Page 54 - K9 News - Issue 15 - March2021
P. 54
However, the most influential of the German There was such concern among Weimaraner Club
imports were those from the Harrasburg lines and of America members that in 1953, the standard
these still appear in most Weimaraner extended was changed to disqualify a black mottled mouth
pedigrees in the United States. which was always evident in blues.
In 1949, Bert von der Harrasburg arrived in By 1971, such was the disquiet, the American
America. Winning his show title easily, he entered Kennel Club revised the Standard to disqualify
field competition becoming the first Weimaraner blues from show competition. There seemed
to win an Open All-Age Stake. little uproar from the breeders of blues and the
numbers then declined sharply.
By the 1960s, there were few imports with the
notable exception of Bella von der Reiteralm. She Not so in Britain where, in recent years, the blue
was bred to Ch Val Knight Ranck BROM (Breed dogs have rapidly increased in numbers. None
Record of Merit) who himself was a grandson of the Weimaraner Clubs accept them as true
of Alto von der Harrasburg. Bella, together with members of the breed.
the influence of the Harrasburg line, brought to
the breed the structural soundness and hunting FROM GERMANY INTO
instinct so important to the breed. BRITAIN
Through her son, Ch Maximilian von der Reiteralm Since there were such stringent restrictions
NSD (Novice Shooting Dog) BROM, sixty- placed by the Allied forces especially with a
three champions were sired including two dual ban on firearms, showing and hunting of dogs
champions. Maximilian is the Great- Grandfather just after the end of World War II and, as so
of the British dog Ch Reeman Aruac CDex, UDex, few Weimaraners remained, breeding became
WDex, TDex proving that exceptional working all important to resurrect the breed, more for
ability goes on for generations. quantity than quality. Interest developed in selling
as many as possible to the occupying forces. It
THE BLUE WEIMARANER was 1951 before these restrictions were lifted and
the German Weimaraner Club could be reformed.
As it is a part of the American history, the row over
the ‘blue’ Weimaraner must be briefly mentioned. Members of the Committee were horrified that
As with all controversies, there were two sides so many of the breed were being exported that
to the story. Those advocating that the colour they laid down a restriction that no more than
was the result of a crossbreeding, possibly a half a litter could leave Germany. This rule made
Dobermann and, on the opposing side, others it possible for the numbers of Weimaraners in
advocated that it was the result of mutant genes. Germany to increase and for the breed to be re-
Either way, it all started with the imported dog established.
Casar von Gaiberg who was, allegedly, the son of
a mother/son mating. While in the army in Germany, Major R. H. Petty,
later to establish the ‘Strawbridge’ affix, and Major
Casar was described by Dr Werner Petrie, the Eric Richardson, whose affix was ‘Monksway’,
father of Weimaraners in Germany, as having had developed a keen interest in the breed and
a ‘touch of black over the entire back, hair very successfully imported Cobra von Boberstrand
short, eyes not of pure amber colour.’ His verdict and Bando von Fohr into Britain in 1952.
was that the dog was ‘useless for breeding, most
likely a Dobermann cross.’ When used at stud, Interestingly, it should not be forgotten that the
Casar’s dominant blue trait was evident in all the first import from America, Heidi von Reiningen,
progeny. also arrived in the same year. She was in whelp
at the time and her son, Thunderjet, was best
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K9 NEWS DIGITAL / MARCH 2021
