Specialty Shows Archives - French Bulldogs by Bullmarket

Dexter at the Eastern Canada French Club Booster in Orangeville

Can you think of a better way to spend a summer weekend than surrounded by hundreds of French Bulldogs? Of course you can’t, which is why you should be making plans to attend the Eastern Canada French Bulldog Club Specialty Booster in Brockville, Ontario. Brockville is convenient to the Western New York State border crossing, and is located in one of Canada’s most scenic tourist areas, the beautiful Thousand Islands Region of Ontario.

The ECFBC Booster takes place on Sunday, August 19th, and our judge is R. Denis. We will be awarding prizes for:

Best of Breed
Best of Opposite
Best Veteran
Best Puppy
Best of Winners
Winners Dog
Winners Bitch
Highest Scoring French Bulldog in Obedience and Rally
And a prize for all class winners

Please consider donating a trophy!

This isn’t just about a single show, either – on one weekend, in a single location, you’ll be able to take part in:

The ECFBC French Bulldog Regional Booster
The French Bulldog National Specialty – Saturday, August 18th, judge Everett Mincey
Group Six Specialty
French Bulldog Booster
Three all breed conformation shows
Three all breed rally and three all breed obedience trials

These shows are held in Conjunction with the Thousand Islands Kennel and Obedience Club.

If you’ve never before entered a dog show in Canada, read this Guide to Canadian Dog Shows for Americans.

If you’re not a dog show person, there are still some great reasons to come out and attend the show.

You’ll get to see some of the best French Bulldogs in Canada, all in one ring, and you’ll get to speak to some of Canada’s best and most knowledgeable French Bulldog breeders. There will be French Bulldog themed shopping, including a booth to benefit Eastern Canada French Bulldog Rescue and Last Chance French Bulldog Rescue. There will be raffles and benefits, parties and fun, and all among a group of people who won’t find it odd at all that you’ve come all the way to Brockville just to hang around a bunch of Frenchie people.

Accommodations (those around the show site are filling up fast – make your reservation soon! )

Comfort Inn Brockville – 613-345-0042 (request block with Thousand Islands Kennel Club)
Travel Lodge Brockville – 1-800-457-9419
St. Lawrence College Residence – 613-345-0452 (opposite the show site)

Campgrounds (most of these are within 30 minutes of the show site)

Ivy Lea KOA Kampground
Thousand Islands Pkwy, Lansdowne, ON K0E 1L0, Canada
+1 613-659-2817 ‎ · 1000islandskoa.com

1000 Islands Camping Resort
382 1000 Islands Parkway, Lansdowne, ON K0E 1L0, Canada
+1 613-659-3058 ‎ · 1000islandscampingresort.com

The Rockport Lighthouse Inc
900 1000 Islands Pkwy, Mallorytown, ON K0E 1R0, Canada
+1 613-923-5747 ‎ · rockportlighthouse.ca

Salvolatile – FBDCA Specialty 1910 Original Best of Breed Winner

Salvolatile, FBDCA Best of Breed Winner 1910

In 1910, at the second annual French Bull Dog Club of America Specialty Show, held at the Hotel Astor Ballroom in New York City, a brindle and white bitch named Best of Breed.

Salvolatile was a massive bitch of heavy bone, and extremely “bully” in type. The reason for this is simple – she was, in fact, out of an English Bulldog. This is not as unusual as it may seem, as there was a great deal of intermingling while the breed was still in the early stages of recognition. In fact, up until the twenties one could choose to register their dog with the AKC as either a French Bulldog, or a Miniature Bulldog. In many cases, the only difference came down to whether the dog in question had ‘bat ears’ or ‘rose ears’.

After Salvolatile’s Best of Breed win at the specialty show, a complaint was lodged with the show chairpersons and the judge. Shortly afterwards, her win was overturned and Best of Breed was instead awarded to her Best of Opposite, Nellcote Gamin.

Salvolatile’s owner, Mrs. Mary Winthrop Turner, describes this occurrence in an excerpt from her kennel brochure:

“During the Fall, 1910, a controversy re the type and origin of the French Bulldog, was carried on through the columns of many of the dog periodicals. This controversy grew out of the protest which was lodged against the famous French Bull bitch, “SALVOLATILE” of which I was then, and still am, the fortunate owner.

Mr. Maurice Greenwood was the owner of the English Bulldog “Peggie.” He took her to the Warren Kennels and she was there bred (so I am informed) by Mr. Purdy, at that time President of the French Bulldog Club of New England, to his dog “Cyrano.”

“SALVOLATILE” was first shown in New England where her breeding was no secret. She was next shown at Newark, N.J., where she received winners and finally, at the Hotel Astor, New York April 21, 1910, Specialty Show of the French Bulldog Club of America where she received winners under Mr. James Mortimer.

Shortly after this, a protest was lodged through envy, and it was sustained, and she was disqualified justly, according to the laws of the American Kennel Club.”

— Text from a Pamphlet written by Mary Winthrop-Turner, owner of Salvolatile. From the collection of Colette Secher.