The glory of winning at one of the country’s most pre-eminent shows will be intensified this year as Melbourne Royal celebrates 175 years with commemorative ribbons and prizes.
The Melbourne Royal Show dog competition is shaping up to be nine days of non-stop action; from the crowd-pleasing Action Dog program, dog grooming competition and the junior handlers to the presentation of the pinnacle prize, Best in Show, on Saturday, September 30.
“The atmosphere on that day will be absolutely electric,” committee member Gael Wilcox said.
“Best in Show is the culmination of eight days of breed judging, followed by the finals, and the judge will be looking for the dog that most closely fits the standard for that breed, is well-conditioned and well-presented.”
Last year’s Best in Show was taken out by a Samoyed by the name of Panda, exhibited by Helen Chen.
Helen described Panda as a dog that “loves the ring, the crowds and the people, has produced three litters during her show career yet still looks her best, and a dog that is almost perfect in every way”.
The 2023 Best in Show will be live-streamed on the Melbourne Royal website.
A four-person line-up of international judges has been assembled for the conformation classes, together with an astute panel of Australian judges adjudicating over the Action Dog and Sweepstakes competitions.
The international judges are Annika Ulltveit-Moe from Sweden, Zeljko Gavic from Slovenia, Gerardo Parlucci from Argentina and Dr Gyorgy Tesics from Hungary.
“All four international judges are extremely well-respected, outstanding judges of the highest calibre and we’re very excited to welcome them to the Melbourne Royal All Breeds Championship Dog Show,” Gael said.
“They are all very well-credentialled and are known worldwide for their outstanding ability to find breed type throughout their entry, so we hope to attract exhibits from all over Australia.”
The Melbourne Royal All Breeds Championship Show is one of Australia’s largest conformation shows. It provides the opportunity for handlers to benchmark their breed — from Afghan hounds to Yorkshire terriers — on the royal stage.
The highly entertaining Action Dog program tests the abilities and stamina of the most skilful canines and their handlers.
For more information, visit: https://www.melbourneroyal.com.au/dogs/
