Hegewald - Historical news for Italian dog lovers: in Germany, in Straubing, at the 2017 edition of Hegewald held from 27 to 30 September, the first and second places in the ranking were deserved by two German Wirehaired Pointer bred in Italy. An unprecedented result, if you consider that in the history of the 84 editions of the Hegewald, the first in 1920, 82 were won by Deutsch Drahthaar bred in Germany. The only exception was in 1983, when a Drahthaar bred in Holland won, but for everything else it was German hegemony with German product. 2017 was the year of the Italian bang: Quenthar IV ^ of the Zeffiro (1st class. - f) - cond. Fritz Birkeneder, e Saigo IV ° of the Zeffiro (2nd class. - m) - cond. Josef Petz, defeated a field of 200 dogs representing 14 nations.
Great emotion of the breeder Zeffiro Gallo of S. Donà di Piave for what happened, the result of a long and patient genealogical selection conducted through the so-called “Mutter linie”, that is the genetic line that favors the maternal current. A characteristic that can be clearly seen from the German pedigrees, which show the genealogy of the mare in the upper frame of the certificate and the genealogy of the stallion in the lower one.
THEHegewald it develops on different parameters from the work tests of the type we know in Italy. It is a multipurpose hunting exam for dogs no older than twenty-four months. It is aimed at highlighting the qualities of the dog as a function of reproduction (hence the age limit), from the point of view of a hunting dog that was born mainly as a pointing dog, but with peculiarities also for other functions. To the priority of the pointing dog must be added complementary hunting characteristics, deriving from the Central European perspective according to which no dead or wounded wild must be left in the field. Therefore a Drahthaar directed towards practices on traditional game, but “elasticized” on some specifics of hunting ungulates: the track, recovery and anything else inherent in the typical Central European wildlife management. In a nutshell, a faithful "hunting companion" broken in all eventualities. The examination to which the dogs are subjected to the German Hegewald is carried out on three scenarios: the examination of the hair and the shape of the body, the work in the water, the work in the field. The dog is examined for one or more days according to a very practical profile. In other words, we do not speak of race style, of path in the note, of extreme elegance and tact in taking the point and so on.
In the examination of Hegewald we go to the point of the hunting discourse, to that essentially practical aspect that interests the German hunter on the ground. The point of view is therefore that of a hunting dog, from pointing, which for the assessment in function of a safe recovery must necessarily put its nose on the ground and detail minutely, continuing in this way and resolving by tracing almost like a hound. "By the piece" or a perfect recuperator. He has to break the stop to break through, for example, into a bush to raise the previously stopped game, which will only become available to the rifle in this way. The concepts of German hunting canine of the late 800th - early 900th century have therefore remained unchanged, which in a rigorous vision of hunting saw the pointing dog as a hunting utility dog. That is an auxiliary able, starting from a perfect basic obedience, to support his handler in all hunting environments, both before and after the shot, because the mortal sin for a Germanic hunter was not being able to retrieve a head. injured.
The history of Hegewald and its creators (Hegewald and Lauffs), and on the Pudel-pointers who were at the origin of the Drahthaar, it is long and articulated, albeit fascinating, and deserves a separate treatment that space does not allow at this time. We therefore limit ourselves to the canine-journalistic news of the victory of the Italian breeding, the result of the research and selection that the “del Zeffiro” breeding, exclusively amateur, has conducted for years. In addition, it must be said that, looked at from the strict breeding point of view, the result in Germany was even more extensive. In fact, it should be noted that the two top dogs in the ranking (Quenthar IV ^ del Zeffiro and Saigo IV ° del Zeffiro), are born from two different litters, as well as to note that at the 2017 event there were four other dogs with the affix "del Zeffiro" of three different litters, in the hands of both Italian and German handlers, all entered the standings with excellent scores. To this we must add that already in the 2011 - 2012 - 2013 editions of the Hegewald dogs from German breeding but coming from the “Zeffiro” genealogy were the winners.
The results are never taken for granted, but constancy and knowledge reward and the double victory of the Italian Drahthaar at the Hegewald is a source of pride for the national dog lovers. Made in Italy also wins in dog lovers.