Y Brif Sioe Gŵn yng Ngŵyl Wanwyn y Sioe Frenhinol
There are 200 breeds of dogs in Britain and dog lovers of all ages will find plenty of breeds to interest them at the dog show run in conjunction with the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society’s Spring Festival in May. The event has been granted ‘Premier Open Show’ status by the Kennel club for the third time and is therefore a qualifier for Crufts, the world’s largest dog show.
Dogs of all shapes, colours and sizes will be on parade at the Festival and among those with unusual characteristics will be the Newfoundland which has webbed feet making it an excellent swimmer. More familiar perhaps will be Greyhounds, the fastest dogs on earth, which can reach speeds of 45mph, the Irish Wolfhound, the tallest breed in the UK, and the Labrador Retriever, this country’s most popular breed of dog.
Also to be seen at the show will be powerful Rhodesian Ridgebacks, developed in South Africa where they were used to hunt lions, but which are calm, gentle and obedient dogs, and Dobermanns, developed in the 1880s by Karl Dobermann, a tax collector, to accompany him on his rounds!
The show organisers are hoping that entries for the event once again exceed the four figure level to compete for the prizes over the two days of the Festival on the weekend of May 21 and 22.
Sporting dogs will be judged on the first day of the show and non-sporting breeds on the second. Best of Breed winners which will qualify for Crufts in 2012 will be declared in the following breeds: Staffordshire Bull and Border Terriers, Cocker, Springer and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Golden and Labrador Retrievers, Irish Setters, Pugs, German Shepherds, Shetland Sheepdogs, Welsh Corgis (Pembroke), Whippets and Lhasa Apsos.
On day one of the show dogs in the Terrier, Gundog and Hound groups, will line up for judging and those in the Toy, Utility, Working and Pastoral groups will be judged on the second day.
Detailed information about the dog show may be obtained from the Hon. Secretary, Mrs Julie Howells, on 01269 841356.