A One's Cocker Spaniels

St Peter-Ording, Germany, May 13, 1999

St Peter-Ording consists of three small health resorts in the "Wattenmeer" (largest in the world), i e the North Sea part, that gets dry at low water, in the Bundesland of Schleswig-Holstein. It is a captivating idyllic spot with a 12-km-long sandy beach. In some places it is15 kms from the islands to the mainland.

There are two parts, one extending from the Danish border as far as the mouth of the River Elbe, the other from the Elbe to the Dutch border. Typical of the Wattenmeer is the dramatic change of the tides.

At low water you can see only the naked bottom of the sea, full of rivulets, as far as the horizon. At high tide the water rolls in very rapidly and surprisingly. Don´t fall asleep on the beach! Within an hour the bottom will be filled with water. The calm rills will then turn into wild and violent brooks with very dangerous suction. A walk between the mainland and the islands without a guide, who knows the dangers well, can be fatal.

Of course you can go to the islands by ferry but only Borkum and Nordeney accept cars.

The well-known health and seaside resort St Peter-Ording is situated on the peninsula of Eiderstedt, where you can also find the famous lighthouse Westerheversand. It is 40 m tall and sends out its light 22 nautic miles out into the North Sea. When the weather is good you can see the light even on the island of Helgoland. The lighthouse is secured behind a 4-meter-high sea-wall.

In May the Jagdspaniel-Klub arranged a show for the first time in St Peter-Ording. We arrived at the show-grounds at a quarter before the opening ceremonies, after missing the Gothenburg ferry the night before. Six hours´ waiting in the pouring rain for the next departure. Which was booked up to the limit, of course. A matter of sticking to one´s guns, simply.

Mayor Rainer Balsmeier was to present the BIS-cup and the local fishmonger, Franz Schön of the "Smoke-barn", provided the lunch - pickled herrings covered with onion on lettuce leaves in rolls fresh from the oven. And a cold beer with it. What a taste sensation after 1000 kms´ driving!

Judges were Mr Bruno Richter and Mrs Regine Sommer. Her breeding, blue/roan/tan Moritz von Meiendorf, owned by Gisela Beyersdorf (Dr Peter Beyersdorf is President of the Jagdspaniel-Klub and a much esteemed judge in his home-country as well as abroad), won the dog field trial class.

Champion class dogs was won by DTCH VDHCH Midnight Train Vom Rauhen Holz.

Blue Line Sam Flipper won open class dogs. Stocdale Super Sunday, by Stocdale Make Dreams out of Stocdale High On Emotion, in the same class, was not placed.

A very nice, short, strong and cobby red dog, Insider von der Bergkämpe, was best solid open class dog. One of those friendly German reds, strolling about all day without a leash. A perfect partner for my red champion bitch on heat! HD+, just my luck.

Blue Satin Forever A One´s won a big parti junior class bitches. The Jugendanwartschaft, however, was gained by pretty red Ondra vom Weinberger Feld, by Camillo´s Playmate out of Maike v Weinberger Feld.

No solid bitch open class gained a V and accordingly was not admitted to the finals. Dan L´s Hope For The Best, alone in her class, represented field trial bitches.

A daughter of Mrs Sommer´s well-known Ulmo von Meiendorf, Debbie vom Niendorfer Gehege, was best open parti bitch and  VDHCH DT BSG97 SFUCH WW98 Moonlight MattieVom Rauhen Holz won her championclass. She was later best bitch,  thereby gaining her fourth Siegeranwartschaft. And so she is now DTCH Klub, the fourth DTCH & VDHCH at Kennel A One´s.

BoB and finally Best In Show was DTCH VDHCH Midnight Train Vom Rauhen Holz, his second German BIS this year. He was also BIS at Berlin International with 3.217 entries.

Big sensation, however, was presented by the above Moritz von Meiendorf. Since best dog Hansi had no use of his Siegeranwartschaft, this desirable document can be passed on to the second best dog, which was Moritz. This incredible dog accordingly became not only DTCH but also Klubwinner - as he has the field trial qualifications - something very unusual. At the age of 10 years, mind you! Huge congrats to the Beyersdorf family!

Ann S