# Why there are no dog shows in London?



## Tigerprawn

Hi, most European capitals have loads of dog shows going on each year. World dog show is in Paris this year for example. But in London &#8211; none. Birmingham, Edinburgh, Manchester & countless smaller towns but nothing in the capital. Does anybody know why? 

Thanks


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## Tollisty

Because of the traffic, parking, cost, space! 

The world show is actually outside of Paris.

There is discover dogs at earls court


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## Sled dog hotel

Back along I actually think Crufts might have been at Earls Court, Im pretty sure I was told this somewhere in the back of my mind, however it was moved because it just got too big, and as someone else has said parking and access can be a problem too.


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## Tigerprawn

Tollisty said:


> Because of the traffic, parking, cost, space!
> 
> The world show is actually outside of Paris.
> 
> There is discover dogs at earls court


Well, why there are no big dog shows just outside London then?  I am sure Paris has same issues with traffic, space and costs 

I know of discover dogs, but you cant show your dog there 

I live in the capital and want to show my dog but discovered that there are only 2 shows a year that a 1h drive from me. The rest are at least 2,5h one way by car  shocking!! )))


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## Tigerprawn

Sled dog hotel said:


> Back along I actually think Crufts might have been at Earls Court.


Dammit! I should have bought my dog sooner! )))


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## Tollisty

Earls court is not the best venue for dogs. and that's the biggest venue in London, I think? Whereabouts do you live?


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## Tollisty

Tigerprawn said:


> Dammit! I should have bought my dog sooner! )))


It moved to the NEC in 1991.


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## Tigerprawn

Tollisty said:


> Earls court is not the best venue for dogs. and that's the biggest venue in London, I think? Whereabouts do you live?


I live in Surrey London zone 6 so Richmond show is very convenientbut its only once a year! 

p.s. I was 7yo in 1991 and living in the USSR clearly no chance lol


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## Tollisty

There's a few open shows at slough, woking and reading.
southern counties and windsor aren't too far.


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## Tigerprawn

Tollisty said:


> There's a few open shows at slough, woking and reading.
> southern counties and windsor aren't too far.


Thank you! Do you konw where I can find details of those shows? thx


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## I love springers

Try fosse data.. higham press... and dog biz ....Also if you put open dog shows uk into google you will get a selection of site's....What breed of dog do you have ?


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## dexter

Crufts at Earls Court was bad enough trying to get at end of the 80's goodness knows what it would be like now . Birmingham is pretty central for most and easier to get to .

Ther are plenty of Open shows around London, Slough ,Reading, Maidstone plus several in Essex.


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## Tigerprawn

thank you! i have a mini schnauzer


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## swarthy

Tigerprawn said:


> I live in the capital and want to show my dog but discovered that there are only 2 shows a year that a 1h drive from me. The rest are at least 2,5h one way by car - shocking!! )))


I am sorry, I don't believe that for one minute - there are shows in Maidenhead, Reading, Slough, Berkshire, Sunbury, Henley on Thames, Southampton, Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Milton Keynes, Romford, Cambridge, Northampton, Coventry (at least one a month), Oxford, Swindon, Bristol, I could go on - the list is endless and NONE of those places are 2.5 hours from London.

I live in West Wales, and *London is a 3 hour trip for me* (I do it every other week) and I could do a show along the M4 corridor every single weekend if I chose to (and pass through by many of the above venues en-route) so are you telling me that Cardiff (2-1/4 hours from London) is the nearest dog show to you - rubbish, sorry - but there are a ridiculous amount of shows far closer to you than that.

If the reason you claim they are 2.5 hours one way is because of the traffic, then along with the lack of affordable venues, you've answered your own question in terms of why there aren't more shows in central London.

In a year I probably have around 12 shows that are around an hour or less from me - my then nearest venues are Malvern, Birmingham and Coventry, or Slough, Reading, Maidenhead etc - apart from Malvern - every single one of those is closer to London than it is to me - and these I classify as local shows.

====================

People all over the UK travel to dog shows, you get many around the Midlands / Stafford area because it is a central location for the UK - making it easy for exhibitors to get there from the South, North, East and West.

ETA:

Try these websites


Prodogs - gives dates and locations of pretty much every show and how to get schedules index.html
Higham Press Ltd - Championship Dog Show Results and Information
FOSSE DATA: Providing Computerised Show Services to the World of Dogs
Welcome to Arena Print
Home - Penney Pine - Dog Show Printer
:: PrintMatters :: Our Only Limit Is Your Imagination!


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## SmokeyRabbit

There is you just need to know where to look: Group includes london shows when information is available

Kent and Sussex Companion Dog Shows and Dog Related Events | Facebook


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## Freyja

I'm lucky being in Staffordshire we have loads of shows local to us. However I do know of someone in my breed that happilys travels from London to Stafford for open shows and she doesn't drive. She jumps on a train to Stafford stays at a hotel or B&B over night gets a taxi to the show ground and then a taxi back to the station at the end of the day.

She says it only takes her an hour or so to get up here but there are no trains on a sunday morning early enough to get her here with out coming the day before. If there is anyone coming from near her hotel and they have room they will stop off and take her with them to the show.


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## wooliewoo

I bet we all wish for more show's in our area but part of showing is the travelling.........its a bonus if you dont have to get up before the sun

Open shows are more frequant/local than champ shows as these are yearly events only (due to costs and travelling ) 

I know alot of people who go on a ciruit in the summer in camper vans.......starting in scotland and travelling to the various shows on the way down south then back up, takes them 4+ weeks and they class it as their Holiday


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## Tollisty

I set a limit of 2 hours driving to get to an open show, 3 hours for a champ show (unless staying overnight)


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## akitaboy

Whilst there are no Limit, Open or Championship level shows in London there are many Companion level shows that usually run throughout the summer/early autumn. These shows can easily be found on either the Kennel Club website as well as being advertised in Our Dogs and Dog World newspapers. It is also worth doing a Google search as well. Try entering either COMPANION DOG SHOW LONDON or FUN DOG SHOW LONDON. Many exhibitors/handlers use Companion level shows to gain experience in showing for themselves and their dogs.
Someone suggested in an earlier message that Crufts could return to Earls Court in London. This would never happen. The venue now is far too small and for several years there have been moves afoot for the Exhibition Centre to be demolised. It does however currently host "Discover Dogs" annually in November. Hope this helps


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## findley

My nearest open show is three quarters of an hour away. The champion shows are two or two and a half hours away. I think we need a championship show at Detling. It will stil be three quarters of an hour away but it would be local.lol


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## Twiggy

Tigerprawn said:


> Well, why there are no big dog shows just outside London then?  I am sure Paris has same issues with traffic, space and costs
> 
> I know of discover dogs, but you cant show your dog there
> 
> I live in the capital and want to show my dog but discovered that there are only 2 shows a year that a 1h drive from me. The rest are at least 2,5h one way by car  shocking!! )))


There may not be any breed shows but there are certainly quite a lot of obedience shows on the outskirts of London.


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## Spellweaver

Tigerprawn said:


> Hi, most European capitals have loads of dog shows going on each year. World dog show is in Paris this year for example. But in London - none. Birmingham, Edinburgh, Manchester & countless smaller towns but nothing in the capital. Does anybody know why?
> 
> Thanks


Well, there are no champ shows in many of the cities in England. Birmingham's two champ shows are at Stafford and Stoneleigh respectively. Manchester's champ show is at Stafford. Driffield's champ show is at Wetherby. Darlington's champ show is at Newby Hall. Leeds champ show is at Harewood House.

Yeah, it would be nice if there was a champ show within an hour's travel of everybody - but the reality of it is that we all have to travel to champ shows. There are championship shows all over the UK, from Bournmouth to Edinburgh and all sorts of places inbetween. I've travelled the length and breadth of the country to shows - from Edinburgh to Wales, from Blackpool to Richmond. It's a fact of showing that you have to travel to where the shows are in much the same way as football teams and supporters have to travel to away matches.

And living in London you are actually luckier than most - you have two champ shows within 30 - 45 mins away from you - Richmond and Windsor - and then there is Southern Counties champ show at Newbury, which is just over an hour away from you. Many - especially people who live in Wales and Scotland - are much worse off than that.


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## Elvise

Hi All,
To be honest this information was new for me.
Thanks for making this post and sharing your views.


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## swarthy

Spellweaver said:


> And living in London you are actually luckier than most - you have two champ shows within 30 - 45 mins away from you - Richmond and Windsor - and then there is Southern Counties champ show at Newbury, which is just over an hour away from you. Many - especially people who live in Wales and Scotland - are much worse off than that.


You are not wrong there - our Welsh CH shows are 1.5 hours away and just over 2 hours away.

For most local Open and Limit shows, apart from a handful within an hour's drive, the remainder are 2 hours plus.

It is also quicker for me to get to shows in the Midland and M4 corridor than it is to get to much closer (mileage wise) shows in Wales because of the road network here.

We have a show we've entered on Sunday which is 90 miles each way, and will take longer to get to than Birmingham


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## Spellweaver

swarthy said:


> You are not wrong there - our Welsh CH shows are 1.5 hours away and just over 2 hours away.
> 
> For most local Open and Limit shows, apart from a handful within an hour's drive, the remainder are 2 hours plus.
> 
> It is also quicker for me to get to shows in the Midland and M4 corridor than it is to get to much closer (mileage wise) shows in Wales because of the road network here.
> 
> We have a show we've entered on Sunday which is 90 miles each way, and will take longer to get to than Birmingham


heh heh - funnily enough, we are going to a Border Colllie club show at Shotton in Wales tomorrow  98.8 miles and a 2 hour journey away! (and that's only one way, OP  )


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## Tigerprawn

Thank you very much to you all. It was very useful and it looks like I just have ti accept that I have to travel )))


I am from originally from Russia where dog showing and training is very big and popular. There are all sorts of champion shows & international shows in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other big cities all the time. In parks, football stadiums, exhibition centres etc. I&#8217;ve owned a show dog there and it would usually take me half an hour one way, sometimes even by tube and not car. So I was just a bit surprised that in the UK those shows would be on the outskirts of the city at best, that&#8217;s all 

Now understood and thank you very much


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## akitaboy

Here are a few dog shows in London already listed for 2011
Dog Friendly Britain: Events Calendar
Dog Friendly Britain: Events Calendar
Wandsworth Council - Whats on Events
Wandsworth Council - Whats on Events


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## otterygril

There is a fun show this Saturday in London. All are welcome.
Here are the details:
The Dog Show on Saturday June 11 between 2pm and 4pm is presented by The Friends of Norwood Park to celebrate the Park's centenary. 
Norwood Park is in Lambeth, Off Salter's Hill, London, SE19 1AR.
Classes include: Cutest Puppy (4-12 months), Golden Oldie (from 7 yrs), Best in Show (Dog or bitch 1-6 yrs), Luckiest Rescue (All ages), Dogs Got Talent/Best Trick (First 25 entrants only & 2 mins performance time), Best Fancy Dress (All ages), Dog you would give your last Rollo to (as voted for by the audience). 
Registration takes place between 12.45pm to 1.45pm on the day or download a form from Friends of Norwood Park : Welcome.
£1 entry fee per class. Maximum of three classes per dog.
There will be agility training by Battersea Dogs Home.
Free microchippping and free dog engraving also available.
The show is sponsored by Paxton Veterinary Clinics and supported by Lambeth Councils Animal Welfare Unit.
The show will also see the launch of a new neighbourhood watch style scheme called Dog Watch.
For more information visit: Friends of Norwood Park : Welcome


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## otterygril

Join us for a another great day out in Norwood Park as we celebrate the Diamond Jubilee with a special dog show!

This is the second dog show in Norwood Park and promises to another fun day out for all the family.

There are plenty of fun categories to show off your dog's talents from best in show to a Royal themed fancy dress.

The dog show is being held on Saturday June 2nd and is organised by The Friends of Norwood Park as part of the park's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

As a tribute to the Queen we are encouraging dog owners to dress their dog in Royal attire.

It has kindly been supported by Paxton Veterinary Clinics, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home and Lambeth Councils animal welfare team.

Registration starts at 12.45pm to 1.45pm with the show kicking off at 2pm until 4pm.

Entry per class is £1 with all funds raised on the day donated to Battersea Dogs Home.

You can pick up a form early from The Hungry Hippo Cafe in the park or from Paxton Vets.

Alternatively you can email The Friends at [email protected] and we can send you an application form.

The six categories are:

-Cutest puppy

-Golden Oldie

-Best In Show

-Dog's Got Talent/Best Trick

-Luckiest Rescue

-Waggiest Tale

-Royal themed Fancy Dress

There will be prizes in each category for the best three entries, plus a rosette for your pet and a certificate for the owner.

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home will be offering free microchips, dog tag engraving, dog training advice and the first 20 dogs and owners will receive a free collar and lead.

For more information visit: Friends of Norwood Park : Welcome or email [email protected]


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## SuzieF

You might fancy coming to the Penniwells Dog Show which is in Elstree just north of London, near Barnet. There are details on the Pet Forum.

Thanks
Suzie


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## provocateur

Higham Dog Show 4th June 2012 is less than an hour from London as well - we get lots of London people at our show - free parking, free admission and lots and lots of classes and prizes www.highamdogshow.co.uk

Thanks Rachel


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## Tigerprawn

Hi all, wow I can't believe that a year on and the thread is still going 

As I was never interested in any open limit or companion shows (sorry maybe just me being blond but I don't get them if winning them doesn't mean anything) so had to travel A LOT in the past year. The amount of time I've been to the NEC or near in the last year is unbelievable  now Richmond show clearly seems like a blessing lol for next year i'll only go the for Crufts, so I just got used to the fact that there is no champ show on the doorstep for everyone in the UK and will have to limit it to 4 shows a year (Crufts richmond Windsor and southen counties)


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