Canines got the run of city council for a brief moment last week, as the Cranbrook and District Kennel Club gave an update on their upcoming annual show in August.
Richard Lopaschuk, the club president, brought along three members and their canine companions as they hyped their 43rd annual All-Breed Championship Dog Show, which will be hosted at Moir Park with judges coming in all over Western Canada.
Lopaschuk said he wanted to make council more aware of the club’s activities.
“We use their facility on a regular basis, not only for the dog show, but we do our training in various parks around the city just to give people awareness of our organization and dog ownership,” Lopaschuk said.
The show in August is 43 years in the running, however, things will be a little different this year, with the All-Breed Obedience Trials being held on Oct. 8-9, 2016, at the Ktunaxa Nation gym.
“Normally we hold the performance event at the same time, but this year, we decided to have our obedience rally trial in the second weekend of October, rather than with the dog show,” said Lopaschuk. “Just to see how it would work out and possibly get more people participating in performance at our event.”
Spectators at the August and October shows can expect seeing canines of all breeds strutting their stuff.
“A lot of dogs, for sure,” said Lopaschuk, “and they also can get a perspective of if they are dog owners or need any information on the species of dogs that are available, we can usually provide them with information on certain breeds and where they can purchase them and/or they can just come and watch.”
There have been some ups and downs with the club since it started it’s annual run of shows 43 years ago, but Lopaschuk credits the club members for seeing it run as long as it has.
“Mostly because of the participation of people involved in the sport, and it is a sport, and the competition involved — it’s always something that is competitive always attracts people to continue, win or lose, usually,” Lopaschuk said.
And the community itself. It’s a wonderful venue, a wonderful place to come and the numbers of participants have dropped off over the last few years. We used to get 500 dogs here when we originally started, but there are a lot more dog shows and events taking place across Western Canada, so consequently, we don’t get as many as they would in Calgary or Edmonton or those places, but they still come here to participate in the community.
“…Personally, I’ve been in the sport for 50 years in various aspects. Now I judge the dogs basically, my wife does all the training and working with the dogs. I do the political stuff and the aspect of judging in the ring.”
