Page 26 - The Sloughi Review - Issue 2 - Final Copy
P. 26
T H E S L O U G H I R E V I E W 2 6
UNION INTERNATIONALE DES CLUBS DE LÉVRIERS
– ‘UICL’
BY WILLEM BUITENKAMP, CHAIRMAN OF THE NVOW*
TRANSLATED FROM DUTCH BY ELS SIEBEL, NETHERLANDS
Who is still familiar with the UICL? Long A big initiator was Belgian Gustave
time members, no doubt! A fine Bernaerts who, shortly after 1900,
Sighthound organization, which was in fact already owned Borzois. In those days,
declared dissident by the FCI through a when Cynology was not very well
number of decisions. In a later court trial, organized, the goal of the union was
the actions of the FCI were declared fourfold:
incorrect and unlawful but that verdict 1) Compose uniform breed standards
came too late, because of several reasons 2) Institute international prizes for
the UICL was not continued although – in breeders
cooperation with the FCI – this Union 3) Organize Sighthound shows
possibly could have done much good. Even 4) Establish a UICL-studbook secretary
today, there are still international
federations for breeds or breed groups. It At the founding meeting the countries of
is said that the “FCI Eurosighthound Switzerland and the Netherlands were
Show” is in fact a kind of compensation for present as guests. The Netherlands were
the famous UICL-shows. I would love to represented by Mr. J. van Essen of the
take you through a short history of the Association of Sighthound lovers. Both
UICL, because this association was no countries became a member at that
doubt very important in the development meeting. Important for the history: the
of Sighthound sports in general, both show UICL was immediately accepted as an
and racing, in Europe. UICL, the Union affiliated member of the FCI! At this
Internationale des Clubs de Lévriers, a meeting were also present as guests the
small chronicle. counts Boris and Dimitri Chéréméteff
and Mr. G.W. O’Breen.
• Founded in 1923
• Dead and gone in 1991
Two countries, Belgium and France, more
specifically the Club Belge du Lévrier and
the Club Français du Lévrier, founded the
UICL in 1923, statutory on November the
9th in Ghent (Belgium).
