| Subject: BELGIAN RING/CROSS FROM LONGWOODS |
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Date Posted: 17:18:40 02/10/09 Tue
The history of the Belgian Ringsport
Posted on February 7, 2009 at 11:22:35 by Tracey
The history of the Belgian Ringsport, The oldest defense-dogsport in the world !
Belgium is a small country in the center of Europe. It's surrounded by 3 larger countries: in the west by France, in the east by Germany and in the north by Holland. The size of Belgium is 30.513 square kilometers, what's about the size of the half of Tasmania, or the size and shape of South Carolina. You need 3,5 hours to cross the country. Belgium, as a complex small country who's existing out 3 different "Canton's": Flanders (Dutch speaking group), Wallonia (French speaking group) and the East-Canton (German speaking group), is known for his beer (± 450 different beers), his chocolate and also for being the capital of the "European Union" (E.U.). The seat of the E.U. is in the capital of Belgium, in Brussels. 37% of the Belgian households have a dog (after France, who is the highest in Europe, 38%). Belgian history
The very first dog show in the world took place in Belgium, on friday 28 May 1847 in Tervueren near Brussels !
Belgium was also the founder of the "Federation Cynologique International" (FCI) who was founded in 1911 by 5 countries: Belgium, Germany, France, Holland and Austria. The seat of the FCI is still in Belgium, about one hour from Brussels, in Thuin near the French border. The head-office of the Belgium dog world is the "Koninklijke Maatschappij St-Hubertus" (SRSH/KMSH) who is seated also in Brussels. It was founded in 1880, one of the oldest dog-clubs in the world (the English Kennel Club was founded in 1873).
The Belgian Ringsport, the beginning:
Belgian Ringsport is the oldest and one of the hardest defense-dogsports in the world. It is completely dominated by the Belgian Mechelaar ("Malinois" in french). Ringsport is also closely related with the Belgian Police/Gendarmerie/Army forces as most of the service dogs are bought or trained in the B. Ring-cirquit.
About 800 till 100 before Christ, in Fore-Asia, the first written proofs of dogs used for war, where found. They where very big fighting-dogs who where very important for the army's in that time. Kyros, King of Perzians, was the first to let all his dogs wearing a panzer or harness to fight together in the frontline of the battle. He, together with other conquerors has brought big dogs into Europe. The Romans have used about 200 before and 200 after Christ also dogs for several reasons. They had two types of dogs: the heavy build, mollossoide type and the lighter, more elegant type. From that time on, the dogs where bred and used for a certain aim. The heavy Mollosser was used as weapon in battles, the lighter type was used as herding-guarddog and also preferred by the later poor farmers for two reasons: they where more efficient to help with the cattle, and they where cheaper to feed. Centuries later about the years 1500 some dogs where used to guard the frontiers, in England to catch cattle or horse thieves, later in America to track runaway slaves.
In Belgium about 1700 was the first time they used dogs to help the city guards. These dogs where not trained, they only companioned the "policeman". Also between 1700 and 1900 a light type of dog was used for herding sheep's. They where middle sized, very intelligent and fast dogs. Al colors and coats where present. This is where the real beginning starts, because the "Belgium Shepherd" is at the foundation of the Ringsport…
Some people (read "non-policeman") began to give demonstrations with their Belgian Shepherds around 1880. One of
those men called " Edmond Moecheron". He is called the "father of the Ringsport" it was him who was the first to get success with his demonstrations of "police-dogs". He was famous in a short time and a lot of people came to watch his demonstrations. Together with his 3 Belgian Shepherds (Dax, Nic & Miss) and his Helper, he became an attraction on hippodromes, bicycle-events, circus and all possible fairs. Newspapers wrote sensational articles about him, and soon several others began to copy his numbers. The whole meaning for this was neither the sport nor the art, but very simple: for the money. It was pure business, attract as many possible people around your "ring" (a closed area) and get money out of them. He, and many others ha given demonstrations everywhere in Belgium, France, Holland, etc… on one of this events Mr. "E. Van Wezemael", head-commissar of the police of the city of Ghent has seen the capacities of the Belgium Shepherds and there trainers. He has followed with big attention the training of those dogs and formed in 1899 the first police-dog-school, also in Ghent. He found out those trained-dogs where useful for the nightly patrols of his policemen. He even wrote a book about the use for police dogs and soon the interest of all parts of Europe and America followed him. Several countries send delegates to see and learn the training methods, such as France, England, America, Brazil, Congo, etc… even to buy these trained dogs. In 1903 the first trial of Ringsport has taken place in Mechelen (Malines) Belgium. The program was not well defined but each team showed what they could the best. The first real definition of Ringsport trial was signed in 1908.
The trial held in:
• walk "of leash" near his owner : 20 points
• retrieve of an object shown by his owner : 5 points
• guard a object that belongs to his owner without presence of owner : 5 points
• jump over obstacles : 10 points
• jump over a hole or canal : 10 points
• defense of the owner : 15 points
• he attacks Helpers who are pointed by his owner : 10 points
• he saves a object out of a pool pointed by his owner : 15 points
Total of 90 points.
This first National Championship Ringsport was held after WW1, on 3 October 1926. There where 9 competitors: 5 Mechelaars, 2 Groenendales and 2 Bouvier de Flandres. Since than the program has changed several times but all of these exercises are still, in one way or another, present in the modern trials. Meanwhile France has his own Ring-program (French-Ring) and Holland: KNPV.
In the beginning of the 90's one of the most known Mechelaar-breeders in Belgium Mr. Luc Vansteenbrughe kennel "des Deux Pottois" was one of the inventors and promoters of the international ring-program "Mondioring". Mondioring is a mix of Belgium-, French Ring, KNPV and SCHH. It also has 3 levels and has every year a world-championship held in a different country. The first world championship "Mondioring" was held in Belgium in the year 1994. The 4th W.Ch. Mondioring was also held in Brugge, Belgium on 3&4 October '98. A total of 35 dogs where Mechelaars, 2 German Shepherds and one Tervueren. There were competitors out of Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, USA, so perhaps the Mondioring will have a future such as the IPO/SCHH-program.
Note Belgian Ring:
In 1926, under the name "Grand Prix of Belgium", the SRSH/KMSH (Societe Royale Saint-Hubert) organized its own championship for the first time . The first winner was the Mechelaar bitch SADI (LOSH 13537 alias SADI WORTHY - LOB 10794). Because the SRSH/KMSH doesn’t recognize the affix of the KCB, the dog was registered under another name by the SRSH/KMSH. The same story with SAMOX (LOSH 20606) which obtained the second place. His name by the KCB was SAM du THIRIAU (LOB 10280) belonging to O. Durand. SAMOX was a son of the famous SNAP.
From 1926 to 2000, always a Mechelaar won the "Grand Prix of Belgium" with the following exceptions :
a) the Groenendael NEROLO (LOSH 22277) won in 1929 ex-aequo with the Mechelaar BOBY de BRUYERE-FRAIPONT (LOSH 20859). NEROLO won also the title in 1931 before BOLLUX (LOSH 32278 - alias LUX de GALLIFORT - LOB 12534)
b) the Tervueren XAVIER (LOSH 141222) won in 1952.
The best results for another breed than the Belgian Shepherd Dog, was the second place of the German Shepherd SWITO (LOSH 61915) in 1935 and the Bouvier de Flandres VUW (LOSH 135650) obtained also a second place in 1952. VUW was a black Bouvier also called "Bouvier de Roulers".
Won the title minimum 3 times :
METTEKO (ALSH 21704) in 1967, 1968, 1970 and 1971.
CLIP (LOSH 412720) in 1981, 1982,1983, 1985 and 1986.
JUL (LOSH 537353) in 1990, 1991 and 1995.
NIVER des TIGROUS (LOSH 643560) in 1996, 1997 and 1998
Note Mondioring:
The Mondioring (International Ringsport) is a working dog sport with new rules from different national rules taken from the working dog sports in France (French Ringsport), Belgium (Belgian Ringsport), Holland (KNPV) and a little bit of SCHH from Germany.
Mondioring is tested in 3 progressively harder levels, earning the degree Mondioring I, Mondioring II,
Mondioring III, with level III being the hardest.
The Brevet is the entry-level test of obedience and protection work, to assess character, courage, trainability, and suitability for work.
The first trial took place in 1987 in Belgium, Tournai.
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