The lurcher, terrier and whippet show has been a mainstay for the Saturday on the fair field for some years and still is.
I worked on the dog show at crab fair for over 15 years.
I was already running Cleator Moor Sports Dog Show when asked by a work colleague Raymond Colley to assist with the dog show at crab fair in 1989.
Raymond was on the fair committee but wasn’t a dog man and needed some assistance, so myself, John Newton and Simon Dixon, who were part of Cleator Moor Dog Show team got involved.
In 1989 the show was a small affair with one ring and a limited list of classes including child’s pet, terriers, lurchers and gundogs with a small band of regular entrants in each class.
With the committee’s approval in 1990 changes were made to the ring site which would include two rings located further up the field and extra classes were added to the schedule and introduced new classes for whippets.
Also added was a ferret show and terrier racing. We put an advert for the show in The Countryman’s Weekly magazine two weeks before it.
As a result of the changes and advertising, we saw greatly improving the entries of all classes.
All went well except for a couple of blips with the terrier racing equipment and terriers, being terriers, enjoyed the confusion.
A good day was enjoyed by all concerned. When the dust settled and at the next committee meeting I put a proposal to them about in 1991 starting The Cumbria Lurcher and Terrier Championships, to be held at crab fair, this would entail all show champions and reserves from shows who wished to hold a qualifier for the new championship, competing in the championship at the fair.
Sponsorship would be sourced to fund the trophies and British Nuclear Fuels provided the funding for some excellent trophies for champions and reserve.
The then crab fair secretary Alan Clements and the rest of the committee gave us their full support and included more trophies and rosettes and more space to enable us to use three rings at the top of the field, with a lot of work behind the scenes the day of the show and new championship arrived, a fantastic turnout in all the classes of the open show, with contestants from all over and including, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, the Championships drew 19 lurcher qualifiers and 23 terrier qualifiers with many more deciding not to travel but a brilliant turnout and another success seeing that area of the field chocablock.
The show went from strength over the next few years making crab fair one of the best dog shows in the county.
I stopped running shows in 2005 as it had taken over my life and all the lads and lasses involved in helping did a fantastic job, the show in recent years has changed hands with new organisers last year and they are working hard building the show up with their commitment and hard work I’m sure it will be a success, one event added in recent years – lure racing – is now very popular, pop up the field and enjoy the spectacle and the show.
