A TIME- HONORED TRADITION MONTGOMERY COUNTY REMAINS A TERRIER MECCA article and photos by DAN SAYERS
S ince 1929, the Montgomery County Kennel Club has wel- comed breeders and exhibi- tors of Terriers to a small cor- ner of Southeastern Pennsylvania to compete at a show held exclusively for their breeds. As noted in the club’s 2016 show catalog, “Montgomery was an out- growth of the earlier Gwynedd Valley Kennel Club, founded in 1911, which staged all-breed events from that date until 1926, when they held a show lim- ited to Terriers. This action apparently sparked the subsequent formation of the Montgomery County Kennel Club,
of a dog club devoted exclusively to Terriers. The region’s fertile farmland and unspoiled woodlands (and that of neighboring Chester and Delaware Counties) proved ideal for fox hunting, a sport that relies on a Terrier’s tenac- ity. Established in 1784, the county was apportioned from Philadelphia, and included land from William Penn’s “Holy Experiment” where Welsh was the spoken language. Although Mary- land and Virginia hosted America’s first formalized fox hunts, the nation’s first club, the Gloucester Fox Hunting Club, was established in 1766 by a group of
since members of this Club were all Terrier enthusiasts.” Although Gwyn- edd Valley continued as a club for only another 12 years, Montgomery’s annual show—and its reputation—has grown to become one of the sport’s most antic- ipated competitions. “Truly, the Mont- gomery County Kennel Club event has become the mecca for Terrier aficiona- dos, a show one cannot afford to miss if interested in a Terrier of any breed.” THE LOCATION It’s no coincidence that Montgomery County would become the birthplace
220 • S how S ight M agazine , S eptember 2017
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