IKC INTERNATIONAL DAY 1 '15 BEST IN SHOW
Taking centre stage in the best in show ring on day one was Rita McCarry-Beattie, one of Ireland’s all-breed judges and well known for her Branstock Yorkshire Terriers as well as her involvement with the family’s Bichons, Boxers, American Cockers et al. From the ten group winners sent through by the international panel of judges, the accolade went to the Papillon, Sean Carroll and James Newman’s Ch, Cz & Ger Ch Hundebuden’s Juno Pondabudens, handled by James to take his fourth group win of the year after similar successes at Carlow, Cork and Combined international, where he was BIS3. Reserve was the Groenendael, Paul, Jean and Kelly Lawless’ Ch & GB Ch Revloch Figo, a great weekend for ‘Figo’ as he was just back from Driffield where he had taken his eighth CC and was G2, this adding to his BIS win at the IKC summer show and BIS3 at Bray earlier this year.

IKC INTERNATIONAL DAY 1 '15 BEST IN SHOW
Best in Show under judge Rita McCarry-Beattie was the Papillon, Sean Carroll and James Newman’s Ch, Cz & Ger Ch Hundebuden’s Juno Pondabudens, handled by James.

IKC INTERNATIONAL DAY 1 '15 BEST BABY PUPPY IN SHOW
Best Baby Puppy in Show under Rita McCarry-Beattie was Brenda Groves and Steve Hare’s French Bulldog Swiftwood Cute As A Daisy, five-month-old ‘Daisy’ topping the babies ahead of Emilio Castillo and Patrick Fortune’s four-monthold Shetland Sheepdog Navarrem Miss Hilde.

IKC INTERNATIONAL DAY 1 '15 BEST PUPPY IN SHOW
Rita McCarry-Beattie’s best Puppy in Show, selected from all the puppy group winners, and thereby qualified for the Irish Pup of the Year final at Easter 2016, was John Canty’s Lakeland Terrier Friendly Lad at Megacant, eight-month-old ‘Ricky’ attending his first championship show. Runner-up was Michael Durcan and Janice Bermingham’s Boxer Redstone Lorenzo, seven-month-old ‘Enzo’ already a green star winner at the Navan Working Breeds show.

IKC INTERNATIONAL DAY 1 '15 BEST VETERAN IN SHOW
Topping the best veteran in breed winners under Rita McCarry-Beattie was Stuart Pearson and Carole Dodds’ ten-year-old Dalmatian Pollypeck Premier Passion at Daffydal. In second place was Sally Tonks and Dione Fitzsimons’ Pyrenean Mountain Dog Ch, GB & Int Ch Shanlimore The Maverick; one day short of his tenth birthday, this win cements his unassailable lead at the head of the Royal Canin/Irish Canine Press Veteran Leaderboard.

IKC INTERNATIONAL DAY 1 '15 JUNIOR STAKES
As is the tradition, the BIS judge each day also judges the stakes classes on the opposing day so today it was June Wall, BIS judge the following day, whose task it was to sort out the junior and champion stakes, starting with the juniors where her winner was Denise Tawse’s Standard Poodle Tazziemin Tartan Disguise, 15-month-old ‘Saga’ with five GS along with his junior champion title. Second was Brendan Nolan and Amanda Giles’ Whippet Sporting Fields Dream Team, 11-month-old ‘Sheldon’ an American import.

IKC INTERNATIONAL DAY 1 '15 CHAMPION STAKES
Heading the champion stakes under June Wall and qualifying for the Champion of Champions contest in early January was Sally Burns and Mary Coghlan’s Standard Poodle Ch Dinastii The Libertine Afterglow, ‘Bert’ the group winner this year at Deise. Second place was Tony Moran’s Tibetan Spaniel Dan & GB Ch Tara av Elgberget, ‘Tara’ with four CCs.

IKC INTERNATIONAL DAY 1 '15 GROUP 1
Topping group 1 under well known Belgian judge Lilian de Ridder Onghena was the Groenendael, Jean, Paul and Kelly Lawless’ Ch & GB Ch Revloch Figo, en route to RBIS. Laurel and Craig McBeth’s Hungarian Puli Ch & GB Ch Silkata Perchance To Dream with Maclaurien, G4 at Belfast, was in second spot.

IKC INTERNATIONAL DAY 1 '15 GROUP 2
Mike Macbeth from Canada was in charge for group 2 where her winner was the Bullmastiff, Seamus Magee and Lisa Sweeney’s Ch Bullmeredith Captain Rowlo of Tarbhore, BIS at Tralee at the end of the Munster Circuit in August and also group winner at Kilkenny. The recently crowned UK and Irish champion Rottweiler, Cotarinn Fright Night, took the second rosette. Owned by Mossy Lenihan and breeder Andrea Stubbs and handled by co-breeder Jackie Stubbs, ‘Tyson’ won his third CC at Richmond.

IKC INTERNATIONAL DAY 1 '15 GROUP 3
Philip O’Brien handled his, wife Jarka and breeder Richard Dalton’s Kerry Blue Ch & GB Ch Dalstar Il Divo, who finished the day BIS4, to top group 3 under Veli-Pekki Kumpumaki of the Perhaps Westies and Scotties from Finland, who gave second to Ross Delmar and Eve Lunden’s Smooth Fox Terrier Ch, Sw, Norw, Dan & Int Ch Residensets Stand-In, BIS at Monkstown, RBIS at Combined national, BIS3 at Swords, with further group wins at Bray and Killarney, and currently top of the Gain Petfoods/Irish Canine Press/Dog World group 3 Leaderboard.

IKC INTERNATIONAL DAY 1 '15 GROUP 4
FCI all-breeds judge Petru Muntean, former president of the Romanian KC, and currently vice-president of its judges committee, gave the top Dachshund rosette to Karen Weir’s Kaninchen Smooth Ch Magik Rainbow Gloria, ‘Gloria’ on her way to BIS3, with second to Gary McAlpine’s Miniature Longhaired Baltiskiy Talisman Zakonny Naslednik at Lampcien, fresh from taking BIS at Carlow last month.

IKC INTERNATIONAL DAY 1 '15 GROUP 5
Ole Staunskjaer, FCI all-breeds judge of the famous Blaaholm Great Danes in Denmark, gave the winner’s rosette for group 5 to the Alaskan Malamute Ch & Int Ch Libertia Reggae Master, handled by co-owner Scarlett Burnside, ‘Marley’ winning his first group spot of the year. Liz Wogan’s Keeshond Ch & GB Ch Neradmik Beach Boy avec Deminiac was second, group winner and BIS3 at Newtownards; ‘Wilson’ also took the group at ILKA and G2 at Tralee and has four CCs.

IKC INTERNATIONAL DAY 1 '15 GROUP 6
Denis Kuzelj from Bulgaria of the Apsala Old English Sheepdogs and now Cavaliers, was on a return visit to Ireland and awarded the top place in group 6 to Louisa and Eddie Casey’s Dalmatian Ch Buffrey Pop Goes The Weasel at Moyglass, handled by Frank Barry to win his third group this year, ‘Sam’s’ others coming at Bray and Coleraine. Second place went to Anthony Lord Edwards’ Black and Tan Coonhound Windbourne Wicked Lady of Lyonvelt, a second group placing for this new breed to Ireland; 15-month-old ‘Molloy’ was third at Bangor in September.

IKC INTERNATIONAL DAY 1 '15 GROUP 7
Stephen and Colette Kennedy’s Weimaraner ‘Logan’, Sh Ch Zilverein Straight No Chazer, G2 at Swords and Monkstown, took top honours in group 7 under Sonia Kelveri-Philippou, head of the judges committee of the Cyprus Kennel Club and FCI all-breeds. She gave second to Roger and Sue Perkins’ Pointer Kanix Joker of Brent, ‘Huw’ repeating his Banbridge success.

IKC INTERNATIONAL DAY 1 '15 GROUP 8
Athanasios Garivaldis from Greece judged group 8 and his winner was Marianne Dunne’s Curly-coated Retriever Ch Krisbos Hopsy Daisy, a first group win of the year for ‘Daisy’ to add to G2 at Coleraine and fourth at both IKC CW and Carlow. Michele Knapp took second spot with her English Springer Spaniel Sh Ch Templecarrig Heartbreaker. Luca’ who is 20 months old was G3 at CCC international and fourth at Newtownards and Bangor.

IKC INTERNATIONAL DAY 1 '15 GROUP 9
En route to BIS, the group 9 winner under Canadian judge Yvonne Savard was Sean Carroll and James Newman’s Papillon Ch, Cz & Ger Ch Hundebuden’s Juno Pondabudens, while runner-up was Jason McMorrow’s Maltese Ch Ripley Wonder Of Love,, group winner and BIS3 at Kilkenny, G2 at Bray and third at Sligo.

IKC INTERNATIONAL DAY 1 '15 GROUP 10
Denis Kuzelj was ring centre again, this time for group 10, and his winner was the Whippet, Danielle Ritchie-Smith and grandfather Albert Ritchie’s Ch Demerlay Armanay Billie Jean, who recently won her third CC, one of them being from Crufts. ’Gina’ won her 17th GS and took her first group place. Bangor BIS winner, Lyn Appleby, John Minchin, Jane Edwards and Mary Mulvaney’s Afghan Hound Ch & Int Ch Davashey To Tell The Truth, also group winner at Portadown, was runner-up.

IKC INTERNATIONAL DAY 1 '15
The outdoor rings

IKC INTERNATIONAL DAY 1 '15
The outdoor rings

IKC INTERNATIONAL DAY 1 '15
Ring view indoors

IKC INTERNATIONAL DAY 1 '15
Irish Kennel Club secretary Marion Campbell (right) with IKC staff member Karen Murphy, who manned the office over the two days.

IKC INTERNATIONAL DAY 1 '15
Gain is the main sponsor of all Irish Kennel Club events and the Gain Gang were there to offer advice and hand out specials over the two days. Pictured are Rob O’Sullivan, Sean Martin, Ciara Watt and Jim Treacy.

IKC INTERNATIONAL DAY 1 '15
There were plenty of trade stands in attendance over the two days, mostly indoors but there were also those hardy traders who set up outdoors, easily accessed by exhibitors both inside and out, including the Rabart Pro Choice stand, always popular with Irish attendees.