Picasso’s elegance and effortless movement combined with his big personality and ‘look at me’ quality in the show ring wowed many judges and gundog fans and spectators. He was admired at 2 Dogs NSW judges’ training nights, and participated in Junior Handlers at Sydney Royal with Katie Anderson in 2013, who also enjoyed both showing and spending time with him. His litter brother Sh Ch Pitswarren Planet remains the top winning Owner Bred and Handled Vizsla in the UK, and was Best of Breed at Crufts in 2009 and UK Gundog of the Year in 2010. Picasso’s offspring have attained their championships with ease, as have his grandchildren.
At the age of 6 ½ Picasso won Best Gait in the October 2013 NSW Hungarian Vizsla Club Specialty Show, where Judge P Achtergael (Belgium) critiqued him including: “6 ½ years. Masculine head, good eye colour, full scissor bite,… ears well set and carried. Good angulated [sic] in front and behind, forechest OK, good bone, excellent feet, tail well set … Moves very well from the side. Very nice type.” Picasso’s movement remains the most effortless movement we have seen, with his back staying steady and level the whole time, and we are thrilled that many Metropolis offspring have inherited it.
Picasso was always a dignified gentleman, with a stubborn determination to be top dog. He always loved people. He has always enjoyed being “King of the kids” as Brian once said.
Picasso’s sense of play which was emphasised by the contrast with his aristocratic bearing. His love of fetch, and how he used to bark and leap about hysterically for you to throw the ball or stick repeatedly. His love and jealousy of squeaky toys. His 270 degrees helicopter spins come dinner time. His pleasure at being included inside on the lounge. His refusal to be stuck in the backyard on his own, leading to him scaling Brian’s back gate numerous times. His fixation with car boots, as though drawn magnetically to them, and once in them refusing to come out.
Picasso died in 2017 aged 11 ½, after suffering kidney failure.
Picasso is behind all Metropolis dogs, and we are proud and privileged to be able to continue using him to sire litters. Picasso factors into our future breeding plans for both temperament and physique. Thanks to the wonders of artificial insemination and our expert reproduction facility, Sires On Ice, we will have offspring sired by him for years to come.
In all the years that we have known vizslas, we have known only one Picasso. How fortunate we are that he was our introduction to the world of breeding and stud dogs. He is missed by those who loved him.
