Lee Cox and Tom Isherwood’s home bred Chinese Crested, Vanitonia Unwrapped, was the runaway winner of this year’s Purina ProPlan Pup of the Year competition.

Out of Nor/Sw and UK Champion Vanitonia Tickled Pink by Sun-Hee’s Tyson, Unwrapped qualified at Midland Counties under Stuart Mallard, and there was general agreement around the ring that she was an outstanding dog among one of the best group of finalists ever to grace the ring at a Pup of the Year final. Runner up was the WHWT, Karamynd Play it Again, another home bred dog out of Karamynd Play to the Crowd by Ch Krisma Steetwise. He came through from Southern Counties and he and the other Westie in the final, Lynnsto Barlaycard, who came through from the Scottish Breeds show, played ‘catch up’ with each other throughout last year in breed competition.

The Pup of the Year has gone through a number of successive and very successful regenerations, and this year saw another move to Ragley Hall, near Alcester in the Midlands. It is a beautiful building within which the lunch was held, but the competition itself was held in a marquee especially erected in the grounds, which enabled the dogs to be shown on grass. Pup of the Year continues to attract exceptional entries throughout the years.

It was launched thirty-eight years ago and was the brainchild of Catherine Sutton and another top judge, Stanley Dangerfield, then a columnist with the Express, helped put it into practice. It was later picked up by Spillers and regenerated by Purina before being taken up by the current sponsors, Nestle when they bought Purina: Dog World also sponsor the event.

Benchmark

Pup of the Year remains an important benchmark for all those involved in breeding and showing dogs, and past winners have gone on to have spectacular careers in the show ring. Entries at each of the thirty-two general and group Championship shows that host the heats of the competition regularly attract 300 puppies, and account for well over 10,000 entries. That is not just important in terms of a showcase for puppies but brings in thousands of pounds worth of entry fees for the societies.

Pup of the Year is successful at every level and, judging by the quality which was assembled for assessment by Brenda Banbury, this year’s crop was of the highest standard.

The finalists have always been chosen from stakes classes hosted by the major championship shows, and originally, readers of the Express selected the overall winner. In 1973 five celebrity judges made the choice, but each year since, a top dog show judge has adjudicated in the normal way.

There is always a problem with this competition as the dogs are often spectacular as puppies but by the time the final comes round some are in the adolescent ‘gawky’ stage. This did not seem to be case in 2010!

At the lunch after the show, Frank Kane was award the annual Dog World Award of Excellence for his services to the world of dogs, not least of which was the publication in 2009 of his superb book, Judging the Gundog Breeds.

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