Starting from the Ground Up - Regional Shows: A Remedy for our Woes?

This September, I participated in a regional show in my hometown, the first time my village (in Tuscany) ever held such an event. The organizing club presented the mayor who made a brief address, then the local priest blessed all the people and their dogs. Participants’ children could play in the shady park bordering the rings, and everyone stopped in the local cafe’s shops and bakery during the event. Judging went into the evening hours, and family and friends gathered around the dogs exiting the ring to read the results of the dogs they were rooting for. People waiting to enter with their dog sat in their lawn chairs or the tail of their car and visited with their neighbors and other acquaintances who chanced to walk by. A local photographer caught some nice shots of what was going on and made a post on social media the following day.

A regional show in Italy is open to all pedigree dogs and enrollment is on site the day of the show. There are no championship points or awards, but clubs can add up points of these shows over the course of a year for their own club prizes. There are many reasons to hold a regional show. Firstly, it is a place breeders or owners can bring their young dogs that need some ring experience without any pressure on who sees the dog or the mistakes that could be made. There is nothing to lose. Some regional shows exclude dogs that have reached the champion level, but invite them to a champions parade to be held before the final prizes are awarded, so nobody is left at home. Prizes are usually a ceramic plate or even a bottle of wine or specialty artisan salami—true Italian style!

The regional show is also a place where newly appointed judges can cut their teeth, since general knowledge is the only requirement to adjudicate these events. The show rings are usually paired with another kennel club program, the good citizen evaluation, carried on simultaneously in a separate space. Dogs sit, stay, and remain serene as a person passes them on a bicycle or flashes an opening and closing umbrella.

These shows are held in the late spring, summer, and early fall, in a public square, garden, or sports field where people walking by are likely to stop and take a look. Which brings me to what, in my view, is an even more important reason to hold these small, non-championship, shows. If we are finding that public interest for canine events has all but evaporated, and direct participation in shows by breeders or individual owners is on the wane, what better way to cultivate grass roots interest.

These shows have the potential to become large and enjoyable annual events in a small town. If they are held in conjunction with local musical fairs or sports events, they can become real family outings. The local dog training centers can have a booth to illustrate their projects and organize demonstrations with some of their clients. Breeding kennels from the region can have “meet the breed” interaction with some of their dogs. There can be personnel from the organizing club available to explain what is going on in the ring, what the judge is looking for, and how the handlers are trying to show their dogs to advantage. Since entries are taken on the day, there can be a short hands-on class just before judging begins, so newcomers get an idea of what to do.

Seating and a few food stalls should dot the area, so families can make a day of it. I cannot think of a better way to make the purebred dog scene fun and part of the fabric of a local community. Much like Crufts, I think it would be good fun to have a ring dedicated to “scrufts,” judging of non-pedigree dogs based on different criteria such as cutest dog, dog-owner similarity, hairiest dog, etc. Nowadays, kennel clubs are the true champions of all dogs, lobbying for the health and happiness of every canine, so where there is a dog, there is interest in the kennel club.