Dogs put best paw forward

The 250 guests watched the dog show from their lavishly decorated tables as judge Sue Bownds from Australia put the dogs through their paces.

February 21, 2023

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Banie van Aswegen's greyhound, Dante, is the Puppy Stakes winner. Photo: Imagine Photography

Almost a hundred of South Africa’s leading show dogs and their owners took vied for top honours at the prestigious Supa 7s Spectacular.

Dogs, their owners, and guests gathered at the Indaba Hotel in Fourways on January 21, a highlight on the dog show calendar.

Hiroshan Moodley and his shih tzu, Blake (Adult Stakes runner-up) with judge Sue Bownds. Photo: Imagine Photography

Every year, Eastern Districts Kennel Club and Royal Canin stage the Supa 7s Spectacular indoor event and invite the country’s top winning dogs to compete in three different categories – puppy, adult and veterans stakes – according to Dallmalli Dalmatians’ Carol Immelman and Diversta Bulldogs’ Divan Pelser. They explained that the highly sought-after invitations were based on wins accumulated throughout the year and an international all-breeds judge was invited to officiate at the event.

Lucy Young’s eight-year-old English pointer, Ollie makes history by winning both Veteran and Adult Stakes. Photo: Imagine Photography

The 250 guests watched the event from their lavishly decorated tables in the Kgotla Hall as judge Sue Bownds from Australia put the dogs through their paces. While the guests celebrated the start of the new dog show season and enjoyed a buffet dinner, Bownds whittled down the participants to seven in each section.

As the evening drew to a close, the chosen finalists returned to the ring and the judge selected a winner and runner-up from each stake.

Judge Sue Bownds with Warren Sim and his Siberian husky, Cooper (Veteran Stakes runner-up). Photo: Imagine Photography

Lucy Young’s Ollie – an eight-year-old South African-bred English pointer – made history by winning two of the stakes this year. Grand Champion Whitesquall Seasyde Olivero topped both the Veteran and Adult Stakes.
Runner-up in the Adult Stakes was Hiroshan Moodley’s imported shih tzu, Blake (Grand Champion Winterholme’s Me Before U of Capreese), while runner-up in the Veteran Stakes was Warren Sim’s Siberian husky, Cooper (Grand Champion Northwinds Ticket To Ride).

Australian shepherd, Puff, is the Puppy Stakes runner-up. Photo: Imagine Photography

In the Puppy Stakes, an imported greyhound, Dante (Ina’s Fashion Fascination at Whitesquall) owned by Louis Kruger and Banie van Aswegan, walked off with the winner’s rosette, while a locally bred Australian shepherd, Puff (Charisma Opportunity Knocks) owned by Carol Immelman was runner-up.