FERGUS – The annual Guelph and District Kennel Club’s dog show returned to the Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex over the weekend.
Breeders from across the province turned up to compete in this year’s conformation show, with roughly 1,500 dogs participating in the three-day event, April 21 to 23.
Chairman Edgar Bajona has been involved with the show since the first event in Guelph in 1970. The show moved from Guelph to Fergus in 1975 when the arena was first built. Admission to the event was free for the public, with fees from entrants helping to fund the show this year and next year.
“A conformation show is like a beauty pageant,” Bajona said.
“It’s based on what is called breed standard. That means the judges look for dogs that behave and move in a certain way … it’s not the dog that’s going around and fetching something or running through obstacles.”
Doug Gaudin, who travelled to the show from New Brunswick, was one of the judges on site.
“Each breed has a standard that we go by. The closest to the breed standard is what we’re looking for,” Gaudin explained.
“Whichever dog comes closest to the specifications set out, is the winner.”
Over 100 breeds of dogs competed over three days.
Atari, a West Highland white terrier from Skyehigh Kennels in Caledon, won best in show Friday and Saturday and took home reserve best in show (second place) on Sunday.
