pleasing for the eye. However, I wonder why it always needs to be stuffed with flowers, cups, bags of food, etc.  Most of those things can be put on the floor so it does not block the view for the photographers.  A young artist who creates original collars for dogs was sponsoring the event and I was impressed with the very original creations! 

Dogs came from 10 different countries, 869 from Belgium, 132 from France, 176 from Germany and 246 from the Netherlands. There were 5 dogs from the UK. There were only 12 judges invited and with an average of 80 dogs/judging day this show had a very high score, good for the budget, especially if you know that 5 of them were from Belgium and 6 of them judged one day only.  Many breeds were well represented too. Mr. Coppens from the Netherlands had 96 dogs on Sunday. He judged 23 Dalmatians and 24 Rhodesian Ridgebacks plus several others.

On Saturday he judged 23 Miniature Spitzes that become very popular nowadays. Mr. Jos De Cuyper from Belgium hat the 3rd best overall score with 187 entries, 111 on Sunday. Mr. Piotr Kroll from Poland is present as usual since I don't know how long anymore. He seems never to miss an edition.

And he was successful too with 116 dogs on Saturday and another 114 on Sunday, making him the best-scoring judge of the weekend. He judged most retrievers including 18 Flat-Coated Retrievers, 27 Labradors, and no less than 41 Golden Retrievers. Mrs. Mills from Ireland was one of the judges who judged only one day. She had 88 dogs on Saturday and that included 38 Chihuahuas. Mr. Dimitry Van Raamsdonk had 66 dogs, 25 of them English Bulldogs and 25 Bernese Mountain Dogs. His wife had 79 dogs, 27 Miniature Schnauzers, and 23 Leonbergers plus several other breeds.

With only 665 dogs to judge on Sunday, the main ring could start well in time and Mrs. De Ridder- Onghena, one of Belgium's few all-rounders, who was granted the honor to judge the Best Of Breed. Her 3rd place went to the Giant Schnauzer black,  "Gloris Knockout Jack", a male that was entered in Intermediate class to be judges by Mrs.Van Raamsdonck. Mr.Andersson from Sweden chose him to represent the Group for the finals. Jack had 6 competitors, is two years old and owned by Jeanique Van Der Linden from the Netherlands.  

Another win for the Netherlands was the Irish Wolfhound "Pierce van de Tortelduif", a +3 year old male, bred and owned by Rooijen. He was entered in Champion Class where he was judged by Mr.Jos De Cuyper along with 12 others and that is a very good entry for this breed.

Mr.Coppens from the Netherlands gave him a chance to compete for the BIS, judging the Group. The Best In Show winner was awarded to the Belgian Shepherd Tervueren, "Grimmendans Qarasco". Aertgeerts Firmin bred him less than 3 years ago and sold him the Dirk and Myriam Spruyt-Vermeire, our well-known Belgian- judges couple.  13 Were entered, Grimmendans in Open Class. The breed judge was our BIS judge, Mrs.De Ridder-Onghena. Mr.Krol was the judge who picked him out as the Group winner. Qarasco is a very well showing dog, alert and attentive and a nice example for the breed.

Next year it will again be a CACIB edition and held very early in the year, 9 and 10 January. Let us hope that by that time, the Covid-19 virus will be under control.

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Photos by Karl Donvil - 123Dog.net