It might have been Friday the 13th, but 15 and 10 were the lucky numbers for a pair of terriers at the Alberni Valley Kennel Club’s 53rd annual Championship Dog Show in Port Alberni.
Mr. Bates, a West Highland White Terrier, won best in show on Friday. “This is his 15th ‘best in show’,” handler David Gignac said. “He is the top terrier in Canada.”
Ag, another West Highland White Terrier, received his championship on Friday, owner Terry Bernier said. He needed to accumulate 10 required points to complete his Canadian championship.
Another winner at Friday’s dog show was Polly, or Hollyrood Cosmopollytan, an eight-and-a-half-month old Scottish deerhound. Polly won Best Puppy in Show. Polly already stands 29 inches at the shoulder, said owner Heidi Gervais of Cobble Hill.
“She’ll grow probably another one or two inches,” Gervais added. Polly’s father was 33 inches tall at the shoulder.
Gervais, a professional dog handler, co-owns and co-breeds Scottish deerhounds with Lynne Bruce in southern Vancouver Island.
Polly comes by her unusual name honestly. “She was from our cocktail litter,” Gervais said. “Her brother is Hollyrood Gin ‘N Bear It.”
The dog show continues on Sunday starting at 9 a.m., with the final group starting around 11:20 a.m. at Glenwood Centre, Vimy St. behind Bob Dailey Stadium. For more information on the dog show, go online to www.albernivalleykennelclub.wordpress.com.
