World Congress Löwchen 2000

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[More photos from the congress][Results and photos: World Congress Cup Show][Results:Europa Sieger Show][Photos:löwchens on the congress]


Back to menu More photos from the congress	The First Lowchen World Congress - Germany by Sonja Carlsson, Sweden Held in Bad Laasphe, Germany the 1st to the 4th of May 2000 Monday the 1st. The congress started on monday with all people arriving from different parts of the world. Some by airplane and then a private minibus that the german hosts arranged with. Some by car. In the evening the German Club invited everyone to dinner. An exciting event with a lot of german specialities to try! Everywhere around you could here "oh, is it YOU!" or "so great to SEE you!". The reason was that many of the people talked for a long time by the internet but never seen eachother in live. That evening the people got to know the walk down and up between the conferenceplace and the hotel, Rothar Treff, that most of the people stayed at. As Gini Denninger said; "it's a five minutes walk down and a ten minutes walk up"!
		Some people on the congress. F.ex on the right, one of the panelists, Glenise Field, kennel Elguarda, from Australia.
Tuesday the 2nd. In a special room next to the conference room Cath and Liane Horne had put up the bazar. Here everone could buy t-shirts, yearbooks, gifts etc. I do think the most of it was gone when the congress was over!
Many of us thought that this two ladies were "the creme of the cake" on the congress conserning attending people. Mrs Freda MacGregor, kennel Littlecourt and Kay Sergeant, kennel Grestean. Both from Great Britain.
Gini Denninger had also put up her exhibition about Löwchen on a big table in the room. A really interesting thing for every Löwchen fan that was there. The morning started with Gini Denninger showing a really interesting slide show of Löwchen History 1492 until today. All the comments was positive and many voices was heard about this should be an event on every congress. At lunchtime Bad Laasphe was full of congress people looking for a place to eat. There were quite a few places so everyone could satisfy their taste. And I can ashore you that, at least for us people from the nordic countries, the beer was both good and cheap! In the afternoon there were place for Lowchen Standard Study & Discussion. The panelists were Kay Sergeant, Great Britain, Janet Perret-Green, France, Sonja Carlsson, Sweden, Glenise Field, Australia, Gini Denninger, USA and Felizita Dylla, Germany
		One of the panelists, Sonja Carlsson, kennel Bumir from Sweden examining a Duncara bitch while Mary Billman from USA is helping her to hold the dog. Each panelist went through one dog explaining to the congress their thoughts about a correct löwchen type. What they look for, what is correct and what is wrong.
The congress listened interested and asked many questions so the panelists really had to explain their thoughts. Gini Denninger and Felizita Dylla made an excellent job the whole time translating from english to german. And later from german to english!

Back to menu Results: WCC2000	Then the discussion about the brown pigmentation started. The diskussion were sometimes very "hot" and the only thing we could agree on were that we disagree about it. Most of the europeans were against a petition to FCI to change making allowance for brown löwchen. Eva Söderqvist, kennel Westmount from Sweden, made an scientific explanation about how the brown pigment is inheritated. Everyone realised there were no use to vote for a petition. To make that a powerful one, all people should have needed to agree. After dinner, that most of the people walked up to the hotel to eat, it was time for breeder panel.The panelists were the same, except for Gini Denninger and Felizita Dylla that had a full time job by translating everything. Each panelist talked about their experience as a löwchen breeder. How and when they evaluate puppies etc.
Sonja Carlsson also shared her experience and research about PRA on löwchen. It was late evening when tired löwchen people finally walked up to the hotel to get a well deserved night of sleep.
Some of the Canadians attending the congress. In the background one of the panelists, Janet Perret-Green, kennel Duncara from France, in a diskussion.
Wednesday the 3rd This day two veterinarys were invited to speak about health issues. First on out talked about patella luxation. Everyone listened interested and many took the chance to ask questions. The other veterinary talked about eye diseases, most about PRA. About how it develop and how it is inheritated. She also had to answer a lot of questions. When someone asked her if she knew about some löwchens eye tested PRA she replied that she seen paper of 3 suspicious PRA and 3 PRA, all in USA. This was news to many people, when most only heard about the cases in europe. For many it was an awakening to start eyetesting their dogs.
		Some of the people that were attending from Norway.
This day it was also time for Grooming Seminar. Two brave persons entered the scene, Kim Schmidt from Canada and Jari Partinen from Finland. Why I call them brave is because the grooming has - and will always be - a "hot potato". They made a live demonstration about how they maintain the coat and prepare it for shows.This was the other time on the congress that the diskussion got quite hot. The diskussion about backcombing got many people involved.
Kim Schmidt and Jari Partinen were the panelists when it was time for the grooming seminar. Jari brought one of his Wanted bitches with him to use for live demonstration.
There were no time left this day for the agility and obedience seminar - a great disappointment for some. Fortunate Kay Sergeant had done a big job with writing about training obedience with löwchen and this was copied the next day so everyone could take part of it. The day ended with a vote about where and when the next congress shall take place. When the people from Sweden and Norway that were present offered themselves to organize the next congress 2003 there were applause. So for everyone to know; the next world congress will be hold in Sweden or Norway year 2003.
		Elin Hepsö, kennel Skogans from Norway, looked this happy when the whole congress sang for her on her birthday!
Thursday the 4th. This day it was time for the First World Congress Löwchen Cup Show. Both Best Dog and Best Bitch got the title World Congress Cup Winner 2000 (WCCW2000?). You can read the results and see photos here. In the evening, after dinner, all people got time to just TALK. Most of us found the way down to the pub of the hotel where we took a lot of tables and put them together so everyone could sit together. It was a lovely evening that I believe we all will remember.
Without this two there would not been a world congress! Gini Denninger (left) and Felizita Dylla organized the whole and during the congress they worked hard with translating everything so everyone could understand eachother. I do think I have all of the people attending the congress behind me when I send the biggest THANK I ever can give to them both!
Back to menu Photos: löwchens on the congress	Friday the 5th. This day it was time for the VDH-europesieger show in Dortmund. Despite bus having problems with the engine and some missing papers all people and dogs were on place when the judging started. You can read more about the results here. After this show the people split up. Some going back to Bad Laasphe for some days and joining the tour to a castle to see a famous painting of a löwchen. Some hedding home and some taking the opportunity going on a tour seeing more of europe. If you click here you get to the questionary that will be sent to everyone attending the congress. It is also free to everyone else to fill in the parts about the coming congress and send it in! [More photos from the congress] [Results and photos: World Congress Cup Show] [Results:Europa Sieger Show] [Photos:löwchens on the congress]