This weekend the animals make their big comeback at the Parc des Expositions with a new concept that brings together all our four-legged friends, dogs, cats and even rabbits.
It’s been a long three years… Since 2019, due to the pandemic, the famous dog show in Tarbes has not been able to take place at the Parc des Expositions in the city. But it is not about disappearing, on the contrary, it is being reborn under a new concept. “It is an excellent idea to enrich the dog show with the opening for felines,” said Gérard Trémège, “and the municipality has invested a lot, because it is an event that brings many people in. , with the organizers. Including Richard Capel, president of the Association Canine Territoriale des Hautes-Pyrénées, which emphasizes: “After the forced interruption, we feel that the demand from breeders, all enthusiasts, is huge. And the registrations confirm it, we have, on Saturday and Sunday, 2,560 dogs registered for the various competitions, which will be judged by an international jury, from all over Europe, and even from the USA and Canada. It should be noted that Tarbes has participated in the Grand Prix d’Occitanie, which brings together 8 exhibitions and which must determine the best in each category. And the cats are not left out, with 300 registered cats. “Cats from all over Europe and of all breeds, including many British and Sphynx, without forgetting the Maine Coon, also called the American giant”, emphasizes Jean-Marc Lagarde, president of the Cercle Félin d’Occitanie.
High-flying competitions
As for the dogs, countless breeds will be exhibited, mainly Australian Shepherds, the current darling, but Richard Capel insists on the important place left to local breeds. “We will have many local breeds that we want to highlight”, continues Richard Capel, “from the mountains and Bergaes in the Pyrenees, also called Patous and Labrits.” Who will meet each other, peacefully, during the competitions, who will follow each other throughout the two days. Especially for the cats, which will be judged by two methods, one traditional, which ends with a report, the other called “American style”, faster with immediate judgment by the jury. The idea is to make the competitions more lively and to move away from the specialists’ debate, to open up more to the public.
Other news in this exhibition, Saturday and Sunday at 15.00, a conference on training in the professions of dogs and cats will be held by the principal of Donneville high school, a specialized agricultural college that offers courses from CAP to BTS, in the sectors of breeding, guarding or care. And then, as Tarbes has always been at the forefront, the show will allow dog breeders to “test” their animals on a DNA fingerprint stand, because from now on “LOF” dogs must be registered on a file. A small regret, however, is that the exhibition will be amputated by its feather shutter. “We were supposed to be present”, laments Joël Dupouts, the chairman of the poultry association, “with many decorative hens, homing pigeons, but due to bird flu this has been prohibited for a week.” It will be necessary to be “satisfied” with rabbits, which are more and more popular. By the way, know that the “rabbit” sector is called cunicole, that’s good to know… Also to know, it’s an exhibition, not a “fair” for dogs and cats, where you come to buy an animal. “But this is an opportunity to contact the breeders, who are always passionate, to make the right choice”, assures François Gonneau, veterinarian, “there is always a suitable pet, but you have to find the right one… .”
