KIMMAX German Wirehaired Pointer (Deutsch Drahthaar)
Kimmax German Wirehaired Pointers are the UK’s leading breeders of the true dual purpose German Wirehaired Pointers (Deutsch Drahthaars) , proven in the field in the UK and Germany. » Timo overall winner at HZP in Fehmarn, Germany

Timo II V Bockenhagen at Kimmax had an outstanding day at the HZP in Fehmarn, Germany, becoming the first UK dog and handler to win 1st place at a German HZP test.

At the Hegewald, Timo had a great start with a superb score in the Form and Hair assessments (11 form / 10 coat) with the judges feeling that with a bit more maturity he may do even better when he reaches the required age for the final grading.

The water was a different matter. The judge shot a bit close to Timo and Timo turned away. Under the rules this is instant elimination, the handler cannot speak or help the dog in any way. Our Hegewald was over. There was much speculation as to whether a pellet actually hit him, but he was not injured.

This was a catastrophy as Timo (brother to Tom, the ‘Most Beautiful Dog’ of the Hegewald) could not be bred from without passing the full water test. He is so good in water, I had not even considered this.

When I got back to base, my German friends were great. They had seen Timo in practice, he had been superb on the water and absolutely undaunted by shooting into the water close to him. After much discussion, I was offered the chance to run in another HZP at the weekend, probably my last chance to do so with Timo (as he would be too old for next years tests).

Looking back the plan seemed crazy - but my commitment to this is total and I felt I had let Timo down and needed to give him the opportunity to show what he is truely capable of.

I left Timo with a friend, Marcus (who has Timo’s brother Troll) who looked after him from the Sunday to the Thursday and did some training to keep him focussed. I drove for 2 hours from Marcus’s house to Hamburg and flew home. I arranged a change of holidays and worked from Monday to Thursday, returning to Marcus’s house Thursday evening. Now I could focus on the test again.

I drove for 4 hours from Marcus’s house to Munster, sleeping in the car overnight and spent Friday preparing Timo on the water and lakes that he knows so well. After a quick trip to our Vet in Munster (for Pet Passport treatments) we set off on the 6 hour drive to Fehmarn near the Danish border. Arriving at about 1.00am, I slept in the car again ready for the HZP meeting at 7.30am.

What can I say about the actual HZP test. Everything just went as it should. Timo was great on the hares, had a great point on a hare and completed the duck and rabbit drags in grand style. There were some real scary moments, like when he virtually stepped on a hare as he was returning with the rabbit drag in his mouth. Knowing I am not allowed to command my dog in any way, I just watched helplessly as Timo just stood and watched the hare bolt and then calmly just carry on and deliver the rabbit for a perfect 10 score.

The water was as different to the Hegewald as it could be. The simple duck retrieve with the shot, went perfectly. The blind retrieve over water of a dead duck was one of the best he had done. Then came the big one, the independant live duck search.

Timo was superb. He quickly located the duck in dense reeds and followed it relentlessly until it broke into the water. To our shock, it then flew off (so much for the tied wing). Timo emerged from exactly the same spot, no question about his nose and tracking, so the judges quickly placed a second duck in the reeds on the far bank. Eventually Timo came round the bank onto this duck, right in front of the judge (who was ready with my gun).

The judges had been debating whether Timo was 10 or 11 on pointing, as we had not had much chance on birds, but then he went solid on point on the duck, a few feet from the judges. Timo was moving silently a few inches at a time, I instantly knew what was coming next as I had seen it in practice once and sure enough, he lunged forward and captured the duck in the reeds - no need for a shot. He quickly looked for me and brought the live duck to me without command. Almost near perfect performance and 11 points.

I was over the moon, he had passed his HZP and was now eligible for breeding. Only a 8 hour drive to Hook Van Holland, a 6 hour ferry journey and a 6 hour drive home from Harwich remaining.

The evening gathering saw the 16 competitors and all the judges come together for the final prize giving. I thought Timo had gone well, but had not really worked through the points. To my surprise and delight, it was announced that Timo was the highest placed dog with 210 points - I even had to give a little speech in German !!

My 3 weeks in Germany (on and off) were over and I could now return home doubly proud of Timo and his outstanding brother Tom.