An event like a large agricultural show will attract ordinary people who may never have seen our breeds before. We have chance to put our case for maintaining breeds that were developed here and are part of our British heritage.

Of course most people exhibiting at the Royal Cornwall won’t consider themselves ambassadors for their breed. To them it will be any other open dog show. They may enjoy being part of a bigger event of find the noise and public attention annoying. Either way they’re there to show their dog and, perhaps, gain a rosette and a write up in the canine press.

Showing is certainly not the only or even the best way to engage the public but it has its place.  This is especially true when the shows are linked to bigger events where they draw in more ordinary dog owners and give us more of chance to spread our message.

If you’ve given up on dog shows why not think about giving them a second chance? If you’ve never felt you’d enjoy the dog show scene why not enter one and give it a go? If you don’t fancy going alone maybe there is someone else in your breed who would go along with you. You might get a first and second!

Yes, there can be bitchiness and, yes, novices don’t always get the warmest of welcomes. That said - I’ve always found the majority of show people are helpful and genuinely interested in supporting newcomers.

Even if we don’t aspire to Champion titles or showing on the biggest stage we can use dog showing to promote our breeds. Just one warning, however ambivalent you might feel about dog shows that first rosette may just change your mind and get you hooked!