The All Ireland Terrier & Lurcher Championships will take place at the Irish Game Fair at Shanes Castle on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th June 2011.
This is the 23rd year of the event that was designed to provide top quality competition for terrier and lurcher and later whippet owners within Ireland. It was decided to make it open to all rather than have qualifiers because we wanted to have a showcase at Ireland's largest game or country fair for terriers, lurchers and whippets . Pre qualifying often includes dogs that may have passed their best, been sold on, be in pup etc and exclude 'coming' dogs but by giving everyone a chance to win the title on a set date people can actually prepare their dogs to show the general public the best dogs around.
And of course if we are to host prestigious terrier and lurcher events we think it only fitting that they should be an integral part of the fair and not hidden away in a side field. In fact because Shanes hosts one of the best terrier & lurcher areas with a fantastic racing course and excellent rignside parking - in some ways the whole fair is designed round the terriers and lurchers!
Having hosted the All Ireland for several years we thought we would like to bring international competition to Ireland. When we say INTERNATIONAL with our gundogs or terriers we mean REAL INTERNATIONAL not just North/South matches. So last year we hosted the FIVE NATIONS INTERNATIONAL Terrier Championship at Birr and this year it is the turn of the lurchers with the FIVE NATIONS INTERNATIONAL LURCHER CHAMPIONSHIPS. AND my own idea THE MASTER McGRATH CHALLENGE an international competition to find the the fastest lurcher in the UK & Ireland.
This is the 23rd year of the event that was designed to provide top quality competition for terrier and lurcher and later whippet owners within Ireland. It was decided to make it open to all rather than have qualifiers because we wanted to have a showcase at Ireland's largest game or country fair for terriers, lurchers and whippets . Pre qualifying often includes dogs that may have passed their best, been sold on, be in pup etc and exclude 'coming' dogs but by giving everyone a chance to win the title on a set date people can actually prepare their dogs to show the general public the best dogs around.
And of course if we are to host prestigious terrier and lurcher events we think it only fitting that they should be an integral part of the fair and not hidden away in a side field. In fact because Shanes hosts one of the best terrier & lurcher areas with a fantastic racing course and excellent rignside parking - in some ways the whole fair is designed round the terriers and lurchers!
Having hosted the All Ireland for several years we thought we would like to bring international competition to Ireland. When we say INTERNATIONAL with our gundogs or terriers we mean REAL INTERNATIONAL not just North/South matches. So last year we hosted the FIVE NATIONS INTERNATIONAL Terrier Championship at Birr and this year it is the turn of the lurchers with the FIVE NATIONS INTERNATIONAL LURCHER CHAMPIONSHIPS. AND my own idea THE MASTER McGRATH CHALLENGE an international competition to find the the fastest lurcher in the UK & Ireland.
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