Vizsla Breed Magazine - Showsight

WITH GREG ANDERSON, MARISSA CLARK, PLUIS DAVERN, RICHARD HILDERMAN, DR. DANA MASSEY, LINDA ROBEY & KATHY RUST

maintaining that beautiful breed type… not giving way to a generic field dog. I find head proportions are fairly consistent in the breed; good scissor bites and large white teeth. Feet are usually good, and I must say, I need a good foot on a Sporting or Working Dog! I would also comment that I do not see Vizslas that are vicious. With a large entry I am pleased to find some beautifully made dogs. I would also like to say the Vizsla exhibitors are fine folks, friendly, welcoming and kind to their dogs. PD: The Vizsla is an exceptionally devoted breed, liking nothing better than to curl up on someone’s lap and always ‘in touch’ . They are extremely intelligent and very easy to train. Their ability to live as house dogs, raise the children, guard the home then go out and hunt all day over every type of terrain coupled with their almost cat-like cleanliness makes them an exemplary companion. RH: I think it is extremely important to understand that this is a functional breed. I encourage all judges (especially aspiring judges) and breeders to attend Vizsla field trials, watch the dogs work and talk with field breeders/exhibi- tors. This will make the standard come alive and become more meaningful. KR: The Vizsla should exude the vision of strength, power and agility in a moderate package that has enough sub- stance to not appear weedy, but not too much to appear heavy or cumbersome. A Vizsla is balanced elegance that is in the appropriate condition to perform all day in the field. 7. And, for a bit of humor: What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever experienced at a dog show? GA: The funny and embarrassing thing for me, and I have seen it often, but it always makes me laugh, I was han- dling my top Cocker at the time in Las Vegas (very dry and windy). The judge was Carl Liepman, he was going over my dog and without warning my sinuses exploded and drained all over my dog’s head and Carl's hands! He looked at me and asked for a sanitary engineer to the ring, we just busted up! Another time under Anne Clark I was in the ring and another handler just left the ring without her permission. My dog was on at the time; I looked at Anne and she looked at me with that twinkle. I said, “Do you mind holding my dog? I have to go get some coffee!” She just busted up and said, “Make me a tea!” That handler won the class when he returned; it was just too funny! MC: I had to think on this one. I decided to give away one of our own mishaps. We had not used a tent we bought for quite a while, but decided to take it to shows as it was going to be hot and we planned to stay for the entire day. My folks and I arrived, unloaded and hauled across the show site in California, where the sun was already baking

most of the exhibitors. If anyone has ever seen my family, you understand that each of the three has his or her own job. I am the mule, who hauls across the field. My mother is the master of set up. My father likes to potty the dogs and get armbands. I am truly convinced this is because he does not want to stick around and watch his daughter and wife argue about what goes where and who does what! It’s cheap and free entertainment to be sure! And so, we unwrapped the tent from its sheath, then proceed- ed to make utter idiots of ourselves as the two of us could not remember how to set the darn thing up. Where is the man who is peeing the dog? I am sure we gave a good many people laughs as they watched us try time and again. It was a lesson in humility for sure! In our defense, this was before the easy pop up tents of today. The tent was heavy and the legs were frozen. It would be fair to say we looked like the Three Stooges after Mr. Dog Walker came back and we were still unable to set it up. RH: I was showing my Vizsla in the group and on the initial go around when we passed the judging table my right arm picked up the judge's purse and I was carrying it around the ring. Since this was a new experience I had to think quickly and somehow, without losing a step, I gracefully dropped the purse without spilling the con- tents. We even placed in the group! DM: We went to a hunt test in Iowa one day. My friend had her Vizsla from Betty Rozanik in the van and I had my Weims. The puppy Vizsla, Shannon, was about 6 months old. She pulled my new orange vest into the crate and had her way with it during the trip over from Omaha. Lat- er, in the field, my Weimaraner went on a strong point, I reached into my pocket for my pistol--nothing there! I looked up at the judge on horseback and said, “It’s gone.” He said, “Well, do something!” I yelled “BANG!” Hmm, maybe that wasn’t what he had in mind, more like go borrow one from the other handler or get the other handler to shoot. The puppy Vizsla had chewed a hole in the pocket and the gun had fallen out somewhere in the field. We failed. Boo! LR: Years ago, a Siberian bitch slipped her collar and did the Siberian run around the ring for at least 10 minutes. I’m sure her handler wanted to strangle her, but everyone was laughing, (which of course made it worse). Things happen, so you have to have a good sense of humor. KR: What comes to mind is having one of my Vizslas, Earl, escape from his pen and track me all the way across a fairgrounds and join me in the ring as I was showing a Papillon. He moved right into position and gaited right around the ring, stopped and freestacked for the judge. After the shock of seeing him, all of us broke out laugh- ing and the judge gave him a cursory exam as his rear was wiggling non-stop. It was a reminder that shows are really all about the dogs!

S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , M ARCH 2017 • 267

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