Some of Canada’s best show dogs took centre stage at Canad Inns in Portage la Prairie on Friday, as the Portage Kennel Club hosted its summer event on July 4.
With hundreds of entries and several national titleholders in attendance, the show featured confirmation, obedience, and rally obedience competitions, along with plenty of proud owners and tail wags.
Elyse Fernets travelled from Calgary with Frankie, a two-year-old pug earning top honours.
“She’s two years old and number one pug in Canada,” Fernets says.
She explains Frankie began competing at six months old and has been in the ring for about a year and a half through the Canadian Kennel Club.
Taffy leads the country
Another standout in the ring was five-and-a-half-year-old Taffy, currently sitting at the top of national rankings.
“Currently she’s gotten the most points this year, things can change, but currently she is the number one dog in the country,” remarks Taffy’s owner, Trina Neil.
Neil, who lives outside Saskatoon, notes she’s been involved in the sport for decades.
“A lot of traveling and a lot of hard work,” she says. “Her and I are on the road all the time.”
Neil adds that Taffy started as a puppy, took a break to become a mom, and has returned “as a mature lady” to continue her show career.
Years of experience on display
For Winnipeg dog owner Rita Gingras, this year’s event marked another successful run; with not one, but two dogs placing in their classes.
“Hannah was in the sporting group and she got a group two, and we were very pleased with her today,” says Gingras. “Katie got her very first points today by winning the best of the girls in the Labradors.”
Gingras mentions she’s been showing dogs for 25 years and has attended the Portage show for about a decade.
“It’s just a really nice atmosphere and the people are really great,” she continues. “It’s one of my favourite ones to come to in the summer time.”
Local club going strong
Portage Kennel Club Show Superintendent Simone Rudolph says the event has a long-standing presence in the community.
“We usually have four shows a year,” she notes. “I would say 30 years, somewhere around there that we’ve been in.”
Rudolph adds the club also offers classes and participates in public outreach.
“This year is a little bit smaller,” she says, “but in the most part we usually have anywhere from 150 to 200 dogs each day participating.”
An additional 75 dogs competed in obedience and rally obedience, with each day wrapping up with a Best in Show round.
- with files from Maryssa McFadden
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