(Updated 10/4/01)

Contest a sell out

THE CONTEST of Champion Showdogs, to be held tomorrow (Saturday) is an absolute sell out. Secretary of the Canine Supporters Charity which runs the event, Karina le Mare, and principal sponsor Purina Pro-Plan, are absolutely delighted with the response this year. Over 350 tickets have been sold and many of the owners of dogs invited to appear have been contacted by local and national media through the publicity generated by Animal Care Public Relations. David Cavill and Vince Hogan of ACPR, which recently promoted the highly successful Golden Bone Awards, have been responsible for developing the event in association with Purina Pro-Plan and the Charity's hard working committee. They said that giving a boost to such a successful and well established concept had been a challenge. The event was founded in the early 1970s and had a unique place in the calendar of the world of dogs. However, this year the approach to the owners of top winning dogs had been refined and the event had been consistently brought to the attention of potential guests in the run up to the show.

The very popular winner of last year’s Contest of Champions was Mike and Janet Lewis’s Bearded Collie, Ch Potterdale Prophet which became a prominent winner in 2000. Also pictured is Canine Supporters’ Charity Secretary Karina le Mare, President Peter Purves and (left) Lynn McEwan of Purina Proplan.
Photo by David Cavill

A full report and photographs will appear in next week and a special double page spread is being planned in the glossy monthly magazine, Dogs Monthly.