The New York herald., 1922-10-22
JUDGE EMPHASIZES
GAIT OF SHEPHERDS
Leading Factor in Selection of
New Champion, Erich Won
Grafenwerth.
ny FRANK +. DOLE.

Shepherd dogs now have. a new king,
Erich Won Grafenwerth. owned by the
Hamilton Park Kennels of James Cox
Brady 1t was great week for the
breed, for these is no question that the
show at the 1T4th Regiment Armory
was the finest in the history of the
Shepherd Dog Club of America. Nat
urally the best dog in the show must
be conceded the title Of the breed as all
the best ones were there.
In spite of the size of the show and
the quality of the dogs the attendance
was disappointing 1t is hapdly probable
that more than 200 people in all saw the
show. 1t was difflcult to follow the
Judging of the foreign type which DR..
Kurt Rosebec< displayed. Both English
and American experts who watched him
work found it difficult to see just how
he was making up his decisions on the
placing of the dogs.
The work of DIR. Rosebeck was un-
usually painstaNng. He made 1t some
what difficult for the exhibitors and the
dogs, but there is no gainsaying the
fact that he saw enough of them to
place them correctly, although some OF
the fans fancied the champion bitch
Debora Won Weimar of the Joseile
Kennels more than they did Erich.
The Judging method of DIR. Rosebeck
is better fitted for field trials than for
a bench show. He walked and ran the
dogs great distances, and in crowded
ring IL was not only a strain for those
competing but for those who at the
ringside were. trying to follow the judg-
ing. However, the club must be given
great credit for going to the expense
of hiring the big armory and of bringing
the fudge from Germany. 1t must nave
meant an expense in the neighborhood
of $4,000 over the proceeds.
DR.. Rosebeck laid greatest emphasis In
his Judging on the gait OF the dogs lie
did not want any short mincing steps
but demanded the long, frictionless
glide. closely resembling a stalking woii.
II was for this reason that he put the
exhibitors and dogs through such ex-
tended pacing.
In discussing the show DIR, Rosebeck
said he was much impressed with the
manner IN which the whole affair was
conducted. He was particularly en-
thusiastic about the way the dogs Were
handled in the ring. 1t wJs much bet
Ter than the work of handlers In GER
many. lie 1elt. however, tilhl W seSt'Nttil'
all the dogs were shown too fat. lie
believed, they should have more exercise
to take the flabbiness out OF muscles
and the surplus fat off the body
An idea of the pains DR.. Rose5ccll
took in the judging may be gathered
from the fact that although there We're
few dogs in the Grand Central chair'-
pionship class it took him an nour and
half to make his decision. However,
when he finally made his decision 1t
was cone in moment, and Erich was
placed over both Gerri Won Oberkla'nm
and Dolf Won Dusternbrook. There were
many who thought the latter Tie best
dog, but DIR. Rosebeck said Dolf was
shy and nervous and that Gerri was
weak across the loins.
1t was undoubtedly true that Dolf
WINGED under the tests, but many at the
ringside remembered The gameness he
had shown when during the pacing his
handler, Lewis Worden, manager for the
.Joselle Kennels. had fallen over him.