Dog days: Harding Classic Dog Show set for this weekend at Marion County Fairgrounds
The 127th edition of the Marion Ohio Kennel Club's Harding Classic Dog Show is set for this weekend.
The two-day event is being staged Saturday and Sunday at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum on the Marion County Fairgrounds campus, 220 E. Fairground St. in Marion. The show will be open to the public from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. each day. Admission is free. Parking at the fairgrounds costs $5 per vehicle.
The Marion Ohio Kennel Club, which is a member of the American Kennel Club, began hosting dog shows in 1951, according to club officials, and for many years staged two events per year, sometimes partnering with fellow clubs. Shows were held in January and July.
The Harding Classic Dog Show, an AKC-approved competition, was an annual tradition in Marion until 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic forced its cancellation. The shows resumed in 2021 and have been staged each year since then, according to the club's page on the American Kennel Club website.
Show features dogs seen in national dog shows
Marion’s nationally known and respected annual dog show features purebred dog conformation and obedience judging and attracts competitors and visitors from across the United States and Canada. While the show may be local, the hosts, handlers, and dogs are the very same ones seen on nationally televised dog shows; what’s unique is the opportunity for visitors to get up close and personal with the dogs and show rings.
Club officials said the dog shows offer participants a chance to fellowship with each other and learn from one another. The Marion show regularly attracts hundreds of competitors from across North America.
According to the 2023 show schedule, the following competitions are planned for Saturday and Sunday during the show: All Breed, Obedience, Junior Showmanship, and 4-6 Month Beginner Puppy.
The club has promoted many local activities during its existence, including the construction of the Coliseum Annex and other improvements at the Marion County Fairgrounds. It also offers obedience training and evaluations and donates trophies for the Marion County Fair’s 4-H dog projects. It's also been a supporter of Marion County's law enforcement canines.
Marion Kennel Club members participate nationally
Marion Ohio Kennel Club members have made an impact on the national and international dog show scene. Club President Dr. Charles Garvin is the chairman of the AKC Canine Health Foundation Board. He recently was featured on a podcast discussing new ways to detect and treat canine cancer.
Club Vice President Gill Ullom is an AKC-approved show judge. He has judged competitions in North America and overseas during his career. He is scheduled to be a judge at a show in Oberlin in August.
The Marion Ohio Kennel Club meets on the second Wednesday of January, March, April, May, June, August, September, October, and November. The meetings are held at 6:45 p.m. at the Marion Public Library, 445 E. Church St. in Marion.
To keep up with the activities of the Marion Ohio Kennel Club, join its Facebook group.
Email: ecarter@gannett.com | Twitter: @AndrewACCarter
This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Harding Classic Dog Show opens Saturday at Marion County Fairgrounds
