Journal-Donaue 2017

Ausstellungen | UW 10 | 2014 |
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The horse racing track at Berlin-Karlshorst
has been a historical place during Second
World War for the famous Greyhound breeder
Walter Birkner-Kiesewetter (Greyhounds
von Birknershof). With contacts as a highly
respected breeder of racing horses the club
members cooperated at the time to organize
his getaway to escape the red army. The
German magazine “Stern” reported a full
photo story about another Noah’s ark when
Birkner chartered a private plane to bring his
precious animals (including thoroughbred
horses and Greyhounds) via Hamburg to the
later final destination of the Birknershof at the
Black Forrest- close to the beautiful area of
Donaueschingen – the today’s meeting point of
Sighthound Fanciers from all over the world to
meet at the Sighthound Festival.
Since the 1980ies lure coursing as the original
sport with sighthounds gets surprisingly
popular in Germany. For a long time the system
or the north of Germany is favoured – but
compared to the international system based on
the French “PVL” (Poursuite à Vue du Lièvere –
Lure Sight Hunting) was finally not successful.
Most of the international lure coursing rules
are tested in Germany around the 1990. Up to
then lure coursing wasn’t really accepted as a
serious sport with Sighthounds but considered
as a pastime for Sighthound owners with rather
unsuccessful racers on the track.
1992 until today
The German Sighthound
Association as successful
organizer of Sighthound
sport events
Since that time the German Sighthound Association
is recognized as an important partner
of the German Kennel Club and a trustable
member of the FCI. With more than 50 racing
clubs all over Germany the Sighthound Association
is still very active in Sighthound sport. An
impressive number of FCI events was organized
by the German Sighthound Association: The
first FCI World Championships in Sighthound
Racing took place at Hildesheim / Germany in
1991 and was followed by similar successful FCI
events in 1997 at Freiburg, 2001 at Münster and
2007 at Sachsenheim.
The 1st European Championship in Racing took
place at Gelsenkirchen in 1993 and again in
1999. FCi European championships took place
at Freiburg in 2004, once again at Gelsenkirchen
in 2009 and 2015 at Hünstetten, close to
Frankfurt. Even the racing for the FCI’s 100th
anniversary was held in Münster / Germany
in 2011.
since the late
1980ies
A constantly growing interest
in lure coursing
During the last decades the interest in lure
coursing was constantly growing and proved
to fit even better to the aim of combining
confirmation and functionality (so called
beauty & performance). Since many years a
Dual Winner can be achieved by combining the
show ability at one day and the performance
at racings or lure coursings the next day. It is a
special award for many decades at most of the
Germany’s specialties.
Up to now two FCI European championships
took place in Germany: The lure coursing club
Weser-Ems at Hoope (close to Bremen) was the
successful organizer in 2005. Another European
championship took place lately at Pouch (close
to Greppin / Bitterfeld) in 2013.
Since several years a growing number of
participants is competing for the dual purpose
award “Dual Winner Donaueschingen – show
and coursing”. Lure coursing started to be
recognized equal to the traditional track racing
having a long tradition in Germany. Only this
year (2017) the Club winner was not only
awarded for show and racing, but for the first
time in lure coursing as well at the Landstuhl
Racing and Lure Coursing Club (close to
Saarbrücken).
The following year another step into the future
was implemented: The “Donaueschingen
Sighthound Festival” takes place for the very
first time, those days in cooperation with the
Sighthound Association of Switzerland. – Up
to today this Event developed to be one of the
major Sighthound events worldwide. The new
president and famous Sloughi breeder, Eckhard
Schritt, was one of the creators.
1992
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