Local dog, owner invited to world’s largest dog show

MAPLETON – Lorene Jones and her wheaten terrier Xena have just returned from the prestigious Crufts Dog Show in Birmingham U.K., and while Xena didn’t win, the honour was in being invited to attend, says Jones.

“Crufts is the biggest dog show in the world,” Jones said in an interview at her home, on a rural Mapleton property between Fergus and Arthur.

“I’ve been breeding and showing dogs for 35 years and this is my first invitation. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing.”

All competitors in Crufts are there by invitation. To be invited, dogs have to win a qualifying show.

Xena did that at the Crown Classic, hosted by the Aurora Kennel Club, last November.

Crufts ran from March 5 to 8 and in that time, thousands of dogs in hundreds of breeds competed in various categories. 

The agility contests might be the most entertaining to watch, as dogs and their handlers run through a course that includes tunnels, a teeter totter, the weave, and posts and pylons to run around and jump over.

But there are numerous other categories where dogs display their talent, their temperament and how true they are to breed standards.

From those winners, judges choose the best in show, which is the top and much coveted prize.

Xena competed against 18 other wheaten terriers in the open bitch class. This is the beauty contest part of the show. The winner is crowned best in breed.

Xena was bathed and groomed and looked her best, with her silky coat that glistens in the sunlight, Jones said.

Judges look for conformity to the breed so for Xena it was her size, coat, and how she walked the ring that was graded.

“She showed well but didn’t place,” Jones said. “I wasn’t disappointed. It’s such a large entry and she was the only wheaten from North America to show.”

While the dog show was the main event, it was quite a trip to get there, Jones said, that was all the more complicated with a dog.

First, Xena had to be cleared by her vet for international travel. Then the Canadian Food Inspection Agency had to sign off.

Jones, her husband and Xena flew into Paris and then drove to Birmingham as England doesn’t let dogs into the country via air travel.

All those papers were only viable for a week so there wasn’t much sightseeing. They spent two days at Crufts, a day each travelling from and to the airport, and had just a day to wander around Paris before their return flight.

Xena took it all in stride, Jones said.

As a breeder of wheaten terriers, Jones was interested in meeting other breeders at Crufts. And other breeders were interested in making connections with some of the most beautiful dogs of the breed.

“We learn from each other and that’s one big reason to go,” Jones said. “I display what I have and see what they have. It was a really great experience.”