East Anglian Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club celebrate anniversary with championship dog show in Spalding

A busy dog show celebrated a milestone anniversary for a canine club at the weekend.

Across two days, the East Anglian Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club celebrated their 50th Golden Jubilee anniversary with a championship dog show at Springfields Events Centre.

The fun day took place on Friday from 10.30am until 3pm and included games, classes, trick training, kennel club seminars, health testing and a pet photo booth.

On Saturday, the Golden Jubilee event started early with judging for special award classes with some 200 entries.

These were judged by Urko Perez de Lazarraga and Colin Boyle and the main show judges were Lesley McFayden and Mary Coble.

Owner Catrine Arntzen and dog Katstaff’s Soul Rebel, from Norway, won best male breed and best bitch went to Brigannah Don’t Stop Me Now whose owners Mr and Mrs Roberts are from Shropshire.

Lesley McFadyen, club secretary and judge, said: “We had people from all over, Sweden, Norway and two visitors from Australia. We had four anniversary cakes and everybody got prizes.

Founding member and president of the club, Mrs Joyce Shorrock, 97, attended with her daughter and was given a standing ovation.

Funds were raised in a special raffle and it was free entry for spectators with food and drink and visitors with ring side seats could bring their own picnics.

Golden fancy dress was the order of the day and as the event was outside and the weather was warm there were paddler pools and water bowls around.

The club holds two open shows a year with the next one being held on Sunday, September 3 at the Elizabethan Centre, Whaplode Drove.

There is one championship event per year and the organisers have rebooked Springfields Events Centre and were ‘singing its praises.’

Visit www.eastangliansbtclub.co.uk for further details.

- Pictures from the event are available for sale on our website.