There will be participants from 12 countries. A total of 720 dogs are coming from abroad: from Russia (277 dogs), Sweden (219) and Estonia (126). About 4,000 dogs will be presented on both show days. Sheep and cattle dogs, terriers, retrievers and companion dogs (FCI groups 1, 3, 8 and 9) will be seen on Saturday, as well as the year’s last Junior Handler Finnish championship qualifications. Pinschers, dachshunds, spitzes, scenthounds, pointing dogs and sighthounds (FCI groups 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 10) and the Junior Hander Finnish championship Finals will be seen on Sunday.
The Hero Dogs of the Finnish Kennel Club Awarded on Saturday
Ten hero dogs will be awarded in the Helsinki Fair Centre on Saturday. The Finnish Kennel Club annually bestows the title of hero dog on dogs who have significantly contributed towards saving human life.
Besides the Dog Show, there will be events for the entire family. Dogs play flyball in Hall 1. Flyball is a game in which the handler sends the dog on the jump obstacle course where the dog is to release a tennis ball from a box with its paw and catch it from the air. Animal trainer Tuire Kaimio gives lectures in the Auditorium (only in Finnish): on Saturday, “Can you spoil a puppy?”, and on Sunday, on the fears of animals.
Hundreds of Pets in the Animal Fair On top of the dog show, Animal Fair will take place in Fair Centre Hall 4. There will be rabbits, alpacas, llamas, guinea-pigs, rats, gerbils, parrots, ferrets, and falabellas representing the smallest breed of horses.
Versatile programme will be seen in the Animal Fair show arena. Alpacas, llamas, rats and rabbits will present their agility. Various parrots will be exhibited, and guinea-pigs will have a cucumber-eating contest, and falabellas will be shown. Several animal protection organizations present themselves.
Show Hours
The Winner 2008 Dog Show in Helsinki Fair Centre opens on both days at 8 AM, continuing till 6 PM on Saturday and 7 PM on Sunday. Judging starts at 9 AM in the first rings. The Animal Fair is open from 9 AM till 5 PM. After the judgings, the finals or group finals will be held in the Fair Centre Hall 1 on Sunday, and the Best in Show will be elected at about 7 PM.
Ticket Prices
One ticket is good for all the events. One-day ticket for children of 4 to 12 costs 6 €, for adults, 12 €. Two-day ticket is 17 €, and one-day family ticket (max 2 adults and 4 children under 12), 25 €.
Winner 2008For further information, please contact:
Head of Public Relations and the Press Eeva Haapalinna-Waksman, tel. +358 9 8873 0292 or +358 50 544 7407
Information officer Elina Kelola, tel. +358 9 8873 0296 or +358 9 8873 0296