Bouvier Des Flandres is Welsh Dog of the Year

Bouvier Des Flandres is Welsh Dog of the Year

Top show dog in Wales, 2009, is Ch. Benclutha’s Fortune Angel, known as “Arran”, and owned by my friends Steve Dallow and his wife Helen.

Lots of countries all over the world run an annual competition and have an award for the Top Dogs of the Year.

In the UK, as there are still Championship All Breeds shows going on, this will not be announced until later in the year. Up to the Belfast show, the top dogs in the Dog World/Arden Grange Top Dog 2009 competition were the Wire Haired Fox Terrier, Ch/Ir Ch Blackdale Carousel (terrier group), followed by the Boxer, Ch/Ir Ch Winuwuk Lust At First Sight (working group). Running in third place is the Maltese, Ch Benatone Gold Ring (toy group).

In Ireland, the leader is an American Cocker Spaniel Ir Sh Ch & Am Ch San Jo’s Born To Party.

No doubt in checking around the world, there will be different breeds leading in different countries.

In Barbados, with one last show to go, I believe an imported Rhodesian Ridgeback (hound group) and a Miniature Schnauzer (utility group) are leading for the Dog of Year award, and for the best locally bred dog of the year, one of my Bouviers (working group) and a Golden Retriever (gundog group) are leading in points.

In Wales, the top show dog award is awarded based on a kind of knock out competition. The competition starts with 32 dogs and 32 puppies which come from all the groups and are picked by a committee. This competition is known as ‘The Welsh Kennel Club Top Dog Competition 2009′.

To be considered, the person entering the competition must live in Wales and have won a CC during the time frame August to August and puppies would have won an open show.

On the day of the competition, there are 2 judges and the dogs’ names are drawn out of a hat and put into 2 sections, each having its own judge.

The judges this year were Tom H Johnston (who judged the group my friend’s dog was in) and Frank H. Whyte. The competition was held last weekend.

The dogs then run in a knock out match, one vs one basis, to obtain a winner from each section.

The two judges then go over the 2 final dogs and pick the final winner between themselves. In the event that the 2 judges do not agree on the final winner, a third, neutral judge would be brought in.

Arran being judged

Arran being judged

Steve received a beautiful trophy made by Patsi Ann Ward-Davey (Patsi Ann Sculptures).

Wales is roughly 170 miles North South and 60 miles East West (8,000 miles) and it has a population of 3 million people.

This competition must be exciting to watch and to compete in.

Steve Dallow and "Arran"

I begged Steve to send me some pictures so the vistors to this blog can admire the Welsh Top Dog for this year. And I am as pleased for him and his wife as if one of my own Bouviers had won it. 🙂

In Barbados, we always like to say that wherever you go in the World, you will probably find a Bajan (short for Barbadian). I had an aunt (now deceased)who married a Welsh man and lived the bulk of her life in Lampeter, Wales.

You can see more of Steve and Arran by visiting their website here

Congratulations and hugs from your Bouvier friends in Barbados

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