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ATIBOX FH WM 2011
a technical and descriptive story through the eyes of Bernhard Knopek
We asked to a special remarkable spectator to comment the world championship ATIBOX FH, recently been held at Maribor, Slovenia: Mr. Bernhard Knopek.
Mr. Bernhard Knopek started his official journey through boxer’s world in 1978, when he was only 15 years old; that was the moment when he became member of BOXER-KLUB E.V. – Munich.
The VPG sport and the work with the dogs fascinated him from the beginning, at 16 years old starting his education as a protective helper (assistant), acquiring the helper and protective license in 1983.
Mr. Bernhard Knopek has been the responsible for the training and working in B.K. from 2008 to 2010. Thus, since 2008, he is active in BOXER-KLUB E.V as an education coordinator, the training and development of the training managers at local group and country group level and the training of the protective helpers in the BOXER-KLUB E.V being his main task.
The selection of the teams of the BOXER-KLUB E.V for ATIBOX world championships and national VDH championships are also in his competence.
He successfully concluded his education as a judge in the BOXER-KLUB E.V., in 2004, up to now also judging on several regional championships in the BOXER-KLUB E.V. and in the German championship.
This year he was one of the judges who valued the trials at ATIBOX IPO from Austria, Wieselburg.
He is the chairman of local group Holledau of B.K. and, starting with this year (2011), he is also the vice-president of BOXER-KLUB E.V. – Munich.
But, as he describes himself, his favorite subject is still the working Boxer, being convinced that, for breeding a Boxer, you must look for a good harmony head-body-character.
Let’s see together what happened at ATBOX FH WM 2011, from Maribor – Slovenia, through the eyes of this experimented spectator, and also to take a look on the basic technical elements in track trials having as guide the teacher Bernhard Knopek.
da sinistra: Max Höhne, Günter Karg, Hansi Höhne
MARIBOR 2011 - An international festival for Boxer friends thanks to the hospitality of the Slovenian Boxer -Club
Before I tell about that great event, ATIBOX FH WM 2011 at Maribor, I want to give a short historical review about the issue: The working Boxer in ATIBOX.
ATIBOX was founded in 1950 on the initiative of French Boxer friends, especially of Maurice Folzer.
The main idea was to get a consent in assessment of the German Boxer in show in all Boxer Clubs and to guarantee a exchange of judges among the countries without any problems. There were no intentions for collaborate in the issue of the Working Boxer.
Only in 1973 the first working event was performed in Switzerland. 9 Boxers, coming from Switzerland, Italy, France and Germany, have been handled in an IPO - trial.
For a long time ATIBOX didn’t remember of an important issue: The character of the boxer.
If we look at the standard of the German Boxer, we can read the following: First, the Boxer is a dog with working trial and second, temperament is of the utmost importance and requires careful attention.
After the first trial in 1973 trials were performed occasionally.
After a trial in 1985 performed in Neuchâtel (Switzerland) with disappointing results the Austrian Boxer Club (ÖBK) took the initiative to promote the working and training as an issue in ATIBOX.
1986 the ATIBOX committee is extended by the chairman of working; The first chairman of working in ATIBOX is Max Höhne (Austria).
It has been decided, that a IPO trial and a FH (tracking) trial will be performed annually as European Championships (EM). (IPO at the last weekend in April and FH at the first weekend in November).
1987 the IPO-EM with 42 participants from 7 countries is organized by Austria (First European Champion ATIBOX IPO was Dino Mologni, Italy with Salume ditto Zar) and 1988 the first ATIBOX FH is performed in Germany with 25 Boxers coming from 3 countries.
There have been two levels and the rules for the trial have been created by Max Höhne.
For example the dogs had to identify articles and had to lay down side by side under distraction for several minutes. Until now for example the tracks for the competitions level 1 and 2 at ATIBOX FW WM are in the layout made by Max Höhne.
The general meeting of ATIBOX on May 1998 decides that the ATIBOX trials (IPO and FH) are hold up as World Championships (WM) from now on.
At the first ATIBOX FH World Champion 1998 in Germany there have been two World Champions, because of same points: Cornell Puls (D) with Kiempa v.d. Vagabunden and Heinz Mengisen (CH) Hutch v. Schloß Fasanerie.
So much about history....
Nowadays there are 3 levels at ATIBOX FH WM:
Handler-laid, 600 paces long,
30 minutes old, three right angles,
three articles (fabric, wood, leather or rubber, length 15cm, width 5-6cm, thickness 2-3cm) that are to be placed at the second and third leg as well as the end of the track.
Time to complete: 20 min
Evaluation:
Following the track: 80 Points
articles (7+7+6): 20 Points
Total: 100 Points
Laid by a tracklayer, 800 paces, two hours old, two misguiding tracks, four right angles, one acute angle (should be the last angle). Three articles (fabric, wood, leather or rubber, length 10cm, width 3cm, thickness 1cm) that are to be placed at the second and third leg as well as the end of the track.
Time to complete: 20 min
Evaluation:
Following the track: 80 Points
articles (7+7+6): 20 Points
Total: 100 Points
Laid by a tracklayer, 1800 paces, 8 legs,
5 angles (approx. 90 degrees) - 2 acute angles (30-60 degrees), 7 articles (fabric, wood, leather or rubber, length 10cm, width 3cm, thickness 1cm), 180 min old, misguiding track (crossing). Misguiding track 30 min. before the end of the time to complete.
Time to complete: 45 min
Evaluation:
Following the track: 80 Points
articles (6 x 3 + 2): 20 Points
Total: 100 Points
The competitions Level 1 and 2 have been established for younger and inexperienced dogs to give them a chance to join ATIBOX FH too.
What has been to observe and how has the dog to work in FH - The guidelines of the FCI for tracking dog trail (FH 2):
On the day of the trail event, the dog must have reached the prescribed age (18 months).
No exceptions can be made. Condition to start is a passed BH/VT exam according to the national rules of the country.
General requirements:
The judge or the tracking-coordinator determines the layout of the tracks according to the respective terrain.
It is not permitted to have on each track, for instance, the individual turns or article placed at the same intervals or for that matter at the distance. The start must be designated with a marker, which must be place to the immediate left of the scent pad.
The order in which the tracks are run will be drawn by the judge after the tracks have been laid. The track layer must show the articles to the judge prior to laying the track.
Only articles that have been well scented (at least 30 minutes) may be used.
The track layer is to pause briefly at the scent pad and then continues at a normal pace in the designated direction.
The legs and turns (see sketch) are also done at a normal pace, whereby the first article is placed at least after 100 paces on the 1st or 2nd leg, the others can be placed as preferred, also two on a given leg are permitted and the 7th at the end of the track.
The legs should be laid suitable to the terrain.
One leg must be laid in an arc with a radius of at least 3 track line lengths (approx. 30m).
The arc begins and ends with 90 degree turns, a minimum of two turns must be acute.
Acute turns must be laid within 30 to 60 degrees. The different articles (Material: e.g. leather, textile, wood) can be placed irregularly, not within 20 paces before or 20 paces after a turn, the last article must be placed at the end of the track.
The articles must be placed on the track while in movement.
After placing the last article, the tracklayer is to proceed several paces in a straight direction.
The articles must be approx. 10cm in length, 2-3cm wide and be 0,5-1cm in thickness and may not stand out in colour from the terrain.
All articles must coincide in number with the track number.
While the track is being laid, the handler and his dog must be out of sight. A half hour prior to working out the track, an additional tracklayer lays a cross track, which must cross 2 legs not under 60 degrees and not within 40 steps before or 40 steps after a turn.
The cross track may not be laid within 40 paces before or 40 paces after a turn and may not cross the first or last leg or any given leg twice.
The judge, tracklayer and accompanying person may not be in the area where the team (handler and his dog) have the right to work.
a) Command to: “Track”
The command may be given at the start of the track and after each article. Occasional praise and occasional commands to “track” are permitted, except at the turns and at the articles.
b) Execution: The handler prepares his dog for the track. The dog may track free or on a 10 meter line. The 10 meter line may be placed over the back, on the side or between the front and/or back legs. It can be placed on the collar, not the live ring, or on the designated clasp of the harness (permitted are Harness or Böttger harness without additional straps).
When called, the handler reports with his dog in basic position to the judge, and tells if his dog will pick up or indicate the articles.
Before, during the start and throughout the entire track no force is to be displayed.
At the direction of the judge the dog is slowly and calmly led to the start and deployed.
The dog must work the start intensely, calm and with a deep nose. The dog must then continue at an even pace and follow the track intensively.
The dog must confidently work out the turns.
The handler follows the dog at distance of 10 meters at the end of the line. If free tracking is done, then the distance of 10 meters must be maintained.
The tracking line may have slack in it as long as it does not drop from the handler’s hands.
After the turns the dogs must continue at the same pace. As soon as the dog has found an article, he must immediately pick it up or convincingly indicate it without any influence from the handler.
When picking up, he may stand, sit or return to the handler. Continuing with the article or lying down is faulty.
Indication can be done lying down, sitting or standing (also interchangeably).
When the dog has picked up/indicated the article, the handler drops the line and goes to his dog.
By raining his arm with the article in hand, he advises that the dog has located the article. After this the handler picks up the tracking line and continues tracking with his dog.
After completing the track, the handler presents the articles to the judge.
Giving the dog food rewards during the track is not permitted.
The handler may interrupt the track with the permission of the judge, if he feels the dog’s physical well being is compromised or that the weather conditions (e.g. extreme heat) require that a break is necessary.
Any breaks in the tracking are counted against the time allowed to execute the track. The handler is permitted to clean his dog’s head, eyes and nose during a break or at an article.
He may also utilize a wet cloth or wet sponge. These aides must be shown to the judge prior to tracking. Any other aides are not permitted.
c) Evaluation: In order to receive the training degree, the track must be awarded with 70 points.
The speed with which the track is worked out is not a evaluated as a criterion, if the track is worked out intensively, even and convincingly and the dog shows a positive tracking attitude.
Checking without leaving the track is not faulty.
Restarts, casting, high nose, emptying, circling at the turns, continuous encouragement, line or verbal help in the tracking area or at the articles, faulty picking up or faulty indication of the articles, false indication, are evaluated accordingly.
If the handler leaves the track by more than a line length, the track is terminated.
If the dog leaves the track and is held back by the handler, he will receive instructions from the judge to follow the dog.
If these instructions are not followed, the judge will terminate the track work.
If the end of the track has not been reached within the allotted time of 45 minutes after starting the track, then the track work will be terminated by the judge.
Exceptionally if the dog is tracking on the last leg, then the track work will not be terminated. The track is evaluated up to the point of termination.
It is considered faulty if the dog shows both, picks up or indicates an article on the same track. Only those articles will be evaluated that were advised by the handler at the start of the track.
False indication is considered in the evaluation on the respective leg.
Articles that are overrun are not shown to the handler. For non-indicated articles or picked up articles, no points are awarded.
The division of points for maintaining the legs of the track are distributed as per the length and degree of difficulty.
The evaluation of the individual legs, are evaluated by ratings and points. If a dog does not track (lengthy pauses at the same spot without tracking), the track can be terminated even if the dog is still on the track.
That are the rules for the FH2 (Layout of the track for the WM-Class at ATIBOX FH) following the guidelines of FCI.
We can be sure: We don’t must show our Boxers how to use their nose.
The nose is the sense of our dogs. Mainly they experience the environment by odours.
For comparison: The nasal mucosa of a human has 5cm² - thickness: 0,006mm, the dog’s one has 152-170cm² - thickness: 0,1mm.
If you want to imagine the difference, you can do it like this: The ability to smell of a human you can compare with the size of shoe box. The dog’s ability to smell you can compare with a hall.
What we have to show our Boxers for tracking is that and how they have to follow the track.
I admit: Tracking is not the most spectacular part of a trial for the spectators. But it’s really fascinating if you can follow your Boxer completing a demanding track with deep nose without quitting.
ATIBOX-FH-WM 2011 in Maribor
Perfect organized and because of great hospitality of the Slovenian Boxer friends - a really international Boxer festival
Already for preparations, the Slovenian organizers answered to all questions immediately and always helpful.
A great team supported Sabina Heric (president of the Slovenian Boxer Club) and Andreja Cucnic (general secretary) to perform this great event.
32 Boxer coming from 8 nations came to participate at the ATIBOX-FH-WM 2011, an impressing picture at the opening ceremony.
17 participants were registered for the WM-class. 6 Boxer started at the competition level 2 and 9 teams were registered for the competition level 1.
Mr. Karl Klingenbrunner (A) evaluated the tracks of the WM-class and his Slovenian colleague Viktor Smerdel levels 1 and 2. Track supervisor was Sasco Cvek.
ATIBOX FH 2011 - the Judges
Smerdel Viktor (SLO)
- Year of birth: 1954
- Judge since: 1993
- Foreign Language competence: GER, (ENG)
- Activities: International working dog judge
Karl Klingenbrunner (A)
- born in 1960 in Vienna
- dog training since 1976
- figurant since 1977
- figurant at Europe Championship FCI in 1979
- training of 3 dogs in accordance with IPO 3, participation on national ......championships and competitions
- between 1994 - 2004 a trainer and an instructor in the Austrianboxer club (OBK)
- since 1999 chief trainer in OBK
- since 2001 the head of the OBK team almost at all ATIBOX World Championships
- since 2003 a judge of performance under the Austrian cynology federation (OKV)
- since 2008 an international judge of performance and a judge of teaching (OKV)
- chief judge of performance under the Austrian boxer club
Supervisory Judge – Sašo CVEK (SLO)
- Foreign Language competence: ENG, CRO
- Activities: Working dog judge, Rally Obedience
The drawing took place at Thursday evening.
Finally the competitions started Friday. At this day only 7 WM-competitors had to complete their trial. The conditions have been very hard.
The field with hardly vegetation was dried up by the strong wind that made the smell to disappear. We had approximately 20°C (in November!).
The tracks have been laid with normal steps (no scratching).
All the Boxers which started on Friday couldn’t finish the track.
Of course, it was very, very difficult. But we all had to admit that we too often make the mistake of too easy training tracks.
Also Saturday, similar hard conditions: 8 Teams had to start and only 2 teams were able to complete the trial from start to finish.
Gretel Hak with Boomer v. Stauferkastell finished the trial with 82 points and Zdena Sojkova with Quarta z Ringu got 85 points.
Especially Quarta z Ringu did a very good job; She worked with deep nose, always busy and with a lot of passion.
Sunday complete different conditions: It was foggy, the tracks have been laid in moist meadow.
So the results of the last 2 competitors in the WM-class have been much better and Iris Storchenegger mit Kira v. Storchenegg (Schweiz) reached 96 points.
A little bit easier it was for the competitors in level 1 and 2.
First, because the tracks are going to be completed after a shorter time, and second, the ground was meadow.
At the competition convinced Asset Hebe Box handled by Adriana Habertova coming from the Czech Republic.
Also a well concentrated job done by the female. The team got 94 and the first place in level 2. Ornella v. Kniebis handled by Lydia Knopek, Germany, was the youngest dog at the ATIBOX FH WM 2011.
With 18 month she started in level 1. Also here: A very well working female.
Of course, because of her youthfulness not yet evenly in speed. Victor Smedel, the Slovenian judge, evaluated the track with 92 points – 1.place.
The 2 place has been got Adriana Habertova from the Czech Republic with her second female, Bexx Hebe Box (91 points).
At Saturday evening the Slovenian Boxer Club organized a perfect dinner for all the officials and competitions.
Representatives of the ATIBOX presidium were present, too.
It was a perfect evening and we had good talks in the circle of the ATIBOX family.
A lot of thanks to the Slovenian Boxer Club for organizing a great ATIBOX FH WM.
Finally the awards ceremony was a very touching moment. For the winners in the different classes we heard their national anthem.
It’s not sure who will organize the ATIBOX FH WM in 2012. But maybe the Poland Boxer friends will do it and I’m sure they will be passionate in the same way, to perform a great event for the ATIBOX family as well as the Slovenian Boxer friends.
Bernhard Knopek
Pics by Gregor Komauer (Slovenia)
