BANGOR, Maine – An American Kennel Club-sanctioned dog match will be held Sunday, Sept. 26 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Bangor Waterfront, sponsored by the Penobscot Valley Kennel Club.
The event returns after a one-year hiatus due to COVID cancellations in 2020.
Match shows provide people who are new to or interested in getting involved in pedigreed dog events an opportunity to socialize a dog in an informal and educational environment with positive feedback from seasoned handlers, judges and other dog owners.
The match is ideal for puppies making their show ring debut as well as novice handlers. A special tutorial on how to handle a dog in the ring will be presented at 9 a.m. Judging begins after the tutorial. Unlike a formal AKC show, in a match no points are awarded but the match follows all AKC formal show rules.
The match will feature confirmation where dogs are judged for how closely they meet the official physical standards for their breed. The winners of Best in Breed then compete for Best in Group and the seven group winners compete for Best in Show. The AKC recognizes seven groups: Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting, and Herding.
The match will also have competitions in Junior Showmanship where young people aged 9 to 18 compete in the ring handling dogs.
The competition categories are Puppy 4-6 months old, Puppy 6-12 months old, Open (dogs over 12 months) and Junior Showmanship Novice (age 9-12), Intermediate (aged 12-15), and Open Senior (aged 15-18).
Registration will open at 8:30 a.m. on the day of the show. Entrants do not need to be members of a kennel club, but they should provide the dog’s AKC registration and latest health information in order to enter. Entry fee is $10 for the breed judging and $8 for Junior Showmanship.
AKC Champions are not eligible to enter a match, but several will be on hand for a Meet the Breed exhibit where the public can see dogs up close and discuss what breed is more appropriate to their family lifestyle.
Admission is free to the public.
A bucket brigade will collect voluntary donations for the Penobscot Valley Kennel Club year-around donations of dog food to local food pantries. Last year, PVKC donated 2,564 pounds of dog food through the Good Shepherd Food Bank, which distributed to 16 local food banks in three counties.
“This is an important community outreach for our kennel club members to assure that no one has to give up their beloved dog when they have hard times and to assure that their canine companions continue to receive healthy food,” said PVKC President Mary Jane Platt.
Purchase of the dog food has been funded through members’ donations and revenues from events like the match.
The club has been promoting purebred dog sport and responsible dog ownership for 57 years. It was formed in 1964 as the Dirigo Kennel Club and changed its name to the Penobscot Valley Kennel Club in 1972. PVKC is an affiliate of the American Kennel Club.