1983 Winterbach 1998 Torcy
1984 Morlon 1999 Winterbach
1985 Winterbach 2000 Pisa
1986 Vallée de Joux 2001 Versoix
1987 Cergy Pontoise 2002 Torcy
1988 Winterbach 2003 Winterbach
1989 Estavayer le Lac 2004 Milano
1990 Bourget du lac 2005 Versoix
1991 Winterbach 2006 Torcy
1992 Trevignano 2007 Winterbach
1993 Estavayer le lac 2008 Pisa
1994 Torcy 2009 Martigny
1995 Winterbach 2010 Dienville
1996 Pisa 2011 Welzheim
1997 Versoix 2012 MOLVENO

INTERNATIONAL MEETING OF NEWFOUNDLAND DOGS  

Attitude and origin of the gathering
Reason for which this meeting has been created
Since 1980, the various clubs took part to various competitions without either any view of the Newfoundland dogs' work, or an exchange of information among them.
When and How?
This history begins in 1982 in France, where the Remstalgruppe (Germany) and the Amicale du Terre-Neuve de Genève (Switzerland) participated in a Newfoundland dogs contest. The approach of this competition was not of their liking, therefore they decided to avoid taking part to the dinner organized on the same evening. Fate helped them with a coincidence dinner in the same restaurant, during which they decided to create a gathering without any competition, but only a meeting during which everyone will have the possibility of widening his experiences through information exchange on training techniques.
THE INTERNATIONAL MEETING WAS BORN
Mr. Herbert Kretschmer, Chairman of the Deutch Neufundlander Klub Remstalgruppe (Germany)  and Mr. Hervé Floch, Chairman of  Amicale du Terre-Neuve de Genève (Switzerland) met with the purpose of organizing meetings which will group the Newfoundland dog's friends coming from various European groups and, mostly, will be held without any competitive intention. The main point will be to highlight the ground and water work capability of these dogs. This gathering thus becomes an opportunity to evaluate techniques adopted by different clubs, enabling them to improve from the comparison. Under this viewpoint, the first “INTERNATIONAL MEETING OF NEWFOUNDLAND DOGS” was organized in Winterbach (Germany) in 1983. The second one was held in Switzerland in 1984. Since then, it can be considered the only European dog gathering of a certain importance. More than 150 dogs are regularly gathered, with more than 20 clubs travelling from at least 6 different Countries. On the Sunday evening's official dinner usually about 300 people of different origin and language meet. This does not alter the friendship spirit among clubs, at all. The presence of our English friends (without their dogs) at this meeting dates back to a long story of mutual friendship and passion for the dramatic qualities of Newfoundland dogs. Nowadays, when everything becomes a competition, it is positive to found ourselves joined by the same passion, thanks to our dogs.
HISTORY OF THE INTERNATIONAL MEETING
As mentioned above, the first meeting was held in GERMANY in 1983, the second in SWITZERLAND in 1984; the reputation of such gatherings rapidly developed fuelling the interest of other Countries, like FRANCE hosting its first meeting in 1985 and proposing also for 1987. Other Countries participated in the latest appointment, like HOLLAND.
The 1990 meeting, also organized by FRANCE, will be an important one, which will see ITALY’S and ENGLAND’S participation for the first time.
Our ENGLISH friends, participating without their dogs, dynamically join ground and water activities with the FRENCH dogs, offering a brilliant demonstration of the attitude of such gatherings. Starting with about 30 dogs in 1983, we increased to a hundred in 1991 when, for the first time, ITALY gave its availability to organize the 1992 edition. Now the organization sequence is the following: GERMANY, ITALY, SWITZERLAND and FRANCE. Since more than 20 years, the Newfoundland dog lovers have been able to meet in these nations. During the period mentioned above many other Countries took part to, or simply visited the meeting: AUSTRIA, LUXEMBOURG, BELGIUM, UNITED STATES of AMERICA, NEW ZEALAND. It is presently the biggest EUROPEAN meeting dedicated to the work with Newfoundland dogs; its attitude has never changed and during these gatherings, and the biggest clubs co-operate with the smaller ones exchanging information on education techniques without any competition, which is the present purpose of all attending associations. This enables everyone to grow and improve, absorbing the new techniques taught by more experienced others. This helps new clubs and give them the possibility of finding advices, contacts and mostly true friends of this exceptional dog breed. In 1987, FRANCE joined the organizing Countries and "CLATN" is endowed with the privilege of this possibility. In this occasion the International TROPHY was created; it must be passed to the organizing club, which will apply its plate on the same.
SICS, for the first time, took part with the Newfoundland Mas in 1991 and again in Switzerland in 1993. Since then it never missed meeting, reaching presences abroad always with more than twenty dog-human units.
This is a moment of friendship, comparison and new experiences, to be applied and put into action during the following year.
 
HOME