IKC international show
May 31st 2008

On Friday after just a forty minute hop on the plane from Manchester and I was in Dublin meeting up at the airport with Ron James and Stuart Bell who had flown in from Birmingham. A courtesy bus took us another even shorter hop to the fabulous Crowne Plaza Hotel. What a place to stay, the best hotel I personally have stayed in outside Tokyo. Palatial rooms with every possible mod con imaginable.


It was lovely to meet up with effervescent Vince Hogan at the lavish pre-dinner reception, accompanied by his son Chris (Our Dogs had a stand at the Show). Good to meet up also with many ‘Old’ Irish friends and some new ones, we were all entertained by the remarkable 84 years young Kay Morris, born in Ireland but now domiciled in the U.S.A., what a refreshing lady and she still maintains a big kennel of her beloved ‘Wedgewood’ Yorkies.

We were all wined and dined in true Irish hospitality style, everything was superb, and with a truly cosmopolitan judging team made for a most enjoyable evening.

Next morning after an early breakfast, all judges were coached to Cloghran Centre for the show. This super venue is now pristine, it is some years since I last judged here and what vast improvements have been made. The outdoor rings were quite superb, large, well mown and beautifully appointed. My stewards were a joy, kept me in order and everything running smoothly, I had super BOBs in all my breeds so was very happy.

We were blessed with a fabulous sunny day so everyone could mix and enjoy the hospitality once again on offer, before group judging started. Lovely to meet up with Nan and Joe Kirk who were guests of honour, Joe being made an honorary life member now. Another long time friend Vice President Mary Crowley was much in evidence, always good company is Mary.

The Puppy Groups started early and were done and dusted before the groups started which is just as well with ten of them to get through, mostly judged by Ireland’s own John Walsh.

The truly cosmopolitan panel came into evidence now with ten different judges officiating from all parts of the globe, these produced a very high quality line for BIS Judge Rita McCarry, a local girl who was delighted with the experience, she put up the Rottweiler for BIS. All over by 4.45pm just in time for our 5 o’clock departure back to the Crowne Plaza. Yet another treat was in store for all of us when our driver Clinton whisked us off at the stroke of 7pm to the Clontarf Castle Hotel, where once again we were wined, dined and entertained to the highest standard possible with speeches from Sean Delmar, Brian O’Hara, and our own Vince Hogan. My thanks to our table hosts Susan and Jennifer Keely. We arrived back at Crowne Plaza at 11.45pm, happy and totally replete. Thank you Irish Kennel Club for such a memorable weekend and lucky shamrocks to you all for next year’s European Winners Show.

On a sunny day in Dublin after last weekend’s International show, and with just 12 months to go, some of the regular 'Cloghran Campers' took advantage of the glorious weather and stayed for an extra day after the show to practise for Euro 2009 in Dublin! Who said dog show people don’t enjoy themselves? (Some of us were there working of course!)	Pictured at the official dinner for the IKC show were Laurent Heinesche from Luxembourg, Elaine Drennan wife of show manager Mick Drennan, and Zef Silva, who came to judge at the show, from Portugal
Judit Korozs Papp from Hungary was judging at the recent IRISH KENNEL CLUB International Show in Dublin on May 31st. She is pictured here with OUR DOGS Managing Director and Editor in Chief Vince Hogan as they both promote the European Show which takes place later this year in Budapest. At the time of the first deadline, over 5000 dogs had been entered for the event which promises to be a great meeting place for dog people in Eastern Europe and beyond. For details of the show, click the link to Budapest in the OUR DOGS newsletter or on the web site.	Kerry Rushby of Our Dogs, Sue Ellis Chayo Alaskan Malamutes, Brian O Hara Chairman of the Irish Kennel Club, and Pernilla from Sweden.
Get ahead, get a hat! Great weather for the IKC show in Ireland.