Over 170 of P.A. and region’s finest four-legged friends strut their stuff

“What it is, is an evaluation of breeding dogs, so dogs are here to compete for what’s called their championship or their grand championship if they’ve already got their championship,” she said.

(Michael Joel-Hansen/paNOW Staff)

For breeders, bringing one of their dogs to a show like this provides an opportunity to highlight their dog is a good candidate for breeding.

“This is a way to prove that your dog physically exemplifies the breed that they are,” said Andriashek.

The competition started with the dogs competing in seven different categories. These range from working and sporting dogs to toy dogs. Next, the best seven dogs from each category go up against each other for a big prize.

“The best of each group competes for the best in show,” Andriashek said.

The P.A. Kennel Club has been hosting dog shows for quite a long time. Andriashek said both shows they arrange have a limited number of spaces and that they get lots of interest.

“Our shows are completely full,” she said.

Along with a variety of dogs, the show also brought out some different kinds of handlers. Some work as professional handlers who show off dogs owned by others. One of them was Trina Neil, who hails from Vonda, north east of Saskatoon.

“Here this weekend, we brought a Golden Retriever, a Kerry Blue Terrier, a Brussels Griffon, a Cavalier, a Sheltie and an Aussie, so a mixed bag,” she said.

Neil said people hire professional handlers like her as it can be difficult and costly for some people to get away to do it themselves.

The Vonda based handler has been showing dogs for nearly 30 years and has done it at events all over Canada and the United States and she had even gone overseas to Europe. Neil said while the P.A. show is a smaller one there is no shortage of quality.

“It’s a small show, but there’s a lot of top dogs here this weekend and every time they have a show,” she said.

Neil added with the P.A. show having a limited number of spots, those interested in showing off their dogs have to put in some extra effort to make sure they get in before all the spots fill up.

“We stay up and enter right at midnight [when admissions open],” she said.

Connie Richard, who is from P.A. has been showing dogs since 1992 and was displaying her Springer Spaniel. Richard believes the long success of the local show is in part due to it being well run.

“It seems to just go without a hitch, everybody has a great time,” she said.

Richard said P.A. has lower overheads than some of the bigger centres as well. She added there are fewer shows in Saskatchewan than there have been in the past and the sport has some challenges to deal with going forward.

“Just getting people into the sport I think is going to be something else … to get the up and comers,” she said.

A handler prepares a dog for showing (Michael Joel-Hansen/paNOW Staff)

MichaelJoel.Hansen@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @mjhskcdn

by Michael Joel-Hansen

Over 170 of P.A. and region’s finest four-legged friends strut their stuff

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