Peter and Legend are on top of the world after championships
ROUNDWOOD MAN AND HIS DOG NOW IN WORLD’S TOP 20
A ROUNDWOOD canine called Legend has become one of the Top 20 German Shepherds in the world.
Legend and his handler Peter McKenna beat off stiff competition from around the world to be placed 16th in the world at the World Championship event for German Shepherds, which took place in Holland earlier this month.
The competition, which combines three phases over five days and featured competitors from all over the world, including a four-strong team from Ireland.
The dream team of Peter and Legend scored 88 points in tracking, 91 points in obedience and 93 points in protection under three international judges, to gain a total score of 272 and a grading of ‘Very Good’ which put them 16th in the world.
Peter and Legend are members of GSA Ireland, the national authority for working German Shepherd dogs and part of the World Union of German Shepherd Dog Clubs ( WUSV).
The duo, who train at OG Waterside in Donabate, Co Dublin, came second at the Irish National IPO Trial in Antrim in May, qualifying them for the event in Tilburg in Holland.
Last year in Meppen in Germany, handled by his co-owner Sinead O’Connor, the talented canine, who was bred in Belgium, scored a fantastic 94 in tracking, 81 in obedience and 88 in protection, coming 43rd in his first ever world championships, and once again in 2017, Legend attained better points than many ‘ hot favourites’ to win the competition.
In the tracking phase of IPO, which roughly translates as ‘international trial rules’, dogs follow a pre-laid track up to one hour old, and find articles including small pieces of wood or leather.
The obedience portion involves heel work, retrieves over obstacles and distance control, while the protection phase involves a search and controlled ‘apprehension’ and escort of a pretend ‘criminal’.
Peter and Legend’s score helped Ireland to attain tenth place in the world team rankings, ahead of countries like Belgium and Canada.
In order to compete in the event, Legend passed rigorous health tests both in Ireland and at the competition in the Netherlands and also took part in the Irish Sieger Breed Show in Wexford in July.
Completing months of arduous training, Peter, Legend and Irish vice team captain Brian Reidy put the final touches to their training in Belgium with Legend’s breeder An Janssens, under the guidance of world-renowned trainers from the continent.
At home, the pair trained with GSA Ireland judge Fintan Lalor and practiced at Bray Wanderers’ ground to prepare themselves for the big stadium in Holland.
Peter would like to thank all those who assisted him and the members of OG Waterside who travelled to Holland to cheer on the team, as well as his partner Linnet.