Dog Competitions

Ireland's Top Gun Dog & Working Dog Events

IRISH GAME FAIR & COUNTRY LIFESTYLE FESTIVAL Shane's Castle, Antrim

In spite of totally unjustified and what appear to be mischievous and misleading claims by other event organisers, whose own competitions and prize structure appear to be falling even further behind what is indisputably Ireland's largest and most varied canine event, Irish dog owners know which event will have the widest range of dog events, the greatest number of competitors and the top prizes and that is the Irish Game Fair and Country Lifestyle Festival at Shanes Castle, Antrim on the 26th & 27th June 1010.

As Ireland's top Game and country Fair organisers for over 30 years, the organising team don't waste their time on making claims they cannot justify, rather they concentrate on innovating and delivering the best canine events, with the best prizes and the best competition entries and displays. All taking place on one of the best and most beautiful gundog courses in Ireland - on the shores of Lough Neagh in the shadow of the old Shanes Castle.

Gundog Events Saturday 26 June 2010

The Feedwell Dog & Gun Competitions organised by the URGRC

There are four competitions:-

1. The Team Competition – Team of three to run their dogs in an Open Gundog Test (based on seen retrieves) and the same three handlers to individually shoot 10 clay pigeons.

Entry Fee £30 (includes admission to the Fair)
1st The Doreen Metcalf Memorial Trophy, £100 and bags of Feedwell Dog Food.
2nd £75 and bags of Feedwell Dog Food
3rd bags of Feedwell Dog Food
Rosettes to Fourth place

2. An Individual Competition - where the handler will run his/her dog in the Open Gundog Test (mainly seen retrieves) and shoot ten sporting clay pigeons.

Entry Fee £10 (does not include admission to Fair)
1st A Pair of Classic Steamer Chairs (RRP £270) Sponsored by Haldane-Fisher and a bag of Feedwell Dog Food
2nd £30 and a bag of Feedwell Dog Food
3rd £20 and a bag of Feedwell Dog Food
Rosettes to Fourth place

Steamer Chairs

3.Open Gundog Test

Entry Fee £10 (does not include admission to the Fair)
1st £50 and a bag of Feedwell Dog Food
2nd £25 and a bag of Feedwell Dog Food
3rd £15 and a bag of Feedwell Dog Food
Rosettes to Fourth Place

4. The Barbour Novice All Ireland Game Fair Handling Championships

Entry Fee £10 (does not include admission to the Fair)

The Top Four dogs qualify for the final to run off against the finalists from Birr 2009 at Birr Castle for a Barbour Linhope Endurance 3-in-1 Jacket.

Lord Percy the designer of the Barbour Linhope coat

Heat Prizes (Cash Prizes sponsored by Irish Countrysports and Country Life)
1st £50
2. £30
3. £20

Please Note: Entrants in the Dog & Gun event must not practice on the clay lines before shoot in the competition.

For Further details – Contact JOE JOHNSTON – Telephone 028 8673 6432

Gundog Events Sunday 27th June 2010

Sponsored by Feedwell - official Gundog Sponsors

The Feedwell International Gundog Team Test
Organised by the Mid Ulster Gundog Association (Contact Joe Johnston on 028 8673 6432) or Robbie McGregor (028 2766 8867) starts at 09.30am

Teams: N Ireland, South Ireland, Scotland, Ulster Select

Prizes:-
1st Team Prize £200 plus bags of Feedwell Dog Food
2nd Team Prize £100
Rosettes to 4th place
Top Dog a £150 Voucher towards a taxidermy piece by Ingrid Houwers

Feedwell International Open Test
Organised by the Mid Ulster Gundog Association starts at 1.45pm sharp entries in advance or taken on the ground.

Prizes:-
1st Remote Dummy Launcher plus dog training equipment to the value of £450 sponsored by John Wilson of H&J Petfoods. plus a bag of Feedwell 2nd £50 plus a bag of Feedwell Dog Food
3rd £30 plus a bag of Feedwell Dog Food
4th bag of Feedwell Dog Food
Rosettes to 4th place
Entry Fee £10 (does not include admission to the Fair)

Top four dogs qualify to meet the finalists from Birr 2010 at Birr for the coveted title of All Ireland Game Fair Retriever Handling Champion 2010.

The top four dogs will also form the Northern Ireland team to compete in Ireland's international gundog event at Birr on the 28/29 August 2010.

Special two day tickets are available for Gundog competitors from Albert Titterington (028 44615416) or Joe Johnston (028 8673 6432)

In Addition Spaniel Tests
On Saturday: Cocker and Springer Spaniel Tests sponsored by Massbrook Pet Foods & organised by The NI Cocker Club and the Antrim & Down Springer Spaniel Club. Contact : Ken Lindsay Tel : 07702 330584 028 ( from ROI 048) 91 852 810

Top Springer Spaniel will receive a Gazebo (RRP £250) sponsored by Haldane Fisher.

Gazebo

Top Cocker Spaniel will receive a dog box sponsored by Gilbert Irvine of DT Dog Boxes.

Gazebo

Sunday: Minor Breeds Tests organised by the Irish Water Spaniel Club.
In addition to these fantastic competitions there are superb gundog demonstrations, horse and hound displays and a Gundog , Hound & Terrier Group Dog Show organised by the Northern Ireland Gundog Field and Show Society and sponsored by Feedwell Dog Food - plus a Dog Agility Show and arena displays by the Glandore Dog Training Club also sponsored by Feedwell.

The 22nd anniversary Barbour/Irish Countrysports and Country Life All Ireland Terrier and Lurcher Championships Show and Racing.
With a Barbour Coat plus the opportunity to win the coveted All Ireland Champion Title - this is and has been since its inception Ireland's largest gathering of terrier and lurchers and indisputably the blue riband event of its kind in Ireland. Racing will take place on Saturday with the Show on Sunday.

Prizes: Overall Show Champion Barbour Coat worth £400 – This will be judged from Champion Terrier, Champion Lurcher and Champion Whippet.

Top Terrier & Lurcher qualify for the Midland Game Fair Championships.

Show Prizes : Champion Lurcher £50 plus Tankard; Champion Terrier £50 plus tankard; Champion Whippet £50 plus tankard. Trophies & Rosettes for Each Class.

Racing : Over 23" Lurcher, Under 23" Lurcher and Whippets All winners £50.

Champion Terrier qualifies for the Five Nations International Championship Final to take place at the Irish Game & Country Fair on Sunday 29th August 2010. The winner qualifies for £50 towards accommodation and €50 expenses payable at Birr.

The Irish Game Fair is the top canine event in Ireland

If all of these competitions were not enough to more than justify the organisers claims to be Ireland's largest and most varied dog event Championships the organisers have put in place many other canine attractions including

The Gundog scurry organised by the Ulster Select Gundog Team.
The largest display of canine related products to be seen at any Irish Game or Country Fair.
The Pet Idol Competition running in the Sunday Life newspaper with fantastic prizes – last year a lurcher won it! Finalists will be presented with their prizes at Ireland's top Dog event – the Irish Game Fair at Shanes Castle!
Main arena demonstrations and one to one clinics by Ireland's Dog Guru Keith Mathews.
Comber Wildfowlers Dummy Throwing Championship
Dog Agility Show and displays
Gundog Displays by Tim Crothers and the CLA International Team
The Directors Challenge – Nigel Carville with his Retriever and Willie Edgar with his Spaniel will go head to head for the Directors prize.
Keith Mathews - probably Ireland's most reputable dog trainer, famed for his practical refreshing teaching manner and his ability to rehabilitate dogs with extreme behavioural problems and 'Red Zone Aggression' - is to appear exclusively at the great Game Fairs of Ireland at Shanes Castle, Antrim and Birr, Co Offaly.

Keith Mathews

A Top TV Dog Trainer, often described as 'Ireland's Legendary Dog Whisperer,' Keith burst onto our TV screens with his own hit dog training series Good Dog Bad Dog, where he demonstrated the art of canine control and obedience, with his usual enthusiasm and waspish humour. Keith also appeared as the canine expert on the BBC's highly rated topical weekday programme The One Show reaching an estimated audience of around 5 million.

Announcing Keith's exclusive appearances at Shanes Castle 26/27 June and at Birr on 28/29 August, Game Fair Director Albert Titterington said:

"This a real coup for the Great Game Fairs of Ireland. The man behind the renowned Copperbirch Dog Training Academy & Behaviour Centre is a leading figure in canine care and arguably is the most widely recognised trainer in Ireland. And not just in dog training, but in almost every aspect of canine expertise, dog psychology and obedience training, behaviour modification, grooming, showing, nutrition and breeding to name but a few.

Apart from demonstrating his considerable expertise in training the dog and handler on TV, Keith has had a very successful time with his Labradors in his chosen sport of Field Trialing, by not only making up an Irish Field Trial Champion but also gaining the coveted Irish Kennel Club's Retriever of the Year accolade.

Keith will be giving main arena displays on both days of the Fairs as well as conducting one to one clinics with pet owners on the Irish Countrysports and Country Life magazine stand.

His presence at the Fairs will further enhance the reputation of both events as among the largest and certainly the most varied 'doggy' events in Ireland. With International gundog team and individual events; the All Ireland Game Fair All Comers Gundog Handling Championships; the All Ireland Novice Gundog Handling Championships; the dog & gun events; novice and open spaniel, retriever and minor breeds tests; the Gundog Group Show; the parade of gundogs; the 22nd All Ireland Annual Terrier & Lurcher Championships – show and racing; the World of Gundogs Marquee; the dog agility show and demos; the gundog scurry; retriever and spaniel demonstrations; sheep dog displays and horse and hound displays; plus a wide range of trade stands featuring everything the dog owner could possibly want and now Keith, these really are events not to be missed by anyone with any sort of interest in dogs."

"Added to his unique ability in dog training is the indisputable fact that Keith is a born entertainer, who will have the main arena crowds enthralled with his masterful displays. I have no doubt that our Shanes Castle and Birr audiences will learn a lot from Keith while at the same time enjoying a display choc a bloc with sheer entertainment."

Keith commented: "I regard it as a privilege to be asked to represent my craft. To be present at the two Great Game Fairs of Ireland is to be present at the summit of excellence."

Albert added: "Keith's success is characterised by his no nonsense hands-on approach. He is often consulted when all other avenues have been explored and failed. He has that rare quality, instant rapport and an apparent mystical bond with dogs and Keith will be on hand to chat to dog owners eager to learn from this renowned expert."

If you are dog owner or gundog handler do not be misled by misleading and unsubstantiated claims from other event organisers – the BEST CANINE EVENTS are staged at the IRISH GAME FAIR and COUNTRY LIFESTYLE FESTIVAL at SHANES CASTLE.

Ireland's Real Game Fairs