Page 14 - K9 News - Issue 14 - December 2020

DRIFFIELD
Championship Dog Show Society
The formation of Driffield Championship Dog
Show came about in 1976, prior to then an
Open Dog show was being held in conjunction
with Driffield Agricultural Society Annual Show.
Amongst those involved were Harold Wright
and Geoffrey Farrand both prominent Kennel
Club Members who had the idea of becoming
a Championship Dog Show.
At that time, the regulation of Agricultural
Societies and their organisation of dog shows
was not as it is today, and it was possible for
them to have up to three licenses each year.
An application was made and granted
that Driffield Canine Society could hold a
Championship Show, however this quickly
brought about a Regulation which brought
Agricultural Societies under the cover of the
Kennel Club and the Championship Show was
to be organised under the auspices of Driffield
Agricultural Society whilst the Open Show still
ran as Driffield Canine Society.
The First Secretary was Mr Peter Kaye,
Chairman Mr Harold Wright, Vice Chairman Mr
Geoffrey Farrand. Due mainly to poor health
Peter Kaye stood down as Secretary and Mrs
Wendy Lawson took over, however this did not
last long and in 1988 Mr Martin Freeman was
invited to take over the mantle with his wife
June acting as Assistant Secretary. Sadly,
June died in 2007.
Martin held the Secretary’s post until after the
2019 Championship Show when due to poor
health, he stood down his place being taken
by the then Chief Steward Mr Keith Derry.
Driffield had always held its Championship
Shows at Doncaster Racecourse until 2006
when following a change of ownership,
plans were announced to demolish the
Main Grandstand and rebuild a new one
which involved a change of venue this being
Wetherby Racecourse.
Initially the exhibitors did not take kindly to
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K9 NEWS DIGITAL / DECEMBER 2020
Wetherby and entries fell significantly, the
weather proved very trying at some shows
although the Officers & Committee worked
extremely hard to help exhibitors as much as
humanly possible.
In 2019 a letter had been received enquiring
if the society would be willing to exchange
show dates with Scottish Kennel Club August
show. SKC were finding their show difficult
due to August being Edinburgh Festival and
finding Hotels etc difficult to find both for the
show and exhibits, add to that they could
hold their show inside so that the elements
would not impair the progress of the show.
The Officers and committee agreed to ask
the Kennel Club to allow the exchange along
with the Officers and Committee of Scottish
Kennel Club, the result being that the change
of dates would come into effect in 2021. For
Driffield the first show would be still over
four days but not incorporating the August
Bank Holiday Monday due to Breed Club
championship Show already hold licenses for
their shows on that date. So Driffield 2021
will start on Thursday 26th August and end on
Sunday 29th August inclusive. The Evenings
will be longer, the weather should be better
and hopefully exhibitors will feel more suited.
Wetherby is just off the A1 (M) which in turn
has exceptionally good connections to the M1
and M62. The showground has an extensive
Caravan Site at its disposal and Car Parking
is abundant. As I write this the society has
been asked for permission from several Breed
Clubs to hold their second Championship
Show (Due to Covid19) to which the society
has agreed to do all that they can to be of
assistance.
For 2022 the society will be again holding
its show over four days starting Friday 26th
August and end Monday 29th August taking
full advantage of The Bank Holiday Weekend.