BREEDER INTERVIEW—MARK & BONNIE GOODWEIN, KOPPERTONE VIZSLAS
Jazz
Wirehaired Vizslas), other breeders and local veterinarians. We are involved with numerous clubs and organizations to help promote the sport of purebred dogs as well as being available to answer questions about living with a Vizsla or Wirehaired Vizsla. Our mentors, Marion Coffman and Zófia Miczek, have instilled in us that the true gauge of a breeding program is not in the show ring, field or other arenas, but in the whelping box and being true to the purpose of the breeds and being able to prove it. How many dogs do you currently house? Tell us about your facility and how the dogs are maintained. Our dogs live alongside our family, so we only keep as many dogs as there are enough couches to comfortably lounge on. Some of our top dogs are co-owned with special friends and fellow life- long enthusiasts of the breed. This allows us to keep a limit on the number of dogs that reside with us, especially since property sizes in Southern California can be financially limiting to keeping ken- nels. Vizslas are very social, smart, and often needy dogs that thrive best in a family environment where they get plenty of socialization. They are called “Velcro Vizslas” for a reason. Our litters are born in our bedroom and graduate to the family room where they are in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the house. They are social- ized with people and the rest of the pack, and get the opportunity to explore the outside when they are stable on their feet. Who were some of your most significant dogs, both in the whelping box and in the show ring? To date, we have more than 70 titled dogs having accumulated titles in Conformation, Field, Obedience, Agility, and Track- ing. Our Vizsla foundation bitch, INT’L CH/AM CH Cariad’s Cricket’nak Hivak had a big impact on our breeding program, producing multiple Top 10 Vizslas and a National Specialty Best of Opposite, CH Koppertone’s Magyar Buszke CD, and CH Kop- pertone’s Cariad Baratom CDX, and his grandson, NBIS BIS CH Koppertone’s Cariad Tivadar, who took me on a ride to a Breeder/ Owner-Handled NBISS in 2005. Our top show bitch was 2XBIS 16XBISS GCH Koppertone’s Classical Minuet. “Minnie” was a two-time Westminster winner and the 2008 VCA Show Dog of the Year. We have also had multiple high achievers in Agility,
CH Koppertone’s Cariad Baratom
Austin Pole Weaving
Obedience, and Rally, including Koppertone Dorratz Soul Bos- sanova UD, PCDX, BN, MX, MXB, MJS, NF, T2B2, Kopper- tone’s Casey Baratom, UDX, RAE, MX, MXB, MXJ, MJB, and CH Koppertone’s California Girl CDX, RAE, NA, NAJ, NF, RATO, TKN. (AKC Pending - Breeder of Merit Gold Status.) Our Wirehaired Vizsla experience started before the breed was recog- nized by the AKC. We picked up “Izzy” in New York via Hungary, at eight weeks old. GCH Zoldmali Csongor CM, SH was the first Wirehaired Vizsla to earn a GCH and SH. He was also the first WH Vizsla to win Best of Breed at the Westminster KC show in 2015 and was a 2X NOHS BIS winner. He also had a Sporting Group Show BIS at the Rainer Sporting Dog Show. We have done limited breeding, but hope to have the same successes as we have had in Vizslas. Please comment positively on your breed’s present condition and what trends might bear watching. Given the breed’s noble ancestry, versatility in all areas of canine competition, and superior companionship, it is not difficult to see why Vizslas have seen a sharp rise in popularity. Luckily, we also have some of the most passionate and dedicated people devoted to protecting and preserving the welfare of this wonderful breed. One observation we have noticed recently is a trend toward a dog smaller in size and lacking bone and substance. We recently sent a video to a well-known breeder in Hungary of a Vizsla class at a local show. There was a sharp contrast in size between the Open bitches being exhibited. “Are these all Vizslas?”, she asked. “They would not be able to compete in hunting competitions here!” Her comments bear some concern, since the Vizsla was bred to be a medium-sized dog that can hunt feathered and furred game on land or in the water.
Talia
114 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, JANUARY 2022
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