The Ladies Kennel Association Championship Show (more commonly referred to as the LKA) is the last major show of the year on the Irish Wolfhound calendar. For 2015 the Hound breeds are being shown on Sunday 13th December at the now traditional venue of the NEC in Birmingham, having moved from its London venue in 1978. The Ladies Kennel Association has a long history and was quite revolutionary from the outset as this extract from the LKA website goes to show:

“Recognising that there were many ladies interested in breeding and showing dogs, the formidable Mrs Alice Stennard Robinson founded The Ladies Kennel Association in 1894 in defiance of the gentlemen of the Kennel Club of the day.”

Despite the rather ‘feisty’ personality of the Association’s founder, today the LKA show signifies the culmination of a busy year for many dog exhibitors and with the date of the show being only a couple of weeks before Christmas, it has some lovely new traditions of handlers, owners and visitors exchanging gifts and cards. For many Wolfhound exhibitors the show takes on a distinct party atmosphere and there always seems to be a feast of food and drink being shared, along with a lot of laughter and excitement at the year to come.

This year is no different and the infamous Wolfhound ‘Cake Ladies’ are planning quite a baking finale for the show - a ‘sugarfest' not to be missed! It is also one of the few shows where Hounds are being shown on the same day as Gundogs (as well as Terriers) and so friends who have different breeds are able to come together and it creates a different dynamic for this show. It is also the last canine shopping opportunity for the ‘retail therapy’ addicts and the possibility of buying some last minute presents for friends - both on 2 legs and 4!

The LKA is also a great opportunity for anyone interested in the Breeds to come along and chat to a variety of breeders, owners and handlers and also to see and meet some of the dogs and watch them in the show ring. This year we are very fortunate to have the highly respected judge and breed specialist, Maggie Holder (Mascotts Kennel) judging Irish Wolfhounds. Lots of exhibitors will be familiar with Mascotts Wolfhounds and the Kennel has produced many top winning champion dogs in the breed, as well as champion Greyhounds (under the Boughton affix). Maggie has judged at championship level in the UK and all over the world and is authorised to award Challenge Certificates by the Kennel Club in Irish Wolfhounds, Greyhounds and Borzois. She is renowned for her decisive, fair and gentle judging style and always attracts a good number of entries.