They managed it! Who would have dared put their money on the FCI European Section's 2012 Show in Bucharest being such a resounding success? Victim of a smear campaign on the social networks (what power, what strength, often positive but at times also very harmful), the Asociatia Chinologica Romana (AchR) was able to keep a cool head, rising to the challenge and attracting more than 6,000 dogs to the Romanian capital. The AChR was able to leverage the smear campaign against it to promote the show, and the least we can say is that it was very successful in doing so. Congratulations to the whole Romanian team, brilliantly led by Mr C. Stefanescu and Mr P. Muntean.

Unfortunately, three of the canine world’s top personalities have recently left us and the FCI would like to pay tribute to them here...

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Yves De Clercq
FCI Executive Director
Utility Dogs - World Championship – 20-23/09 – Zalaegerszeg (HU)

35 countries from all over the world were represented by 134 top trained dogs of 7 different breeds, at the very friendly town of Zalaegerszeg in Hungary, which hosted FCI's 22nd World Championship for Utility Dogs.
Tracking, Obedience & Defence are the three disciplines for the participating dogs, which are judged by three different judges - one for each discipline - according to the FCI’s International Trial Rules (I.P.O. = Internationale Prüfungsordnung). Each discipline is evaluated with 100 points for the absolute execution of the exercises.

© Ioanna Galanos
Obedience phase B, Germany-5, “Orcan von Fürther Moor”, Malinois, Handler: Knut Fuchs

“HASCO VAN DE DUVETORRE” a Belgian Shepherd Dog - Malinois handled by the multi winner Mario Verslijpe from Belgium was the Champion of IPO FCI 2012, with 292 points (A=96, B= 98, C=98).
On the second place stepped on the podium another Malinois, “DUSTY VOM HORNBACHTAL” with 289 points (A=97, B= 96, C=96), handled by the German Karl Heinz Knies & on the third place, one more Malinois, “YACKSON DE VILLALAZAN” with 287 points (A=97, B= 93, C=97), handled by the Austrian Jürgen Schwendinger.
GERMANY with 859 points, got the first place in the Team ranking, HUNGARY the second with 847 points & AUSTRIA the third with 843 points.
For the calculation of the Team ranking, the points of the best three dogs of each country are added.

© Ioanna Galanos
Protection phase C, Greece-2, “Grace vom Gsiberger”, German Shepherd, Handler: Nikos Ioannidis

The countries may take part to the World Championship, with a Team of maximum 5 dogs, which are basically chosen through one or more Qualification Trials throughout the months before the World Championship. All the working dog breeds can participate in this top event of the International Working Dog Sport, which takes place every September, in a different country.
4 dogs out of the 134 were the World Champions of their Breeds for 2011, participating with a “Wild Card”, for the first time in the history of this Championship, as an extra dog to the Team of their country. These were the Boxer, the Dobermann, the Rottweiler and the Malinois Champion 2011, who succeeded to be also the FCI IPO Champion 2012. With Wild Card participates always the FCI IPO World Champion of the previous year.
66 Malinois, 60 German Shepherds, 4 Dobermanns, 1 Boxer, 1 Dutch Shepherd Dog, 1 Giant Schnauzer, and 1 Rottweiler, were the selected representatives of the 7 different competing breeds in this Championship.

© Ioanna Galanos
Panorama view of the Teams in the Closing Ceremony of the FCI IPO WC 2012

The sport is very popular around the world and the dogs are trained continuously by their handlers, both enjoying tremendously what they do. The sport fans, the breeders, the handlers, the dog lovers who attend such a spectacular dog event, may see and realise the quality of the participating dogs, in aspect of Drive, Self-Confidence and Stress Tolerance, virtues that are prerequisite in that level of competing dogs.

© Ioanna Galanos
The President of the Hungarian Kennel Club Mr. Andras Korozs & the Team Leaders of the Hungarian Team, handing over the FCI Flag to the Team Leaders of Czech Republic Team, during the Closing Ceremony of the FCI IPO WC 2012

Working Competitions contribute to the overall health and work ethic of the Dog, with regard to maintaining his utility from generation to generation and to the improvement of the Breeds, as well as in promoting health and fitness.
It is imperative that the dog is handled in a fair, orderly and humane way. To achieve harmony between the man and his dog, it is important for the handler to go into the dog’s world, understand its abilities, and to possess high level of training skills.

© gabordogphoto@gmail.com
Hungarian Team, Silver Medal

Many congratulations to the Hungarian Organisation Team, for preparing a very well-organised World Championship. It takes a very long period of hard work, in order to achieve the successful outcome in every aspect, we all saw in Zalaegerszeg. On the same time we enjoyed a relaxed and stressless Event, with very friendly atmosphere, coming from the good willed people involved.

The Team of people who worked for the FCI IPO WC 2012

We renewed our appointment for next year’s FCI IPO Worlds Championship in Czech Republic.

Ioanna Galanos
Team Leader of the Greek Team