Cezar Osiceanu in Nine O'Clock 2005

Article from Nine oClock 14 10 2005

“The interest in the Romanian Shepherd Dog has increased in the world”
says Cezar Osiceanu, CNCCR vice-president

published in supplement issue 3536 at 2005-10-14

Set up in 1996, the National Club of the Romanian Shepherd Dogs (CNCCR) has asserted itself ever more firmly both in the national competitions as well as in those held beyond the borders of our country. Present in Iasi, last Sunday, Cezar Osiceanu, vice-president
of the Club, told us with satisfaction about the competitions and the samples promoted by CNCCR (www.ciobanesti.ro) and about those who consider that the dog is definitely a friend of man.

- Therefore, a new dog breeding competition has been organised in Iasi…

- Yes, this is the third one held in Iasi since 1996. I have come here from Gura Humorului where the 6th stage of this event was organised and I must tell you that the event held in Iasi is the 7th one, this year. I must also evince the fact that all the competitors, coming from Timisoara, Constanta, Cluj, Brasov, Barlad, Bucharest have appreciated the high level of the Iasi competition, which is part of the qualified
international championships. We had here 75 dogs, of which 37 were Romanian Carpathian shepherd dogs. As a matter of fact, Moldova is the cradle of the two breeds - the Romanian “Mioritic” shepherd dog and the Romanian Carpathian shepherd dog. These are definitely exceptional samples. Moreover, only one “very good” rating was granted, the other ratings being only “excellent.” The most valuable sample of the Romanian Carpathian shepherd dog was absolutely sensational, it weighed 91 kg and its back was about 84 cm. long. The dog called Vadim de Istratoiu belongs to Ivan Dumitru of Timisoara and it has also obtained the award the best sample of the breed. It is the dog which has
obtained the largest number of awards in the history of the Carpathian breed, the most valuable sample alive both as a reproducer and in term of its records.
In retort, the inhabitants of Iasi brought in their turn a sample - Nichita - called “Ciobanel of Pietrarie” (Small shepherd dog of Pietrarie”)
belonging to Mr. Slanina of Iasi. The dog obtained the title of “Romania - first junior.” Practically, the finals of the competition were carried out between these two samples - for the Carpathians shepherd dog breed. As far as the Romanian “Mioritic” shepherd dogs are concerned, the latter were very numerous but the awards left for other regions of the country than Iasi but also elsewhere. The award “Romania - first junior”
for instance was obtained by a puppy coming from Germany, named Mihu de Butte. These are the effects of the controlled dissemination of these two breeds, which our club takes care of. Another dog obtained the title of “Reserve Romania - first junior” and belongs to a participant from Cluj.
The award for the finest sample of the breed in the exhibition was obtained by an absolutely sensational female coming from Barlad. Its name is Dana de Casa Ciobanu (Betty) and belongs to doctor Ioan Bejan. This dog will definitely have a great future!
As a result of the records gathered in Iasi, four “Mioritic” dogs and three Carpathian ones have obtained the award of international champion of the breed, which is also granted on the basis of the previous records.

- The championship has also got an international component, hasn’t it?

- Obviously. Competitors from Germany and the USA have also registered this year for the competition but they were unable to arrive in due time. However, this international character is also lent by the origin of the samples participating in the competition which means that the samples resulting from parents which live beyond the borders of Romania can also participate in this event.

- Do you prepare now for other international competitions, in other countries, as well?

- Yes, indeed. The competitions organised so far in Gura Humorului and Iasi but also the forthcoming ones due in Barlad, Rucar and Ramnicu Valcea help us to select the samples, which will represent us next year in the world Championship due in Poland. It is true that we, the Romanians, have a smaller experience as regards the participation in international events but we do our best to cope with the demands, because we have very good, competitive breeds. Our first participation was in 1995 in Belgium, then in the year 2000 in Milan and next year in Poland. This will be the first direct participation of an authentic Romanian shepherd dog in its capacity as a competitor. We would like to recall
that now new approaches have been initiated by our Club to homologate this spectacular breed in the FCI as well. We await the answer from the American Kennel Club, the largest organisation of such kind in the USA, where I would like to tell you that the ambassador of Romania to Washington, Sorin Ducaru represented us, in both a proper and figurative sense, since he is the owner of an exceptional sample of Mioritic Shepherd Dog called Haiduc de Romania.

- Is it true that the Romanian shepherd dog can be exported?

- Yes and even with a great success. It is a sample in high request lately. Two weeks ago, the latest dog arrived in California, a wonderful female aged now about three months, named Roxi, being the first Romanian Mioritic sample to have ever reached that region of the world. Her owner Alina is delighted and says “she has the most beautiful dog on the Planet”. I have understood that next year “it would come” longing
for Europe, to participate in the World Championship due in Poland. Therefore, the interest in the Romanian shepherd dogs has increased although all kind of false rumours were circulating at a certain time, undermining the breed and the national interest, in keeping with which the Carpathian shepherd dog would represent a cross-breeding, that the Carpathian shepherd dog living in Moldova is not such a stable breed but a variety of a Balkan shepherd dog.
However, the specialists have finally elucidated this issue. All the international dog competitions accept today the Romanian Shepherd Dogs as a pure breed, similar to other canine breeds in the world. We hope to further be quite convincing in this domain. For the time being, we are happy with the prizes they bring to us. And I am sure that they will certainly bring many other awards in the future as well.

by Mihai Neacsu

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