Zoli Myers is no backyard dog. The newly awarded Australian Champion might be partial to a romp in the garden and fetching sticks, but on weekends, he transforms into a show dog. Zoli, a Welsh Springer Spaniel, is now an Australian Champion following the 4-day Bairnsdale Kennel Club 70th Anniversary Show weekend held earlier this month.

“The championship comes about by gaining 100 points from all breeds judges,” said owner, Michelle Myers.

“The dogs are judged to a breed standard, and the judge on the day will deem that he is found to be an example of that breed standard on the day and awarded his class.”

Dogs are judged in age classes to find the best dog and best bitch, then the best dog and bitch of the day are run against each other to decide the Best in Breed on the day. 

Zoli, 14 months old, was also deemed Best Junior in the Gundog ring three times over the weekend.

Since debuting at 14 weeks old, Zoli has travelled extensively, entered many shows and won many Best of Breed and dog challenge awards.

Michelle has been showing dogs since she was 15 years old, had a break from it and returned nine years ago with the assistance of husband, Brendan. It’s an active pastime, with shows every weekend across the country, many in conjunction with agricultural shows. While she is keen to show the breed, it’s the social aspect that draws her back week after week. 

“Have dog, have car, will travel,” she jokes. “I do it for the love of the dogs, the enjoyment, the socialisation, the travelling to different places, and showcasing our breed.”

Michelle has a second Welsh Springer Spaniel. Seven-year-old Quill not only has a Grand Champion title under his collar, he also has a Tracking Dog Excellent title, a sport affiliated with Dogs Victoria, and is trained to search for people lost in the bush. 

Zoli wasn’t the only local dog to achieve success at the Bairnsdale show. Teresa and Wayne Parkinson’s Flat Coated Retriever, Sally, took out Best in Group – an impressive achievement being her first show post Covid-19 and having focussed on retrieving work in recent years.

“The Best in Group is all the Best of Breed winners representing each of the breeds,” Teresa explains. “There were 20 dogs in Gundogs. They all line up and that judge decides at the end of the group judging which dog they think is, in their mind, the closest to the standard and the one they like the best.”

That win gave Sally 25 points and by the end of the weekend she had earned 47, almost halfway to an Australian Champion title in just four days of showing.

Teresa has been showing dogs since her early 20s but went into the working side of dogs before returning to showing 15 years ago, also showing Whippets. Like Michelle, she loves the dogs, the socialisation and comradery.

The rarer Flat Coated Retriever breed, explains Teresa, resemble Golden Retrievers but are black and taller on the leg. “They’re very much a dual-purpose breed, so you should be able to take them into the ring and also work them. They are a delightful breed.

“Earning awards with rarer breeds makes the accolades more special. It speaks volumes, it really puts it in perspective. You don’t have to have a Labrador, German Shorthaired Pointer or Golden Retriever – the very popular breeds – to do some good, serious winning in strong competitions.” 

Maintenance of the dog’s coat is ongoing – grooming, trimming and bathing are important, and the day before a show, it’s a final bath and groom. Then, there is their own outfit – neat, tidy and presentable, and something that complements the dog is preferred.

The dog shows at Cohuna Show, held annually in March, are run in conjunction with the Cohuna and Kerang kennel clubs as a cluster show. They attract around 350 exhibits – that’s a lot of breeds on display in one place, and Michelle and Teresa encourage the public to take advantage of that. 

“It’s a terrific opportunity for people to come and meet breeds and the people who own them. We encourage people to come around and ask the owners if it’s an appropriate time to pat their dog and ask questions,” said Teresa.

For anyone contemplating entering their dog in a dog show, there are rules and guidelines to be followed, and you must be a member of Dogs Victoria.

This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 14 September 2023.