17 Breed Notes – CC’s 2026

After welcoming everyone to the Keeshond Ch show the other weekend, chairman Melanie Reed Peck announced that this was the last time their Club shows would be held at Roade Village Hall. Starting next year, the Keeshond Club’s April Ch show will be held in partnership with Birmingham National & their January Open show will be held in partnership with Windsor. Along with the 2nd Ch show with Birmingham City and the October Open show with BUBA, this means that the Club will no longer hold any ‘stand-alone shows’.

I wrote in my notes at the end of March about our CC allocation and asked if anyone had any suggestions as to what, where and how many sets we should lose. Whilst it is generally agreed that we have too many on offer, which shows are ‘surplus to requirements’ is a trickier question; so, as many of you know, I did a quick survey.

Forms listing all Ch shows where Keesies currently have CC’s asked exhibitors which were their favourite shows (assuming decent judge etc.) they could enter up to a maximum of 12. A couple used up their quota, while unsurprisingly perhaps, the majority voted for just a few shows.

These were handed to exhibitors at two recent Ch shows which had both attracted a good entry, the Keeshond Club held in Roade (51 dogs) and at Scottish Utility Breeds in Edinburgh (20 dogs). A total of 34 exhibitors had entered these shows and 25 people completed a form – leading to some interesting results!!

The number of votes for each show are as follows:
17 – North of England, Darlington
15 – North of England (Nov), Border Union, Southern Counties
13 – Crufts
12 – Keeshond Club, Birmingham City, BUBA, Windsor
11 – Keeshond Club (April), SKC
10 – SUBC, Bath, WKC
8 – Blackpool
7 – WELKS, Paignton
5 – Richmond, Midland Counties, Birmingham National, Leeds
4 – Manchester, SWKA, LKA

Currently in the South of the country, we have 13 exhibitors and 7 Ch shows, in the Midlands 8 exhibitors and 10 Ch shows and, in the North, (inc Scotland) 13 exhibitors and 8 Ch shows. Of exhibitors least favourite shows, three were in the South – leaving 5, five in the Midlands – leaving 4 and two in the North leaving 6.

What does need to be mentioned at this point is that for the last 2 years fewer than 60 puppies have been born annually and with none so far this year meaning that the number of dogs (& exhibitors) being shown is only going to decrease. Of the current 34 exhibitors, fewer than half show on a regular basis with the majority of these not prepared to drive hours and/or stopping overnight for a show.

The RKC have asked if breed clubs to submit any recommendations they may have regarding the allocation. I would like to think that they would take heed of any recommendations put forward by breed clubs, but am not holding my breath. Breed Club’s opinions on judges are invariably ignored by the RKC, so really, it’s academic asking – and they wonder why entries in general are plummeting??

Anji Marfleet