Dog handlers excel at world championships
TWO dog handlers from Wicklow have returned home from Germany after successfully competing in a World Championship event for German Shepherds.
Roundwood’s Peter McKenna and Sinead O’Connor and their dogs, Alpha 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).
Earlier this month, the pair joined Clare Weir on the Irish team at the WUSV IPO World Championships in Meppen, captained by veteran handler Mike O’Connor. The three competitors qualified for the event through the Irish National Trial in May and a second qualification event in Wicklow in June.
An IPO (Internationale PrüfungsOrdnung or ‘international working tests’) is like a canine triathlon, where dogs compete in the disciplines of tracking, obedience and protection. In the tracking phase, dogs follow a pre-laid track up to one hour old and try to find a number of articles. The obedience portion involves heelwork, retrieves over obstacles and distance control, while the protection phase involves a search and controlled ‘apprehension’ and escort of a pretend ‘criminal’.
After working hard in Ireland all year, Peter and Sinead trained their dogs with top handlers in Belgium before travelling to Germany.
The competition’s judges hailed from Switzerland, Japan and the Netherlands and the tracking competition took part on a military training base. The obedience and protection phases took part in a huge soccer stadium, with hundreds of spectators, as well as a travelling contingent of Irish supporters from every corner of the country.
Sinead and Legend, who was bred in Belgium, scored 94 in tracking, 81 in obedience and 88 in protection, coming 43rd in their first ever world championships. Peter and Irish-bred Alpha scored 84 in tracking, 80 in obedience and an impressive 91 points in protection to finish 66th overall, also on their first time on the world stage.
In total there were 40 nations competing with around 130 dogs taking part and Ireland came 17th overall, the first time the country has finished with a ‘ team score’ in a decade.
After their fantastic experience, Peter and Sinead have sent their thanks to all of those who assisted them in the run-up to and during the competition, including GSA Ireland judge Fintan Lalor, helper Brian Reidy of OG Waterside and Paul Conroy as well as their friends, family and supporters. They have also thanked team mates Clare Weir, Mike O’Connor and assistant Alvin Davis as well as Bray Wanderers FC and all the local soccer and GAA clubs who allowed them to train at their facilities.