Bedford and District Canine Society
While Dog Shows have been held in Bedford for over 130 years (see
report), the Society was founded in 1925 to promote and encourage the breeding and
showing of dogs of all breeds, and the proper care of dogs in general. We are
governed by a President and Vice-Presidents, and a Committee elected each year
at the Annual General Meeting.
We currently put on two Open Shows a year, in May and September, which are run on the Group system. We also hold a monthly Ringcraft/Match night on the first Friday of each month, culminating in a special Christmas Match Night and social event.
Membership of the Society is open to all, subject to approval by the Committee and payment of the annual Membership Fee, and confers the following benefits:
- Reduced Entry Fees at our Open Shows
- A range of trophies (as listed in Show schedules) available to be competed for by Members at Open Shows and held till the next Show.
- Eligibility to participate in our monthly Ringcraft/Match Nights and Christmas Match
Junior membership is also available to those aged between 6 and 16 at a reduced subscription, although this does not entitle them to vote at meetings of the Society.
Mr Ron Hill, former Secretary and Chairman of the Society and now our President, recalls:
"The Society has been going for over 80 years and I have been here for half of those.
"We used to hold the shows at the Bedford Drill Hall, then we moved to Addison Park where we held a dog show with Bedford County Show. We then moved to the Addison Centre. We tried a show at the Bunyan Centre, but this was not big enough so we moved back to the Addison Centre where we were for many years. The Show got too big for the Addison Centre so we moved to Wellingborough where we hold our shows now.
"I remember in the past when we had Jumble Sales to boost funds for the Club. We also had Barn Dances and the Americans would do the barbecue. We also had a raffle where each Committee member had books to sell. We would draw the raffle at a social evening at Sally Taylor's pub at Renhold, who was a committee member at the time."