To our knowledge, a Briard RASS is held in Canada, France, Australia, and a few other European countries, but the first American one was held in 1974 in Columbus, Ohio. RASS is an acronym for “Rassemblement,” and most Briard fanciers believe the event is unequaled. 

A RASS is a dog event based on the European version that’s held every year in France and some of the other European countries. In America, the Briard Club of America periodically sponsors a rassemblement (French for “rally”) usually in conjunction with a National Specialty. A European judge with a deep understanding of the breed is invited to evaluate and rate all entered dogs – usually off lead – in a noncompetitive arena which s/he records his or her opinions on paper later to be published in book form, or given as notes to each participant. 

The judge takes into account every little detail of the dog while bearing in mind the breed’s historic purpose. There are very specific reasons for a judge’s ratings which are levied on qualities that are in the dog and shouldn’t be, or superior qualities that the judge sees in the dog. In Europe, anyway, the dogs graded ‘excellent’ can advance to the “selection” process where the dog is assessed as a whole for it’s overall type and soundness, but it also point out individual qualities that in the view of the judge are outstanding.

Out of this, the best dogs are designated “select.” Some of you may even have seen, “sel” written after a dog’s name, and typically, there is usually a year and country included. “Sel F 99,” for example, would mean that the Briard after whose name the words appear was selected at the National Rassemblement of France in 1999. It’s said that in the Briard world, a Select dog at a Rass is the ultimate honor, and far more prestigious than a championship title. 

A Rass is also invaluable to breeders by warning of areas that are problematic, which areas are in “good shape,” or showing which dogs are consistently producing positive or negative traits.

As a forum for breeders and those wanting to learn more about the breed, a Rass is unequalled, and the opinions of the judges can sometimes be unexpected. In an interview with Monique and Bernard Weber, both French breeders, Monique observed how often Americans wash their dogs. In her view, this makes it very hard to properly assess coat quality. “Dogs are rustic animals,” ‘she said. “They mustn’t become luxury objects. When I judged a show in the States two years ago, I couldn’t believe how pampered the animals were! The second the Elevage was over, everyone ran to bath their dogs so they’d be nice and clean for the rassemblement the next day. I said to myself, My God, what a disaster!” (this conversation appears in the book, “Briards Past and Present: Conversations with Leading Breeders” by Ellen Myers.

Image: “The Briard” by Gretchen Bjornson is available as art, lifestyle items, and in home decor here