Cesky Fousek kennel 'Venaticus Major' - ASTA z Krotejovskych lesu

Int. Ch. Asta z Krotějovských lesů

⇒Character and Temperament
⇒Results
⇒Career planning

Date of birth: 7-5-2005 Sexe: bitch
Pedigree: NHSB 2615995 (Imp. Czech Republic) click here
Breeding line: IX. (by breeding standard Czech Republic)
(IX. 37,5%, I. 25%, VII. 12,5%, V. 12,5% en IV. 12,5%)
Sire: Int. Ch. Nero od Tesinovskych buku picture
Dam: Silva ze Zvikovske basty
Breeder: P. Novak
Owner: Lotte van Dijk
Handler: Lotte van Dijk
Hip dyslpasia: HD-A European standard FCI (HD free)
Litters: 2
2008, 8 pups S-litter
2011, 7 pups U-litter

Field Trial
Spring, open class: 1 Excellent CACIT-CACT (printemps, perdreaux)
Summer, open class: 2 Excellent (Eté, perdreaux & faisan naturel)
Autumn + apport, open class: 2 Very Good + retrieve (2 Très Bon, faisan naturel)

Retrieving
KNJV Upland and water retrieve Certificate (level B)

Show
International Champion
2x Excellent RCAC (Mr Masló (CZ), Mr Arxhoek (NL))
2x Excellent CACIB (Mr Dostál (CZ), Mr. Peper (D))
Europasiegerin 2009

Practical hunting
Small game + fox

Winner of CFVN trophies (Cesky Fousek Vereniging Nederland)
Bronze Hare (allround trophy)
Special Fieldwork CACT (championship field trial trophy)
CFVN Bronz Hare (allround trophy)

For a complete review of all results click here

Character and Temperament
In the field, Asta (Cayenne) takes to the wind like a racing sailboat, every fibre of her being thrilling to the hunt. All else must make way when it comes to searching, pointing and retrieving game. She is hard for herself. She takes the barb-wired fences and hidden ditches dotting the Dutch countryside in her stride; ice floats in the canal may slow her some, but never stop her.

In the house she is calm, focused on her human, affectionate. Evenings she like to spend on my lap if I let her.
Unpleasant situations are accepted without complaint as long as I am there. Working in unfamiliar terrain does not make her unsure, it is a welcome challenge.

From early puppyhood Asta enthusiastically retrieves every kind of game. From pigeon (at 15 weeks) to crow, from duck to fox (at 17 weeks). In our own hunting area we bag mostly duck and pigeon. Asta retrieves them out of the reeds and rushes, out of the sugar beets, the furrowed potato fields and the man-high maize (corn). All this with enormous tenacity. At the tender age of 8 weeks she followed the older dogs as they entered the river, immediately began to swim and has loved water ever since.

Upland fieldwork is her first love (as it is mine), but this is also the work for which she has been trained most. In light cover her regular pattern ranges some 300m wide. In rougher terrain (large sugar beet fields or bushes) she will adjust her range and speed. She will hunt closer and search more thoroughly because she knows that game can try to sneak away and body scent is winded later under those conditions.

In November of 2007 we started the training for tracking. Her way of working her first bloodtrack immediately revealed her passion for large game. At first she kept wandering away from the track, her head held too high and too preoccupied with other scents. But then she found the place where the (simulated) buck had rested and bled. She almost slammed into the spot, buried her nose in it, pawed the ground and then continued to work out the rest of the track with great confidence and precision, so fast that I had to let go of the leash. Some 75m ahead she came to the buckskin, pounced on it, worried at it and had no interest in the reward I had placed on it. It was clear that Asta enjoyed this. We have found a new challenging discipline to pursue.

Cesky Fouseks are known for their ‘predator-sharpness’, Asta is no exception. Cats had better stay well out of the way. When she was still a puppy I let her retrieve a knocked-down polecat which she picked up without hesitation. At a Memorial competition in the Czech Republic – Asta was 4 months old at the time – as observer-with-pup I had the opportunity to introduce my dog to a (dead) fox. Many dogs dislike retrieving them. But arriving at the fox she took hold of one of its hind legs and, under vocal encouragement of the bystanders, dragged the fox right up to my feet.

Towards humans Asta is always friendly. I have never seen her growl or act aggressively towards people. Old or young makes no difference. Greetings are sometimes a little too enthusiastic, but with small children she is very careful and gentle.

Towards other dogs, too, she is all friendliness. Young/old, large/small, uncertain or dominating, she manages to put all of them in a good mood, and even gets them to play. I don’t know how she does it, but it is really wonderful to see how well she gets along with other dogs. The only time you can expect a growl is when an oversexed male becomes bothersome or when another dog tries to steal her bone or game.

In the house she ranks first over the other dogs and takes advantage of this when it suits her. She may leave a still half-filled dish and seemingly have a snooze. If one of the dogs closes in on the dish all she needs to do is lift her head and stare. This is enough to let the would-be thief slink away in retreat.

Results

2011

**Field Trials 2010**
date	type	organisation	location	judge	result
27-9-10	Cont. Couple CACT + apport (faisan naturel)	NVL	Rilland	Rooijakkers Woets	2 Good (B)

2010

**Field Trials 2010**
date	type	organisation	location	judge	result
27-9-10	Cont. Solo CACIT + apport (faisan naturel)	NVL	Ferwert	Rooijakkers	2 Very Good (TB)
18-9-10	Summer field trial solo CACIT (Eté perdreaux & faisan)	ADACAS	Villers, Chassart (B)	Nargaud (B) Indekeu (B)	2 Excellent

**Show 2010**
date	type	location	class	judge	result
8-5-2010	Clubmatch Cesky Fousek CAC (CFVN)	Heteren	Champion class	W. Hochstenbach (NL)	1e Excellent

2009

Retrieving

date     type                 org   location             result

8-8-09 Upland and water retrieving test with cold game     KNJV gewest 't Hogeland Delfzijl B-diplom
67 points

1-8-09 Upland and water retrieving test with cold game     KNJV gewest midden Overwijssel Vriezenveen B-diplom
62 points

Field Trials 2009

date

type

organisation

location

judge

result

23-4-09

Cont. Solo CACIT spring
(printemp, perdreaux)

NVL

IJzendijke

Beerden (B)
Eering (NL)

2 Good (B)

13-4-09

Cont. Solo CACIT spring
(printemp, perdreaux)

Cesky Pointer
Setter Klub

Zirovice, CZ

Rubes (CZ)
Bina (CZ)

2 Good (B)
9 points

**Europasieger show CACIB, 2-5-2009, Dortmund (D)**
Judge: dhr. Dr. Peper (D)	working class	1 Excellent CAC-CACIB Europasieger 2009
Feminine Hündin, korrekt proportionierter Hündinnenschädel, vorzüglicher Ausdruck, Schere Gebiss; vorzügliche Oberlinie, Proportionen, Knockenstärke, Pfoten und Rute; korrekte Brust, korrekte Winkelungen; vorzügliches Haar in Textur und Farbe; flüssige, parallele Bewegung. 1 Vorzüglich, Europasieger 2009, CAC-CACIB Now Asta z Krotejovskych lesu is International Champion!

2008

**Field Trials 2008**
date	type	organisation	location	judge	result
16-4-08	World Championship Cesky Fousek Solo CACIT	KCHCF	Ml. Boleslav, CZ	Passini (I), Fernandez (ESP), Dvorakova (CZ)	M.T.H.R. Mention Très Honorable Reservé

**Show 2008**
date	type	location	class	judge	result
31-5-08	Clubmatch Cesky Fousek CAC (CFVN)	Heteren	Workingclass	G. Mensink (NL)	3e Very Good (TB)
24-3-08	CAC-CACIB	Leeuwarden	Workingclass	J. Dostál (CZ)	1e Excellent CAC-CACIB

**Retrieving**
date	type	org	location	result
9-9-07	Upland and water retrieving test with cold game	KNJV gewest Rivierenland	Afferden	C-diplom 37 points

**Field Trials 2007**
date	type	organisation	location	judge	result
10-10-07	Cont. Solo CACIT + apport (faisan naturel)	NVDSK	Stadskanaal	Eering (NL), ...(D)	3e Very Good (TB)
14-9-07	Cont. Solo CACT + apport (faisan naturel)	VVDD	IJzendijke	Beerden (B)	2e Very Good (TB)
12-5-07	Cont. Solo CACIT spring (printemp, perdreaux)	KCHCF	Ml. Boleslav, CZ	MUDROCH Václav (CZ), RATAJ Mgr (D), SOBOLIK Václav (CZ), FREY Fred (D)	1e Excellent CACIT-CACT 19 points
20-4-07	Derby (perdreax/faisan)	NVL	Steenbergen	Booter (NL)	2e Good (B)
13-4-07	Derby (perdreax/faisan)	Vizsla	Noordhoek	Booter (NL)	1e Very Good (TB)
6-4-07	Derby (perdreax/faisan)	VVDD	Middelharnis	Scheffer (NL)	2e Good (TB)

**Show 2007**
date	type	location	class	judge	result
4-6-2007	Clubmatch Cesky Fousek CAC (CFVN)	Heteren	Workingclass	W. Arxhoek (NL)	1e Excellent RCAC
13-5-2007	Clubmatch Cesky Fousek CAC (KCHCF)	Ml. Boleslav, CZ	Workingclass	F. Masló (CZ)	2e Excellent RCAC

2006

**Field Trials 2006**
date	type	organisation	location	judge	result
13-10-06	Derby (faisan naturel)	NVL	Steenbergen	Woets (NL)	2e Very Good (TB)
7-10-06	Derby (faisan naturel)	Vizsla	Fijnaart	Booter (NL)	2e Very Good (TB)
6-10-06	Derby (faisan naturel)	VVDD	Tholen	Indekeu (B)	1e Very Good (TB)
9-9-06	Derby (faisan naturel)	VES	Geldermalsen	Woets (NL)	1e Very Good (TB)
8-9-06	Derby (faisan naturel)	NVL	Tholen	Woets (NL)	1e Very Good (TB)
21-4-06	Derby (perdreax/faisan)	NVL	Steenbergen	Companjen (NL)	2e Good (B)

**Show 2006**
date	type	location	class	judge	result
7-5-2006	Clubmatch Cesky Fousek CAC (CFVN)	Heteren	young dogs	D. Rutten (NL)	3e Excellent

Career Planning
My objective is to draw on all of the dog’s potential. In this it is important to keep limits in mind. The build-up of the training aims at a versatile dog (on a high level), and this takes time. I hope that by 2011 we are at the point that we can successfully compete in a very special Dutch competition called the Grote Prijs Jan Coldewey. This is a two-day competition covering 5 different types of trial.

In 2006 this Dutch event was won by a Cesky Fousek, Cirk Tesinovskych butu, close relative of Asta.

The first 12 months were devoted to gathering experience: contact with people, other dogs and other animals; working different types of field and cover; learning about all kinds of game; learning about the various elements of retrieving (including accepting hand signals at distance); the first principles of tracking; experiencing actual hunting situations etc. In short, I gave the young dog every opportunity to discover herself and the world around her.

Next, the retrieving was kept in shape through training. Gradually I made the tasks more difficult. But during the second year the emphasis was on working upland, in search of pheasant and partridge. In the fall field trials for young dogs (up to 2 years old) she performed marvellously (2e overall with 24 points for the best continental pointer in the youth field trials in 2006). Weather conditions were adverse in the spring of 2007, but she kept developing. Meanwhile I had tempered her fanatical chasing of hare. When in May 2007 we concluded the spring season with a CACIT (with 19 points), Asta 25 months old, we were very very happy – and actually surprised that the very first open class (all-age) field trial proved to be so successful.

In the course of the third year I demanded more control. ‘Here’ now really means just that and a retrieve must be prompt and correct. No excuses, for example that this bush carries the lovely scent of rabbit so that the dummy must wait until you have inspected the whole of the cover for rabbits that may have been foolhardy enough not to disappear underground.

Being in heat and due to an unfortunate turn of events the retrieving test (an upland and water working test with cold game) yielded a low score (a C diploma). But in the open class field trials that fall she did score 'Very Good' (T.B.) twice, which is not at all bad for a first open class season.

During the spring field trials of 2008 we were hampered by a period that the dog was in heat and, as we noted in the Czech Republic, loss of steadiness when, after the point, we flushed the bird. At the World Championship field trial for Czech Wirehaired pointers Asta was awarded an MTHR, the only dog to win anything at all.

We are now in the fourth year. We are planning to gain a higher certificate at the retriever tests, perhaps even the Multiple Retrieve Test (if madam is not in heat again by then). We will skip the fall field trials this year, because by then she will be carrying pups and I don’t want to expose her to the risks of pesticides. Meanwhile I will continue working hard to perfect her work at the open class level for the spring field trials 2009. I also intend to continue training in tracking, so that in the course of 2009 Asta can be expected to compete in a tracking test. Depending on how successful she will be in this I will consider using her for actual tracking of wounded or knocked-down large game.