The Bluegrass Classic Dog Show takes place every year at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington KY.
This show is a combined effort from the Lexington Kennel Club, Northern Kentucky Kennel Club, and the Mid-Kentucky Kennel Club. The show is predominately a conformation event, like you may have seen on TV at Westminister. Dogs showing in conformation are being judged on how closely they match their set AKC breed standard. Conformation isn’t the only event going on. Obedience, rally, dock diving, and lure coursing are all happening on site.
The public is welcome and encouraged to attend! Your day at the show will start with entering the Altech Arena, and walking into dog central. The conformation rings are generally bustling with activity all day, and you can check the website to see when your favorite breeds are showing. Vendors are all around the arena, and the shopping is fantastic. You can pick up treats or toys for your dog, check out colorful collars and leashes, and might even come across a booth for a dog chiropractor!
At the Back of the Arena
When you walk past the rings of all the beautiful conformation dogs, you will find a separate couple of rings. This is where rally and obedience competitions are being held. These sports put handlers and dogs through an obedience routine, judged on precision and speed. All breeds can compete, and so can mixed breeds! There are levels ranging from novice, to much more advanced levels for top competitors.
One of our dogs, Temper, had a pretty clean sweep in rally and obedience a few years back.
Outdoor Events
The higher speed events at the Bluegrass Classic are dock diving and lure coursing. In the sport of dock diving, dogs will run the length of a mobile dock and leap into a pool to get a toy. You might be amazed at the variety of breeds that are out on the dock! Everything from Dobermans to Dachsunds compete in this dog sport.
Lure coursing is a sport that channels the natural prey drive of a dog. A plastic bag is attached to a remote operated pulley, and the plastic lure will take off at high speed. When they see it go, dogs want to chase! Dogs are judged based off of their speed, and there are rankings for each breed.
How to Attend
The Bluegrass Classic Dog Show will be held September 1-5th 2022, at the Kentucky Horse Park. Parking includes access to the rest of the park, and admission to the dog show is $10. While the show is full of dog lovers, you should leave your personal pets at home.
Dog Show Etiquette
- Always ask to pet any dog that you want to meet
- Dogs may be recently groomed, or about to go into the ring, so don’t take it personally if their handler says no petting
- When standing ringside, make sure not to block gates and ring entrances
- Feel free to ask questions! Dog show folks love their dogs and are generally happy to talk about them in between showing
- Try not to eat right next to the ring, and never give food to someone else’s dog
- Turn your ringer off, and please no loud phone conversations while standing near the ring
The Bluegrass Classic is a wonderful event that draws in dogs from all over the country. We love attending this event every year, and hope to see you there!
You can check out their website here for more information on attending the show.
