Nearly 3,800 dogs of all breeds are expected in Owensboro today through Sunday for the River Valley Cluster AKC All Breed Dog Shows at the Owensboro Convention Center. The public can purchase tickets for any day of the event.
General admission to the event is $5, with children under 12 and seniors over 60 costing $3. Spectators can view the grooming, conditioning, and judging of the canines. The shows will run from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day, with Best in Show winners awarded at the conclusion of each day.
The Owensboro River City Kennel Club and Southern Indiana Kennel Club are partnering to host the event.
“The clubs are adamant about sharing the experience with the Owensboro community,” said event organizer Cindi Bosley. “Our entries are up drastically even though numbers nationwide are down; I feel that speaks highly of our show site and the clubs’ hard work to make the event successful.”
The AKC judges are traveling to Owensboro from New Hampshire, Nevada, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Florida, Virginia, Alabama, and Kentucky.
However, the reach for the competing dogs is much further than that, as organizers expect canines from all over the United States and several foreign countries. The group has registered 3,776 dogs for the event, which boasts four complete all-breed competitions.
“The convention center is a premiere show site compared to others throughout the nation,” Bosley said. “We have handlers from all over the country – it’s a great opportunity to showcase Owensboro and downtown. People like to come here because of the venue and its proximity to hotels and restaurants.”
Bosley added that vendors would be on site with a wide array of specialty dog items for sale, along with human clothing and jewelry.
She added that attendees should keep dogs not entered in the competition and strollers at home to ensure the safety of everyone attending.
