The Finnish Winner Show

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By Dawne Deeley

If there is one country I never tire of visiting, it is Finland – especially when the journey’s end involves her dog shows and related canine events. Friends who know my obsession with all things Finnish politely ask after my trips, and groan quietly through clenched teeth at my long-winded answers. It must be difficult for them – not to mention rather boring – to give undivided attention to someone who no doubt comes across as mildly hysterical, but the Finnish show system can do that to you.

A friend once described Finland as being located somewhere between tall blondes (Sweden) and vodka (Russia), but for those who love her, this tiny Nordic country is far more than just a vague colored slash on a map. Finland’s sons and daughters boast a national pride that is as difficult to describe as it is to deny. For centuries the country’s physical location and abundant natural resources made her a target to be fought over and defended; time and again gritty little Finland has been blooded in hundreds of battles and skirmishes, emerging not as the unstoppable force, but rather the immovable object. That she has not only survived but prospered is due largely to her stoic and hard-bitten inhabitants, all of whom possess bottomless reserves of the character trait referred to as “sisu”. The term defies simple definition, but could best be said to encompass courage, steadfastness, strength, honor, determination, conviction, honesty and pride. All in all the Finnish psyche is a tough one to crack; first time visitors are often baffled (if not offended) by the depth of the typical Finn’s reserve, and it can be some time before reticence is replaced by acceptance. Yet those who take the time and trouble to explore this unique and intriguing culture never leave unaffected or disappointed.

If there is a chink in Finnish armour, it is their unabashed love of nature and the outdoors. One may joke of being born with a cell phone in one hand and a rifle in the other, but hunting isn’t a frivolous pastime or one that is undertaken for sport, and it is in the woods and fields that the Finnish obsession for her native breeds emerges. At the side of every huntsman and woman will be a dog, and regardless if the game is furred or feathered, odds are it will be a Finnish Hound (suomenajokoira), Finnish Spitz (suomenpystykorva) or Karelian Bear Dog (karjalankarhukoira). Yearly registration figures show the popularity of these and other working varieties, who routinely top the all-breed charts. The importance of maintaining the working skills of these breeds is reinforced by the fact that no individual may obtain the title of ‘Champion’ in the ring unless they have also demonstrated hunting aptitude. Though it may seem odd to the North American pet owner mindset, many Finnish dogs must work for a living. The human population of Finland is just shy of 5.5 million, and according to Finnish KC statistics there are well over 600,000 dogs in the country, with approximately 85-90% being purebred. Established in 1889 and the oldest kennel club in the Nordic Kennel Union, the FKC and its member clubs have a combined membership of over 500,000 individuals. Most of these take advantage of hunting and field trials, conformation shows, obedience tests, lure coursing – all of these combine to provide dog-mad Finns with an outlet for their competitive energies. Entry numbers at all-breed shows routinely top well over the four-figure mark, and the 1998 World Winner show hosted at the Messukeskus Exhibition Center in Helsinki – which drew in excess of 15,000+ dogs – still stands as a benchmark of organizational excellence. Certainly one major factor in the FKC’s favor is the care they take in appointing those in charge. Virtually each and every employee is a dog owner, hunter or breeder, who by long experience know well what can make a show – or break it.

So what does this mean in terms of recent entry figures and general spectator attendance? Other kennel clubs spent much of 2013 engaged in chronic handwringing over a steady decline in numbers, yet the FKC trotted out a three-day weekend at the close of last year which boasted a record number of participants. Koira2013, Finland’s biggest international show cluster to date, kicked off on December 13th with 6,600 competitors vying at various Breed levels for the title of “Helsinki Winner”; the 14th saw the ante raised with 8,600 dogs striving for the honor of being crowned “Nordic Winner”, while 7,800 were recorded on the 15th as being on hand for “Finnish Winner”. The Nordic Winner designation carries special significance, as it is hosted in Finland once every four years. Each title bears a specific letter designation which may be applied as a suffix to a dog’s name, along with the year in which it was won. It can be tempting to regard this as so much conformation ‘alphabet soup’, but those who have worked their way to the top have no qualms about their bragging rights. While the majority of competitors are nationals, the prestige of earning these coveted awards lures outsiders in droves. Past Best In Show winners have come from such starred breeders as Jets Greyhounds (Norway), Skipper’s Newfoundlands (Hungary), Chic Choix Lhasas and Canmoy Poodles (Finland), to name but a few. Not to be outdone are those who think nothing of traveling half way ’round the world in the dead of winter, and venture from homes in South America, Canada, Australia and other parts known.

Managing a three day total of 23,000 animals and over 40,000 spectators is no small task, and an unenviable one at that – but dozens of rings, dotted through new, enlarged halls and spread over two stories, assured no walkway was too crowded. Crating space was ample, and large covered sections were offered in keeping with strict grooming and trimming regulations. The expression “Running like clockwork” takes on a life of its own at a large Finnish show, and it speaks volumes for FKC staff and volunteers that each day all was said, done and tidied up by the time Group judging started – always precisely at the hours indicated in the large and explicitly written show catalogues. If kennel club staff treated this as a dress rehearsal for the upcoming World Show in August, they won’t need to worry about stage fright. They should know the script by heart – after all, they wrote it.

For full results from Koira2013 and more information on WDS 2014 check out:

www.worlddogshow2014.fi
www.koira2013.fi
www.fci.be

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Posted by Alex on Apr 11 2014. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.