By Dan Kiedrowski
Published in Schnauzer Shorts Nov/Dec 2005 

Karl Barth's interest in Miniature Schnauzers began in his boyhood days in Germany, as his father had a friend who was a successful breeder. When finally settled in Knoxville, Tenessee in 1965, he purchased a proven bitch of Benrook-Jonaire breeding with eight points. Several breedings with mixed success occurred during the next decade, always breeding to dogs of quality, but not choosing to exhibit.

The breeding program at Karlshof, a small hobby kennel, got a big boost with the purchase of Ch. Shorlaine Sheik Of Carolane, from Dr. & Mrs. Carl Beiles (Carolane) in 1979. Sired by their famed Ch. Penlan Peter Gunn (73), Sheik was intensely linebred within the Ruffian Branch, being out of Lori Bush's (Shorlaine) Ch. Carolane's Heritage, the ninth Champion for Carolane's Heaven Sent (9), sired by Ch. Carolane's Royal Rogue, whose dam is a double-up on Ch. Helarry's Harmony (22).

The bitch that really got things rolling was the Sheik daughter, Ch. Karlshof Kopakobana. She served notice of things to come when her title quest, handled by Lanny Hirstein (Penlan), included a five-point Best of Breed from the classes at the 1986 Mount Vernon Specialty over 36 entries, including seven Champions. This was the beginning of a long-lasting and extremely successful relationship with the Hirsteins, only terminated with their retirement from handling, and would result in over two dozen Karlshof Champions finished by them.

Kopakobana also gave Karl his next top producing bitch, Karlshof Karissima (4), by the B/S Ch. Repitition's Mirror Man, CD (8). Their offspring would be intermingled with great success. Karissima also produced several Canadian Champions, including Can. Ch. Karlshof Krystal Of Evalill, foundation bitch for the Evalill Kennels of Eva Monsen and Chris McKay in Ontario, Canada, who now have Champion descendents into the fifth generation.

The Kornukopia - Kublai Khan breeding also produced Am. Can. Ch. Karlshof Kudos, foundation sire for the Evalill breeding program, where he was Canada's top sire in 1998 with nine Champions, and is among Canada's all-time top sires with 27 Champions. Kudos has also contributed to the breeding efforts of Lynda Berar at Naibara, and Gail Wilford at Scandals.

Karl provides an interesting "aside", concerning Kuno . . .

Kristopher and Karissima would give Karlshof its next star, both in the ring and as a producer, and he would carry three crosses to Sheik. Karl had the pleasure of starting Ch. Karlshof Kaptain Kidd (12) out as an eight-months puppy, showing him to his first major. Turned over to the Hirsteins, he came away from the Louisville cluster as a Champion, with three more majors in three days, including a five-pointer. He would rank as the Top Schnauzer - All Systems 1997, his 39 Breed wins included the Chicago and AMSC Great Western Specialties, as well as the "Triple Crown" on the Montgomery County weekend, two of the three wins under breeder-judges. At one point, Kaptain enjoyed a winning streak of 13 shows undefeated in the breed, and his record in Group competition was of equal merit, with six Firsts and 15 additional placements that year.The

When Kamille was bred to Khan, she produced Ch. Karlshof Khan's Kamilla (3), who was destined to become the first Karlshof top producing bitch of the New Millennium. Bred several times to Kaptain, she has Champion offspring in Canada, Sweden and Taiwan, as well as her three American Champion get. The Kamilla - Kaptain son, Ch. Karlshof Kommander In Chief, was chosen to be the next torch bearer at Karlshof. Shown by the Hirsteins, he finished as a yearling, earning several Breed wins along the way. On his first Specials coat, he won seven Bests of Breed, including the Cleveland Specialty, and five Group placements, including a First, all in just 21 days of showing. In March and early April of 2000, he was shown 17 times and won 14 Breed wins, including the St. Louis Specialty, while still under two years of age. Based on his youthful performance, he showed great promise that he might equal or even surpass the achievements of his sire. But this was not to be. His Specials career was cut short by a heart attack experienced by Karl, who was forced to decrease his kennel population. Since

He reminds us that . . .

Whatever successes in breeding and in the ring we have enjoyed is due in no small measure to the satisfying and fruitful associations and/or partnerships with other breeder-exhibitors. Foremost among them are Lanny and Penny Hirstein. My gratitude for their professionalism in handling, and the impact that their stud dogs have had is enormous. Now, Kurt Garmaker is doing an excellent job handling my dogs, and I am hoping for a long and successful relationship with him also.