The Honorable Christian Gunther, President of the CEB-France traveled to Iowa to judge the CEB-US’s 12th National Conclave and Annual Meeting which was held March 25-28, 2009 in Muscatine, Iowa. The Frenchman who became president of the CEB-France in 2006 judged the Epagneul Breton breed, which originated in his  native country over three days of field trials run in braces and solo, and on a fourth day in the conformation ring. The field trials were run on wild and liberated upland game. Mr. Gunther also formally evaluated dogs for confirmation on Saturday, confirming approximately sixteen dogs, and officiated at the CEB-US National Specialty Exhibition Show held at the local Canine Activities Center, an outstanding local modern canine events facility. An enthusiastic turnout of Epagneul Breton enthusiasts from all over the United States greeted the visiting French CEB President.

    Mr. Gunther’s visit was a historic one for Epagneul Breton enthusiasts in the United States. It is the first time in over fifty (50) years that a currently serving president of the CEB-France, the motherland of the Epagneul Breton breed, has come to the United States to judge his Breed in formal competition. Over a half century ago, and a few years after the first Epagneul Bretons came to the United States from France, the late Gaston Pouchain journeyed to New York to judge a show while he served as President of the French Club during his tenure which lasted for over two decades. Subsequently, the late Leon le Louet, journeyed to nearby Canada to evaluate the breed in that country on a number of occasions, as his spouse’s sister lived there. However, Mr Louet is not known to have ever judged the breed in the United States during his tenure as President of the French breed club. The Iowa meeting, which took place from March 25-28, 2009 in Muscatine, Iowa, is believed to be the first time that a sitting president of the CEB-France has ever formally evaluated his breed in field trial competition in the United States. Previously, in 2006, Henri Xavier Guelou, a former President of the CEB-France  serving from 1988 to 1992 judged the U.S. parent club’s national  field trials at a meeting in Georgia.   

Mr. Gunther was assisted in judging this year’s Iowa field trials by  another visiting foreign judge, Mr. Reynald Lefebvre, a highly qualified Epagneul Breton field trial judge, from Quebec, Canada. The two composed an outstanding judging corps, and enjoyed their work.

    The wild bird field  trials were run  chiefly in pursuit of wild pheasant. No native Iowa wild bob-white quail were encountered during the competition. However, during the first day of braces competition, the second heat encountered a pair of woodcock sojourning near a creek bottom. Mr Gunther excitedly exclaimed “becasse”—(the French word for woodcock), as the duo flushed wild through the woods from the marshy creek bottom. The overall conditions during the wild bird trials were windy, and the native Iowa pheasants were somewhat scarce over the two days of type (W) UKC wild bird field trials. The recent flooding in the Midwest, which ended the day before the trials began, appeared to have altered the wild game birds normal feeding and movement patterns.  The weather improved somewhat for the third day of field trialing, when the type (L) liberated trial (solo and braces) was run on bobwhite quail.  Placements were earned in both solo and braces competition during the field trials, although the prized blue and red First and Reserve Placement ribbons were awarded quite judiciously.
   
    On Saturday morning, Mr. Gunther gave an informal educational presentation at the CEB-US convocation conducted prior to the Saturday afternoon Epagneul Breton Specialty Exhibition/Show. He shared some thoughts about selection of Epagneul Bretons for quality breeding, and elaborated upon the system for accrediting dogs for Recommended Breeding Status as that system is presently promulgated in France. Mr. Gunther also gave a very informative presentation concerning the recent developments in France, concerning the sable color in the  Epagneul Breton which has been disapproved. He explained and outlined on a board, the genetic mechanism by which the sable color gene is transmitted to offspring.  Mr Gunther indicated that beginning January 1, 2010 that dogs presented for confirmation as an Epagneul Breton which exhibit the sable coloration will not be able to be officially confirmed in France. This will prevent these dogs from receiving a permanent registration and pedigree from the French Kennel Club, known as the Societe Centrale Canine or SCC.  Mr. Gunther further indicated that he anticipated that the improper sable color, which commonly manifests itself with black on the tips of the hair, would begin to rapidly disappear in the breed beginning with implementation of the new policy as it relates to confirming.  He requested that a dog exhibiting this color variation be brought inside for the group to view. The dog was shown to the audience assembled for his presentation with the owner explaining that when these sable colored pups are  initially born, they often appear to be liver colored. However, the coat begins to rapidly change color, such that the black on the tips of the ears is visible at a few months of age. Thereafter, Mr. Gunther accepted questions from the audience, and suggested that time be allotted for a presentation by his fellow visiting judge,  Mr. Lefebvre concerning training for field work and presentation  of the Epagneul Breton in field trials.

    The consensus of the  CEB-US members attending the meeting, was that Mr. Gunther was a  very strict, but consistent judge-- both in field work and conformation. He and Mr. Lefebvre awarded only a few ribbons for field work, and either withheld placements or awarded lower placements in several of the lesser classes of the National Specialty Show/Exhibition. The higher placements in field work and the show were well earned, and are to be respected.  “The Epagneul Breton is our breed,”  proudly stated the Frenchman. “If we do not look after  it, who will do so?” he observed. Mr. Gunther clearly relished performing his judicial duties and sharing his knowledge of the breed. He would give handlers and owners constructive input as they concluded presentation of their dogs in the field and at the exhibition.  During the show, the Frenchman would take the microphone during the more competitive and interesting show classes, and  would explain the basis for his placements in the many of the more competitive classes of the specialty exhibition. He also shared his observations of the virtues and faults of individual dogs as they were presented for evaluation of conformation and for confirming.

    The CEB-US equipped this years visiting judges with monogrammed caps, and orange hunting vests with their names  and sporting the CEB-US new official club name and logo.  At the Saturday night closing banquet, CEB-US President R.L. Dalrymple reflected upon the history and friendships with Frenchmen associated with the exportation and development of the Epagneul Breton breed in the United States. As a gesture of appreciation from fanciers of the breed in the United States and CEB-US members,  CEB-US President  Dalrymple presented  Mr. Gunther, as President of the  French club in the breed’s motherland, a framed Resolution of Appreciation from the CEB-US Board of Directors which recounted the  history of cooperation, assistance and friendship between Bretonniers in the United States and France, along with a  commissioned bronze cast of a classic  Epagneul Breton on point done by U.S. artist Carmen Stansilao. It is hoped that the resolution and bronze will be exhibited from time to time in the Museum of the Epagneul Breton located in Callac, Province of Bretagne, France which is the precise geographical area where the breed began over a century ago.   

    At the conclusion of the meeting, the CEB-US President offered the podium to CEB-France’s President Gunther to make some final observations. “I saw some excellent dogs in the United States” said Mr. Gunther. “As is often the case, there are areas where improvement is still needed by the breed as it is represented in your country. Specifically, in your field trials, there is a need for many of your handlers to do quite a bit more training,” he offered. “Keep working hard to improve the Epagneul Breton” Gunther encouraged. “Our breed is very special and unique among the hunting dogs of the world. It is first and foremost a hunting dog! We must treasure the breed and protect it”, Mr. Gunther concluded.