General Championship shows continued their
struggle to regain popularity and the need to have
all exhibits on public view throughout a show’s
duration, which had never been popular with
exhibitors, did little to encourage renewed interest.
Show societies were also having difficulty finding
suitable venues when a relatively young Blackpool
Canine Society proposed the novel idea of having
different dogs on each of the days, thereby relieving
the society from the expensive provision of providing feeding as well as security staff throughout the night. Although there was some reluctance from an entrenched establishment, the Kennel Club eventually agreed to the experiment, and the first show to schedule different breeds on each day took place in Blackpool on 21 and 22 June 1939. Although popular from the outset, the future of championship shows became irrelevant as this country awaited the outcome of Chamberlain’s ultimatum.
Confirmation of a declaration of war coincided with the end of Harrogate Kennel Association’s final Championship show, where all-rounder Mr J. W. H. Beynon awarded the last Pre-War Collie Challenge Certificate to Eden Ellena who was winning her 2nd CC on the day. At the previous Championship Show, organized by Kensington Canine Society at Alexandra Palace, Beulah’s Golden Future, and Delwood Irene each gained their third CC making them the last dog and bitch Collies to gain their title before all shows were suspended for the duration of World War II.
