Page 270 - Showsight December 2020

many areas of the standard concerning the head, neck, and body. I feel the description of the topline has helped judges to understand five primary components of the topline: Starting with a slightly prominent scapula with a good layer of muscling at the highest point of the withers; blending smoothly into a level back; leading into a muscular, slightly round, short loin; concluding in a slightly round croup; with the tail set off the rounded croup and carried straight or slightly elevated, never straight up or over the back. High tails, however, are still an issue in the breed, resulting from flat croups as well as incorrect rear angulation.
I do feel we still have some work to do on the standard to further clarify some areas. One statement in the standard under General Appearance is the oxymoron of calling for a dog that is “Robust but rather lightly built...” This does not mean slightly built. It means a dog with enough bone and substance to be able to work all day in the field; being agile, not cumbersome. It means a dog with plenty of chest capacity for heart and lungs to be able to work without tiring; never slab-sided, narrow-chested or lacking in forechest. (The distance from the top of the withers to elbows is equal to the distance from elbows to the ground.) It means the dog should have good muscle tone and good body condition, with honorable scars acceptable. It also means that the rear should have good muscling both in the inner and outer thigh area, with let- down, straight hocks. Together, this all results in a dog that is as the standard states: “...a medium-sized, short-coated hunting dog of distinguished appearance and bearing.”
The discussion of the Vizsla would not be complete without mentioning its temperament, which is what makes them so attrac- tive to people seeking to add a dog to their family (especially now with the Covid-19 Pandemic finding people working from home). They are highly intelligent dogs that love to be with their owners. We call them “Velcro dogs” as this is how close they wish to be to their owners. They are also very quick to learn, which makes them a good breed for owners seeking titles in whatever venue is desired. They have a very good nose, which means they not only excel at hunting upland game but also other types of wild game. Their highly sensitive nose is also an asset when competing in today's performance arenas such as Barn Hunt and Scent Work. Their love of the water also makes them excel in Dock Diving competitions.
The Vizsla Club of America proudly boasts of two members of our breed with major accomplishments. The Vizsla is the first breed ever awarded an AKC triple championship. In the 1980s, Triple CH. Cariad’s Kutya Kai Costa, owned by Marianne and Robert Costa, was awarded his triple championship in show, field, and obedience. (This was before we added all the performance events we have today.) Then in 2000, a Vizsla once again became the first to be awarded five AKC championship titles; TC, AFC, MACH Legacy’s DeChartay UDX, MH, MX, AXJ, VC, owned by Jack Sharkey, earned her MACH to complete her fifth championship. Since 2000, Vizslas have continued to excel in all performance areas offered by AKC. The breed’s high intelligence gives it the amazing ability to analyze situations and determine the best way to obtain the desired results. Through the years, the Vizsla has also been proven to be a great service and therapy dog.
For me, it is the Vizsla that checks all the boxes for versatility. First and foremost, they are great members of the family. They are wonderful competitors on the bench, in the field, and in the obe- dience and agility rings as well as in numerous other competitive events. All these breed characteristics combine to make the Vizsla the most loyal and loving companion anyone would ever want.
Wishing everyone a safe and healthy Holiday Season and a happy and prosperous New Year!
BIO
I grew up in Northwest Ohio in a small farming community where
I was around dogs and other farm animals all my life. After graduating from The Ohio State University in 1977, I obtained my first Vizsla. I became involved in competing in conformation as well as field trials and obedience. I married Walter Sommerfelt in 1984 and became involved in other breeds while still being involved with Vizslas. Together, we have owned and/or bred dogs in breeds in all seven Groups, producing and/or owning greater than 90 champions and other titled dogs, including Group, Best in Show, Specialty Winners, a Dual Champion and multi-performance-titled dogs.
I have been judging since 1998. I am approved for all Sporting breeds and Group, 18 Herding breeds, Miscellaneous breeds,
and Junior Showmanship. I have had the honor of judging shows throughout the United States as well as in China. I have also had the privilege to judge regional specialties in a number of the Sporting and Herding breeds, including Vizslas, over the years.
In the past 40 years, I have been involved with a number of breed and all-breed kennel clubs. I worked alongside my husband when he started the St. Jude Showcase of Dogs, including being the Show Chairman for Greater Shelby Kennel Club, and I was instrumental in coordinating over 40 different judge’s breed education seminars annually as part of this same venue. I currently serve on the
Board of Directors and as the Show Chairman for the Tennessee Valley Kennel Club in Knoxville, Tennessee. By profession, I am the Laboratory Director / Embryologist in the Human IVF Laboratory at Southeastern Center for Fertility and the National Embryo Donation Center, which I was instrumental in helping to establish in 2003. I have been married to Walter for 36 years and we have two grown children, both former junior handlers, and we still actively breed and occasionally exhibit our Lorac Vizslas.
THE DISCUSSION OF THE VIZSLA WOULD NOT BE COMPLETE WITHOUT MENTIONING ITS TEMPERAMENT, WHICH IS WHAT MAKES THEM SO ATTRACTIVE TO PEOPLE SEEKING TO ADD A DOG TO THEIR FAMILY...
THEY ARE HIGHLY INTELLIGENT DOGS THAT LOVE TO BE WITH THEIR OWNERS.
THE VERSATILE VIZSLA
268 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, DECEMBER 2020