The German Working Champion or Leistungssieger is determined every year during the Deutsche Meisterschaft in the month of October.
The championships require the participants to exhibit their work across (3) disciplines; Tracking, Obedience and Protection exercises utilising the guidelines of IGP, (formerly called VPG / IPO) dog sport as the preferred system of evaluation.
The competition is open to all dogs (male / female) that have achieved a IGPIII in qualifying tournaments in the competitive season leading up to the championships.
Tracking includes the dog following a scent along a path that is unknown to the handler and the dog. The track is laid by an independent party and along the track several articles are left which the dog must indicate; this commonly completed by the dog assuming a drop position with the article between its front legs.
The Obedience phase consists of a heeling pattern containing several turns, changes in pace and is performed off lead. There are also predetermined exercises such as sit, stand and drop on the move, along with dumbbell retrieves on the flat and over a 1M hurdle & 6ft A-frame. The final exercise of the obedience routine is a send away. Once this has been completed the dog is placed into a long down with the handler out of sight, and must remain in that position while another dog is completing its obedience routine.
The protection phase is a combination of obedience exercises with specific protection actions such as finding and holding the “helper”, preventing an escape, diffusing an attack on the dog/handler team and a long courage test.
This is a video of Bambam von den Wichtelhausern (sister to Butch, which Seeuferhause has imported to Australia in the form of frozen semen) during her protection routine in 2014. Bambam went on to win the 2015 & 2016 ADRK championships; winning the championship is a rare feat for a female (let alone going back to back) and is testament to the power and working ability of her bloodline.
This ADRK Championships are the competitive version of the IGP sport for Rottweilers. It is based and has evolved from the original activity known as Schutzhund (German for Protection Dog). This activity was developed by the German Shepherd Club of Germany (SV) to identify specimens suitable for breeding and over the years the appropriation of points for each of the elements in the routine has lead to the competitive nature of modern day trials.
The Deutsche Meisterschaft is the most prestigious working championship for German Rottweilers bred under the ADRK system.
Below is a list of all working champions anointed since 1949.
YEAR Sieger / Siegerin
1949 Pluto vom Jakobsbrunnen
1950 No Trial
1951 Blanka vom Cilabrunnen
1952 Marko vom Filstalstrand
1953 Barry vom Rheintor
1954 Title witheld
1955 Barry vom Rheintor
1956 No Trial
1957 Castor von der Bokermuhle
1958 Arko vom Hipplerhoff
1959 Axel vom Spiekerhof
1960 Bob vom Hause Hader
1961 Arko vom Fichtenschlag
1962 No Trial
1963 Dolf von der Schmechting
1964 Arras vom Moritzberg
1965 Droll vom Baumbusch
1966 Quick von der Solitude
1967 Ajaks vom Asenberg
1968 Casar von der Luneburger Heide
1969 Alc Zeberus
1970 Armin von der Konigshardt
1971 Armin von der Konigshardt
1972 Axel von der Wegscheide
1973 Cralo von Mischa
1974 Felix vom Sonnenberg
1975 Astor vom Hause Pfarr
1976 Barry vom Waldhuck
1977 Barry vom Waldhuck
1978 Etzel vom Amselhof
1979 Osko vom Klosterchen
1980 Axel vom Rhein Elbe Park
1981 Bengo vom Klosterchen
1982 Axel vom Rhein Elbe Park
1983 Axel vom Rhein Elbe Park
1984 Enzor vom Saufang
1985 Erasmus vom Magdeberg
1986 Casar von der Wester Lohe
1987 Rocco vom Horster Dreieck
1988 Max vom Konigsgarten
1989 Rocco vom Horster Dreieck
1990 Fjordbakkens Andy
1991 Boris vom Schloss Borbeck
1992 Barbarossa von der Rauberhohle
1993 Castor vom Hause Swiatecki
1994 Chris vom Fusse der Bergstrasse
1995 Briska vom Dormblick
1996 Etzel von der Silbergrube
1997 Asko vom Wildfang
1998 Etzel von der Silbergrube
1999 Bandy vom Schloss Heessen
2000 Doc vom Munzberg
2001 Tinka vom hause Anin
2002 Ira vom Brandenburger Tor
2003 Cash vom Schloss Rastede
2004 Unkas vom Hause Neubrand
2005 Biko vom Herrenholz
2006 Dark vom Schloss Rastede
2007 Casar von der Rotmainquelle
2008 Ives vom Hause Neubrand II
2009 Ety vom Herrenholz
2010 Jack vom Markgraflerland
2011 Gismo von Cassanova
2012 Bulli vom Turnleberg
2013 Elch vom Heltorfer Forst
2014 Boss vom Kriegsdam
2015 Bambam von den Wichtelhausern
2016 Bambam von den Wichtelhausern
2017 Onex vom Turnleberg
2018 Gollum vom Tanneneck
2019 Gollum vom Tanneneck
2020 No Trial
2021 Egon vom Schwarzen Grat
2022 Luis vom Eisernen Kreuz
2023 Luis vom Eisernen Kreuz
2024 Yakima vom Hause Neubrand