1876 (continued): Bulldog Show at Alexandra Palace; Shows at Burton'on-Trent, Blaydon, Wigan, Darlington, Cork, Manchester, Brighton, and Bristol

The First Annual Show of Bull-dogs only was held at the Alexandra Palace, London, on June 14th and 15th, 1876, with Mr. Harry Layton as manager and Mr. H. Smith secretary, when an entry of 75 was obtained.

Mr. J. W. Berne was the appointed judge.

The chief winners were Messrs. Joyce's Bacchus, Layton's Master Gully, Vero Shaw's Sepoy, Sixpence, and Sting, Sabin's Bismarck, Verrinder's Whuskee and Gordon Murray, Harding Cox's Fagin, Bowman's Draco, Hawkridge's Young Saul, Miller's Venom, and R. Nichols's Nell.

The Third Annual Show of Sporting and other Dogs was held at Burton-on-Trent on June 28th, 1876, under the management of Mr. C. Leedham, with an entry of 291.

The judges were the following: Rev. G. F. Hodson, Messrs. W. Lort and G. H. Allsopp.

Fox-terriers were far and away the best-filled classes in the show, most of the prizes being won by dogs owned by Messrs. Jack Terry, Southwell, Tyler, T. Brown, Hustwayte, Riley, T. Wootton, S. W. Smith, Lewis, and Carr. Pointers had one class, with Messrs. Arkwrightand T. Brown dividing the prizes. Setters had two classes, with Messrs. Coath and S. Mill "in the money" in Gordons. In Other Varieties (Setters) Mr. S. E. Shirley was first with Rock, followed by Messrs. Alderson and Brandreth. In Retrievers Mr. Shirley's Thorn took a leading place, followed by Messrs. Richards and Large. In the one class for Greyhounds the winners were Messrs. R. W. Abbott, J. S. Prince, and S. Sanson. The winners in Spaniels were Messrs. Brandreth and Southwell.

St. Bernards and Newfoundlands had very few entries. Mastiffs were better, the prizes falling to Mr. J. Naylor, Rev. F. W. de Castro, and Mr. E. Brough, who showed Champion Turk. Sheep-dogs were represented by Messrs. Mapplebeck, Jackson, and F. H. Cope; Bull-dogs by Messrs. Hughes's Gamble and Miller's Venom. The winners in Bull-terriers were Messrs. R. J. Hartley and H. F. Irish. In Black-and-tan Terriers and Smooth Toys Miss H. Alderson took most of the prizes. Pugs found Messrs. Hustwayte and Hacker taking the lead. In Large Variety Class first prizes were given to the Dalmatian Captain (then and long afterwards shown by Mr. J. Fawdry), the Esquimaux Zouave, and the Yorkshire Terrier Mozart, other winners being Messrs. E. C. le Marriott, Mapplebeck, Brandreth, Tenant, and Jack Terry.

The Sixth Annual Show of Sporting and other Dogs was held in Stella Park, Blaydon-on-Tyne, on July 25th, 1876, with Major Cowen as hon. secretary, and an entry of 330.

The following judges were appointed to act: Greyhounds, Sheep-dogs, and Dandies, Mr. M. Hedley; all other classes, Mr. W. Lort.

Greyhounds were well-filled classes, the chief winners being Messrs. Sharpies, Dixon, Robson, . Simpson, and M. Brown. Pointers, though not large entries, had some of the right sort shown by Messrs. Fletcher, Arkwright, Shorthose, and Summerson. Setters were fairly well supported by Messrs. J. Fletcher, G. de L. Macdona, Shorthose, Pape, Armstrong, Miss Alderson, Colonel Allison, and Mr. B. Thompson. Messrs. Shorthose and Fletcher took all the prizes in Spaniels. Messrs. J. W. Morris, Holmes, Fletcher, and W. V. Thompson were the only winners in Retrievers. Fox-terriers had but two classes, in which Messrs. J. Fletcher, Riley, Jardine, Alston, and Proctor took all the money.

Messrs. Carrick took most of the prizes in Dandies. Dachshunds were not numerous, though typical, the winners being owned by Messrs. Temperley, Arkwright, and Ormston. Bedlington Terriers were the largest entries in the show, and the winners belonged to many well-known breeders - Messrs. W. Carrick, J. Rutter, T. B. Wall, T. Stoddart, Pickett, Robson, Bennett, Anderson, Batty, Clemitson, Matthews, March, and A. Armstrong. Mastiffs, Bull-dogs, and Bull-terriers, as well as Pugs, were small entries. Sheep-dogs (with the help of Messrs. Jubb, Lacy, Redder, and A. Wilson), Smooth Terriers, Black-and tan, and others (mainly filled by Messrs. H. Lacy, T. B. Swinburne - afterwards well known as an exhibitor - and Miss Alderson), were fair classes. Variety Classes, over and under 30 lb., were well supported by a mixed lot of specimens.

An Exhibition of Sporting and other Dogs was held at Wigan on July 27th, 1876, the judges being the following: Messrs. W. Lort, Frank Adock, and Charles Collins.

Mastiffs and Newfoundlands were small entries. In Greyhounds Messrs. Sharpies and Kay took all the prizes. Pointers found Mr. J. H. Whitehouse in his usual place, followed by Messrs. Brandreth, Wall, and C. W. Brierley. Setters had two classes, the winners being owned by Messrs. Brandreth, Unwin, Lister, and Tyrer. Retrievers had Messrs. J. W. Morris and Kilby scoring. Fox-terriers were good classes, all the prizes going to Messrs. T. Sharpies, C. R. Leach, R. T. and J. W. Morris, W. Bolton, J. F. Walton, and W. Smethurst.

Sheep-dogs were represented by three dogs I well remember as the best of their day - Messrs. Jubb's Mec and W. W. Thomson's Hero (probably the two best Black-and-tans then ever seen, and great winners everywhere) and Brackenbury's Scot (not large, but a dog of beautiful shape and style, carrying a good coat of peculiar colour, something of a grey, tan, and white, with china eyes, who won many prizes at that time, and took my fancy very much); also Captain Walmesley's Gordon. In the four classes for Bull-dogs all the prizes were taken by Mr. G. A. Dawe's King Brum, Dido, Nell, Dainty, Alexander, and King David. Mr. R. J. Hartley, at that time a keen exhibitor, took all the prizes in Bull-terriers. Black-and-tan Terriers, over and under 13 lb., found Messrs. Blenkinsop, Sloane, Mather, Riley, and Hodkinson taking all the money. This was the first time I have noticed "Rabbit Coursing Dogs "shown under the name of "Whippets" at a recorded show, Messrs. Bradley, Caswell, and Unsworth owning all the winners. No other classes here call for remark.