COMBINED CANINE CLUB OPEN SHOW SETS THE STANDARD YET AGAIN !!

How do they do it each year?

Last Sunday saw the annual Christmas Open Show run by the officers and committee of the Combined Canine Club and if you haven’t been before or didn’t make it this year then you have sadly missed the Open Show highlight of the year and indeed the fun day of the year for dog show families. The National Show Centre venue was superbly laid out and attired for the event and with seven rings in operation there was plenty of room for the impressive entry of nearly 560 exhibits.

The show had attracted exhibitors and their families in big numbers and it was a really magical feel to the big arrival of the day when Santa arrived in to the Best in Show ring led in on his spectacular three wheeled sleigh which was pulled by some of the Suraliam Siberian Huskies of Ralph and Sue Holmes. With the Best in Show ring full of the excited children of dog show people and their relations the scene was set for the youngsters who queued up and took their place to have a chance to visit Santa in his tented grotto in the main ring. At one stage around 60 children were in the queue with their parents and of course their dogs who were also welcomed by Santa who showed his handling skills on some occasions when it all got too much for some of the children. Each child had a little chat with the man in red and received a welcome present from him courtesy of the Combined Canine Club and Santa’s helpers were very busy in the grotto keeping him supplied with the presents.

Special mention here to Louisa Casey and Sandra Whelan who kept the presents coming during the visits and also to Margaret Morris who, as Santa’s main helper of the day, made an impressive sight in her ‘Helper’s outfit’. Santa seemed particularly impressed as did the Best in Show judge for the day Colm Hastings of the Raggletaggle Old English Sheepdogs who was fresh from his Best in Show win the day before at Banbridge.

The hard working committee had plenty of attractions for everybody with a real feel of the old ‘sale of work’ days that were held in Dublin and around the country years ago. There were raffles, tombolas and games on the go throughout the day and the face painting for the kids was also a great magnet and all over the show venue some very theatrical faces were on view. It took around an hour for Santa to meet all of the children and get their orders and wishes for Christmas. Then it was back to the awards and canine business of the day.

This being the Combined Canine Open Show it is the only Open show that has a qualifying spot available for the Pup of the Year Final to be held next Easter Sunday. An excellent entry of 92 greeted the BIS judge Colm Hastings and the four short listed dogs and four short listed bitches took to the Best in Show ring just before the main award. Of course with a Pup of the Year spot on offer, there was a large ringside audience who waited to see who Colm would chose to send forward to Morans Red Cow Hotel for the big night.  In the final decision Colm opted for Caroline Reynold’s Smooth Haired Miniature Dachshund Kathington A Choired by Glenariff who is nine months old and who took this win in his stride in some fairly strong competition in the final 8. ‘Caesar’ and Caroline now get ready for their night out next April in Dublin.

The other main decision for Colm was the Best in Show award which went to the Group 2 winner sent through by Lillian Connolly, Black’s Rottweiler Benbrada Darkvader who was handled to this win by Noel Beggs of the Everready Rotts. This one was bred by Jason De Ferreira out of his Pup of the Year qualifier CH Everready Copacabana. Taking the runner up spot was the Pembroke Corgi of Alan Matthews Craigycor Russian Roulette who had earlier taken Group 1 under Margaret McArdle.

Without doubt this Open show has once again set the standard for other Open shows to attempt and much could be learned from watching this hard working committee who made it a special event for everybody who was there Well done to Joan and John Walsh and their team for a very enjoyable day with a marvelous festive and canine feel.

BEST IN SHOW : Noel Beggs handled Black’s Rottweiler Benbrada Darkvader to Best in Show under Colm Hastings having topped Group 2 under Lillian Connolly.

Best in Show line up : Colm Hastings of the Raggletaggle OES show kennel judged BIS and he chose the Group 2 winning Rottweiler Benbrada Darkvader for his Best in Show, handled by Noel Beggs with Alan Matthews Pembroke Corgi Craigycor Russian Roulette taking Resrve.

It was an exciting day for Caroline Reynolds who handled her Miniature Smooth Dachshund Kathington A Choired by Glenariff to take the Pup of the Year qualifier from a superb entry of 92 under Colm Hastings.

Clodagh Fallon judged the Junior Handling classes and her winner in the 10 to 12 age group was Daniel Mooney and his Rottweiler ‘Lady’.

Group 1 : Margaret McArdle judged Group1 and her winner was another of Alan Matthews big winning Pembroke Corgi team Craigycor Russian Roulette. ‘Olga’ went on to be Reserve Best in Show under Colm Hastings from Cork. She had earlier won through the breed under specialist Noel Milliken.

Group 2 : Lillian Connolly judged Group 2 and her winner was the eventual Best in Show winner Black’s Rottweiler Everready Darkvader handled by Noel Beggs.

Group 3 : Paul Togher judged the Terriers and his top spot in Group 3 went to Ann Taggart’s West Highland White Terrier Cooley Stroke of Genius who was handled by Sinead Taggart. They are seen here with the Best in Show judge Colm Hastings.

Group 4 : Margaret Williamson judged the Dachshund Group, Group 4 and for her winner she opted for McDonnells Long Haired Miniature Smartdac Black ‘N’ Blazin.

Group 5 : The Group 5 winner under Clodagh Fallon was Iris and Edwin Handcock’s Samoyed Sirinna Storm in The Night.

Group 6 : Clodagh Fallon of the Clodana Pugs judged two groups at the Combined Canine Open Show . Her winner in Group 6, the scenthound group was the Cloghran Puppy Stakes winner Soletrader Ruby Tuesday owned by the Knowles family and handled by Kirsty.

Group 7 : Mairead Cummins of the Cummac Golden Retrievers was centre ring for Group 7 and her winner was Trudy Walsh’s Irish Red Setter Ardbraccan Nobblesse Oblige who finished her day as BIS 4.

Group 8 : Merrill’s Labrador Retriever Brockburrow Dream Maker for Gostwyck was Mairead Cummins Group 8 winner.

Group 9 : Amazingly Marshall Craig of the Saffron Shih Tzu’s and well known secretary of the Fermoy Canine Club was making his judging debut and as his Group 9 winner he chose Josie Foley’s Shih Tzu Leorient The Senator who went on to be BIS 3 under Colm Hastings.

Group 10 : Gerry and Pauline Clarke’s Irish Wolfhound Nina Leigh of Shantamon took the top spot in the sighthound group, Group 10 under Roberta Curran. She had earlier been BIS at the Irish Wolfhound Club of Ireland Breed Open Show judged by Elizabeth Hanley.

Stephanie, Gordon, Fiona and Aisling Robertsons Whippet, CH/GB CH Colloney Golden Girl at Sheol took the top spot in the Champion Stakes under Colm Hastings.