GSA Ireland runs breed shows in line with international WUSV guidelines.
Dogs with the correct health results and working qualifications can attain internationally recognised gradings from top SV judges and the results are registered in Germany under the breed database.
Landesgruppen Shows take place throughout the year and culminate with the Irish Sieger Breed Show, which crowns the top male and female German Shepherds in the country, with exciting elements including the gun test for adult animals, plus the courage test and offlead gaiting in the ‘Working’ classes.
Shows also afford dogs the opportunity to get a show grading to enable them to go forward to complete the German Körung, or Breed Survey.
GSA Ireland Breed Shows are conducted under the auspices of the WUSV and as such meet stringent standards to enable German Shepherd dogs to be correctly assessed and rated against the complete breed standard.
Professor Messler, SV and WUSV President, has instigated a number of initiatives to improve our breed on a global scale. These include a worldwide harmonisation of breeding regulations and also Hips and Elbows health screening (HD/ED) procedures.
We in GSA Ireland, having assimilated into the SV HD/ED scheme in 2009 with accompanying DNA profiling, are pleased that we already comply with the measures which have been introduced and binding from 1st July 2017 with regard to the worldwide harmonisation scheme.
In July 2016, the Executive Council announced through GSA Ireland media outlets and the Irish Sieger Breed Show catalogue that a gradual rolling process was to be adopted to phase out the BVA health scheme and to utilise the GSA/SV/WUSV – HD/ED Health screening scheme by 2018. The process announced in 2016 is to conclude the transitionary phase on 31st December 2017.
The process concluded with only GSA/SV/WUSV approved HD/ED to be accepted at GSA Ireland/WUSV Breed Shows from 1st January 2018.
The implementation of these policies will ensure German Shepherd enthusiasts in Ireland are in a position to avail of and comply with the complete WUSV system, as envisaged by President Professor Messler, to be fully implemented by 2020.
For more about our health tests, click HERE to go to our ‘Health and Wellbeing’ page.
