Some months ago I was invited by the club ELSA from Germany to judge in the 25 years Anniversary Club Show and Specialty on 11th and 12th of July 2015.

It was an honour for me and I couldn’t say no to this event plenty of Ridgebacks and Ridgebacks lovers.

Melanie waiting for me at the airport.

I arrived to Germany on Friday and Melanie Nowak was waiting for me at the Frankfurt airport and we headed up to the location of the show, a nice village called Bad Sooden Allendorf.

On Friday everything was quiet, the rings were already placed and few people were arrived. I met Snezka Kuralt from Slovenia and her husband Gregor, a really nice couple who love the breed. Snezka was my colleague in judging, while I had to judge the females she had to do the males on Saturday and vice versa on Sunday. But we had to judge the special shows together, Best Head, Best Ridge and Best Movement and it was really nice and easy to make a decision. It has been a pleasure to judge with you Snezka!!

We also met some other members of the Club while having dinner at the hotel restaurant.

The garden of the hotel

The rings on friday evening, everything quiet and few people around.

 

Saturday and the Club Show starts.

128 RR inscribed

Judge BOB and males: Snezka Kuralt (Slovenia)

Judge females: Vanessa Moyano (Spain)

Melanie presenting the judges (Snezka and me) and Monika Pehr the president of Club ELSA

The great gifts for the winners.

I had to judge the females, which it was a pleasure. Nice females, feminine, from wheaten to red wheaten colour, with nice angulations but in general they had to improve a little bit their forechest and chest. Their character was lovely and all of them were presented in very good condition.

Me, judging

Lovely livernose female with great movement was my CAC in Open class

Shot of the moment I chosed the Best female

My Best female of the Club Show

Aminiafu's Hishima Henorr

 

Later Snezka did the BOB and it was a nice German male, Wa Kishujaa Dakari. I must say that this male was my BOB some years ago at the Switzerland Club Show, so I was happy.

 

Of course we also had the other competitions, baby, puppy, junior, veteran, breeders group, movement, head, ridge...

Best baby

Best puppy

Best junior

Best veterans

Best out of competition

Best movement females

Best movement males

Beast head females

Best head males

Ridges

Breeders group - Thuraia kennel

 

When the show finished we went to rest to the hotel and later we had the Gala’s dinner and the Tombola, plenty of nice gifts.

The Club gave me some numbers for the tombola and how lucky I was, I won some of the prices! Really nice ones, I must say.

All the people after the show really friendly and happy

Dogs sleeping after the meal and my gifts from the Tombola!

 

 

Sunday and the Specialty Show.

108 RR inscribed

Judge BOB and males: Vanessa Moyano (Spain)

Judge females: Snezka Kuralt (Slovenia)

I had to judge the males, lovely strong and masculine males. Generally red wheaten and nice character too, but they also had to improve their forechest and chest and some males had the muzzle a little bit short. But all of them were also presented in very good condition.

My best male was again the German male, Wa Kishujaa Dakari and Snezka chosed the female from Holland as Best Female, Aminiafu's Hishima Henorr.

BOB Wa Kishujaa Dakari

BOS Aminiafu's Hishima Henorr

 

The show finished at 15h, and with an English punctuality and as the weather forecast said, it started to rain. So everybody packed and started their trip back home.

Me and Snezka went for a coffee and cake in the hotel and shared our impressions about the German ridgebacks and show. We concluded that it was a perfect organized show in a lovely show ground and with really good quality Ridgebacks and better people.

Me and Snezka judging heads on saturday. We made a good team! I love this picture :)

 

On Monday morning I had to fly back to Spain, to the 35 degrees sunny Barcelona!

 

Thanks to Club ELSA and to all the participants I have enjoyed a lot and you have really nice Ridgebacks, keep the good work!

And I hope to meet you again Snezka, Gregor and Cubo, it has been a pleasure to chat with you!

My lovely souvenirs from Germany :)

To taste it during my weekend breakfasts.

Lovely present for the garden

 

Thanks to all the photographers, Magdalena Stockschläder, Monika Pehr, Oliver Dittrich, Edith Salm.

Thanks to all the people, organizers, old friends that have made this event possible I have enjoyed a lot judging your fantastic Ridgebacks.