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Dog Competition History
Dog competitions featured early in the history of the Show, the first recorded occurring in 1869. In newspapers the ‘splendid collection of dogs’ was praised, and a tan terrier, weighing three pounds, apparently attracted much attention. Breeds listed as classes that year were: Bloodhounds, Newfoundlands, Retrievers, Pointers, Setters, Spaniels, King Charles Spaniels, Greyhounds, Italian Greyhounds, Kangaroo Dogs, Skye Terriers, English Terriers, Terriers, Bull Terriers, Bulldogs, Sheepdogs, St Bernards and Beagles.
The RAS has a long association with wider canine affairs in NSW. From 1919 the RAS were strongly linked to the Kennel Association of NSW, adopting their rules for the Easter Show and insisting on the registration of all dogs with the Association as a condition of entry.
In 1923 the RAS took over the Association’s clerical work and the keeping of the register. The Kennel Association functioned until at least 1935, however, the conditions surrounding its ultimate demise are unclear.
The RAS Kennel Club (later known as RAS Kennel Control) then became the premier canine organisation in NSW. Established in 1948, it unified the dog world and saw to the administration around registration and the classification of purebred dogs, improving processes for both along the way. In 1988 RAS Kennel Control changed its name to the NSW Canine Council in preparation for separation from the RAS in 1989, whereupon it resumed all the governance duties formerly undertaken by the RAS. Today it is known as DOGS NSW.
The Dog Pavilion (Howie Complex) at Sydney Showground was designed specifically for the showing of dogs. It can house more than 600 dogs and can accommodate all breeds. The pavilion seats around 2,000 spectators and judging takes place on three outdoor lawns.
Some interesting dog competition facts:
· The first sheepdog trials were held in 1879.
· In 1895 there was a class for “Any other variety dog or bitch”. Exhibitor Albert Andrews entered Jack, described as “a dingo caught at Bega”.
· In 1901 there was a class for “Dog biscuits, or foods best adapted for dogs”. It attracted two entries.
· The Best in Show award was introduced in 1931.
· The RAS also held dog competitions as part of the Annual or Sydney Sheep Show (1918-1974). These were predominantly sheepdog trials, however they occasionally included dog classes. The 1918 Annual Sheep Show included a Grand Dog Show, with classes for Kelpies, Cattle Dogs, Deerhounds and Airedale Terriers.
Timeline for the introduction of different breeds
Note: many breeds have not appeared continuously at the Show since they were first introduced. This list records the first time they are mentioned in the catalogues.
| 1869 | Bloodhounds, Newfoundlands, Retrievers, Pointers, Setters, Spaniels, King Charles Spaniels, Greyhounds, Italian Greyhounds, Kangaroo Dogs, Skye Terriers, Rough-Haired Terriers, English Terriers, Bull Terriers, Terriers, Bulldogs, Sheepdogs, St Bernard, Beagles |
| 1870 | Foxhound (no entries), Fox Terriers (no entries), Mastiffs, Cattle Dogs, Toy Terriers, French Poodle, Manilla Poodles, Pugs |
| 1871 | Staghound |
| 1872 | Terrier Dogs broken hair and smooth hair |
| 1873 | English Toy Terrier |
| 1875 | Black and Tan Terriers |
| 1877 | Dandie Dinmont Terrier |
| 1880 | No catalogue |
| 1882 | Chinese Dogs |
| 1884 | No results found |
| 1885 | Curly Haired Retrievers |
| 1886 | Gordon Setters, English Setters |
| 1888 | Collies, Irish Setters, Sussex Setters |
| 1889 | Dachshund, Harrier |
| 1894 | Cocker Spaniel, Irish Water Spaniel, Fox Terrier, Field Spaniel, Irish Terrier |
| 1895 | Deerhound, Great Dane/Boarhound, Australian Collie, Australian Fox Terrier, Scottish Terrier, Yorkshire Terrier |
| 1896-1898 | No catalogues |
| 1899 | Dalmatian, Airedale Terrier, Australian Terrier, Pomeranian |
| 1900 | Borzois, Wire-Haired Fox Terriers, Prince Charles Spaniel, Japanese Spaniel (think today known as Japanese Chin) |
| 1901 | Barb, Kelpies, Australian Silky Terriers (technically this class is called Terrier, Australian, soft or silk haired but the first official appearance under that name is 1960) |
| 1905 | Australian Bulldog |
| 1907 | Sydney Silky Terriers |
| 1908 | Chow Chow |
| 1913 | Griffon Bruxellois (no entries), Pekingese |
| 1926 | Alsatian Wolfdog (aka German Shepherd. First appears as German Shepherd in 1954) |
| 1928 | Sealyham Terriers, Whippets |
| 1929 | Cairn Terriers, West Highland White Terriers |
| 1931 | Fox Terriers divided into Smooth Fox Terriers and Wire-Haired Fox Terriers |
| 1932 | Borzois, Schnauzers |
| 1934 | Samoyeds |
| 1935 | Irish Wolfhound, Labrador Retriever, Salukis, Welsh Corgi |
| 1936 | Afghan Hounds, Manchester Terriers |
| 1938 | Sporting Dogs class |
| 1939 | Kerry Blue Terriers |
| 1940 | Maltese |
| 1942-1946 | No Shows due to army occupation of the Showground |
| 1947 | Old English Sheep Dogs |
| 1948 | English Springer Spaniels, Kelpie, plain Labrador |
| 1949 | Basenjis, Boxers, Maltese Terriers, Mastiffs, Shetland Sheep Dogs |
| 1950 | Boston Terriers, Bull Mastiffs, French Bull Dogs (no entries), Keeshond |
| 1951 | Border Collies, Miniature Dachshunds (and smooth ones), Lakeland Terriers, Miniature Poodles |
| 1952 | Australian Cattle Dogs, Australian Kelpies, Doberman Pinschers, gun dog trials, general stud book classes for each breed |
| 1953 | Papillon |
| 1957 | Dachshunds wire haired and long haired, Shih Tzu, Weimaraners |
| 1958 | Basset Hound, Chihuahaus, Retrievers divided into curly and golden, Welsh Corgis divided into Pembroke and Cardigan |
| 1959 | Retrievers divided into curly, golden, and Labrador |
| 1961 | Toy Poodles, Pinschers (miniature) |
| 1962 | Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Tibetan Apsos, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Dachshunds wire haired miniature |
| 1963 | Border Terriers (no entries), Miniature Schnauzers, Schipperkes, Norwegian Buhunds, Scottish Deerhounds |
| 1964 | Bedlington Terrier |
| 1965 | Clumber Spaniel |
| 1966 | Bull Terriers miniature, German Shorthaired Pointers, Irish Water Spaniels |
| 1968 | Chihuahuas smooth and long haired, Japanese, Pyrenean Mountain Dog |
| 1969 | Rhodesian Ridgebacks |
| 1970 | American Cocker Spaniel |
| 1971 | Finnish Spitz, Rottweilers |
| 1972 | Collies (Rough and Smooth), Elkhounds (also called Norwegian Elkhounds), Lhasa Apso |
| 1973 | Hungarian Pulli |
| 1974 | Bearded Collie, British Bulldogs |
| 1975 | Hungarian Vizsla, Welsh Springer Spaniel |
| 1976 | Basset Griffon Vendeen, Groenendael, Japanese Chin (think originally called Japanese Spaniel and first appeared in 1900), Pharaoh Hound, Tibetan Spaniel, Tibetan Terrier |
| 1977 | Briard, Chinese Crested Dog, English Toy Terrier, Lowchen, Brittany Spaniel |
| 1979 | Alaskan Malamute, Berenese Mountain Dog, Bichon Frise, Bouvier Des Flandres |
| 1981 | Japanese Spitz, Soft Coated Wheaten Terr, Stumpy Tailed Cattle Dog, Tervueren |
| 1982 | Belgian Shepherd (Groenendael), Belgian Shepherd (Tervueren), Chesapeake Bay Retriever, German Wirehaired Pointer, Giant Schnauzer |
| 1983 | Siberian Husky |
| 1984 | Flat Coated Retriever, Large Munsterlander, Tibetan Mastiff |
| 1985 | Competition separated into groups now. Norfolk Terrier, Norwich Terrier, Sussex Spaniel, Ibizan Hound, Swedish Vallhund, Akita Inu |
| 1987 | Otter Hound, Anatolian Shepherd Dog, Belgian Shepherd (Malinois), Shar Pei |
| 1988 | Dachshund Miniature Long Hair, German Pinscher |
| 1989 | Affenpinscher, Irish Red and White Setter |
| 1990 | Glen of Imaal Terrier, Polish Lowland Sheepdog, German Spitz, Shiba Inu, American Staffordshire Terrier |
| 1991 | Welsh Terrier |
| 1992 | Jack Russell Terrier, Pason Jack Russell Terrier, Italian Spinone, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling, Belgian Shepherd (Laekenois), Maremma Sheepdog, Akita |
| 1993 | Neapolitan Mastiff |
| 1994 | L'epagneul Breton |
| 1995 | Australian Shepherd |
| 1996 | Finnish Lapphund, German Spitz (Mittel), Leonberger |
| 1997 | German Spitz (Klein), Weimaraner Long Hair and Short Hair |
| 1998 | Cesky Terrier, Kuvasz, Pumi |
| 1999 | Kangal Dog |
| 2000 | Bluetick Coonhound, Eurasier, Havanese, Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen |
| 2001 | Dogue De Bordeaux, Hamiltonstovare, Lagotto |
| 2002 | Black Russian Terrier |
| 2003 | Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog, Tenterfield Terrier |
| 2006 | Central Asian Shepherd Dog, Italian Corso Dog, Swedish Lapphund, Pyrenean Mastiff |
| 2007 | Basset Fauve De Bretagne, English Toy Terrier (Black and Tan) |
| 2008 | Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla |
| 2010 | Bracco Italiano, Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen, White Swiss Shepherd Dog |
| 2012 | Azawakh, Portugese Podengo (Small Smooth-Haired), Portugese Water Dog, Xoloitzcuintle (Standard) |
| 2013 | German Shepherd Dog (LSC) |
| 2014 | Akita (Japanese), Cane Corso, German Hunting Terrier |
| 2015 | Peruvian Hairless Dog (Large), Tatra Shepherd Dog, Xoloitzcuintle (Miniature), Xoloitzcuintle (Intermediate) |
| 2019 | Coton De Tulear, Landseer Ect |



