Championships, Kangaroos & Competition Wins | Our July 2026 UKC Show Weekend
A Fourth of July Weekend to Remember | UKC Dog Shows in Boring, Oregon
Over the Fourth of July weekend, we headed to Boring, Oregon for six UKC conformation shows hosted by the American Eskimo Dog Association of Oregon. We went into the weekend with a lot of goals. Crush needed just one more win to finish his championship, Quack was just beginning her championship journey, Vanya was making her debut earning championship points, and Ginger was joining us on Sunday in hopes of finishing her title.
As it turns out... everyone decided they had their own plans for the weekend.
Crush celebrates earning his UKC Championship after going Best Male under judge Claire Mancha at the American Eskimo Dog Association of Oregon UKC conformation shows held July 3–5, 2026, in Boring, Oregon. This title marks an exciting milestone as he begins working toward his UKC Grand Championship.
Friday, July 3
Friday was exactly the kind of start you hope for.
The biggest accomplishment of the day belonged to Crush, who earned Best Male under Claire Mancha to finish his UKC Championship. It's always exciting to finish a title, but it's especially rewarding when you've watched a young dog grow into himself over the past year. In the afternoon he made his debut as a champion under Chandra Martin, winning the Champion Class as we officially begin the journey toward his Grand Championship.
Quack also came out swinging. She earned Best Female and Best of Breed in both Friday shows, picking up two competition wins worth 15 championship points each. She didn't find any love in the Gun Dog Group, but I certainly wasn't complaining. She was showing beautifully and putting together exactly the kind of weekend I had hoped for.
Quack represented Valaurah Farms beautifully during the American Eskimo Dog Association of Oregon UKC shows in Boring, Oregon. She earned Best Female and Best of Breed in both Friday shows, collecting her first two competition wins and 30 championship points toward her UKC Championship.
Vanya quietly had a fantastic day as well. She won her Puppy Class in both shows, earning 5 championship points each time. She's still just a baby, so every trip around the ring is really about building confidence and having fun, and she handled herself well.
Vanya, co-owned by Valaurah Farms, Jacqueline Botello of NCR Poodles, and bred by Paterson Poodles, had a fantastic weekend earning her first two competition wins along with multiple Puppy Class wins and Best of Breed awards.
Saturday, July 4
Saturday... well... Saturday belonged to Crush.
Or maybe I should say it belonged to the kangaroo.
Proof that even future champions have days where they think they're kangaroos. Thankfully, Sunday's version of Crush remembered how to gait like a proper show dog.
He continued winning the Champion Class under Donald Bright and Janet Emery, but that really isn't what I'll remember from the day. Somewhere along the line, Crush decided gaiting should involve all four feet leaving the ground at once. He spent a good portion of the day bouncing around the ring like an oversized poodle-shaped kangaroo.
Between shows, we spent some time going back to the basics. We practiced standing. We practiced moving. We practiced keeping all four feet on the ground. Imagine that.
The nice thing about young dogs is that every show is a training opportunity. Crush is still learning how to be a show dog, and honestly, that's part of the fun. Not every weekend is perfect, but every weekend teaches you something.
Crush relaxes on his top knot pillow during pre-show grooming before competing at the July 2026 UKC dog shows in Boring, Oregon. The pillow supports his head and helps him stay comfortable while his top knot is fluffed, shaped, and finished before entering the conformation ring.
What is a top knot pillow?
Standard Poodles spend a fair amount of time on the grooming table before a show. A top knot pillow gives them a comfortable place to rest their head while we work on the coat around their face and top knot. It's a simple tool, but it helps keep the dogs relaxed—and a relaxed dog usually grooms much better!
The girls decided to trade wins throughout the day.
During the morning show, Vanya earned Best Female and Best of Breed over Quack, picking up her first competition win along with 5 championship points. Quack won her Bred-by Exhibitor class before handing the breed over to her younger kennelmate.
Vanya moving beautifully around the ring on her way to earning her first competition win.
By the afternoon, Quack decided she'd had enough of sharing. She came back to earn Best Female and Best of Breed, adding another 15 championship points and her third competition win toward her championship. She still didn't manage to catch the judge's eye in the Gun Dog Group, but she continued putting together solid, consistent performances. Vanya finished the day by winning her Puppy Class once again and collecting another 5 championship points.
Sunday, July 5
Sunday started with a surprise when emergency replacement judges Kim Dorr and Karen Burgess stepped in for the day's shows.
Apparently Crush had gotten the memo after our little training session on Saturday.
He walked into the ring looking like an entirely different dog. He once again won the Champion Class in both shows, but more importantly, he actually showed. Gone was the kangaroo, and in his place was the dog I know is in there. After judging him, Kim Dorr told us, "His time is coming. Once he matures, he's going to be spectacular."
I'll be honest—that comment probably meant more to me than another ribbon would have. Crush is still just a young dog, and hearing that kind of feedback from a respected judge reminds me exactly why patience matters.
Ginger joined us just for Sunday, and she certainly made the trip worthwhile. Under Kim Dorr, she finished her UKC Championship by going Best of Winners. She looked beautiful all day. For the afternoon show, I chose not to move her up into the Champion Class so another exhibitor would have the opportunity to earn a competition win. Sometimes good sportsmanship is more important than chasing one more ribbon.
Ginger, a Standard Poodle shown in a stacked pose. Although this photo was taken prior to the July 2026 UKC dog shows, it perfectly represents the beautiful outline and presence she brought to the ring during the weekend she completed her UKC Championship.
The girls continued keeping things interesting.
Quack earned Best of Breed in the morning and went on to place Gun Dog Group 4 under Kim Dorr, giving us our first group placement of the weekend. It was a really nice way to cap off what has been an impressive start to her championship career.
Quack had an outstanding weekend, earning multiple competition wins and finishing with a Gun Dog Group 4 placement.
By Sunday afternoon, poor Vanya had officially run out of steam. She still managed to earn Best Female, Best of Breed, and her second competition win, picking up another 15 championship points, but it honestly felt like I was gaiting a sleepy sack of flour around the ring. She was absolutely exhausted, but she kept trying, and that's all I can ask from a puppy. Quack finished the weekend by winning her Bred-by Exhibitor class.
Looking Back
When I think back on this weekend, I don't just think about ribbons.
I think about Crush reminding me that young dogs don't magically wake up one day knowing how to show. Sometimes they have to spend a day pretending to be a kangaroo before everything clicks.
I think about Quack putting together an incredibly consistent weekend and showing me she's exactly the kind of young bitch I hoped she'd become.
I think about Vanya exceeding my expectations, earning not one but two competition wins while learning what being a show dog is all about.
And I think about Ginger showing up for one day, finishing her championship, and making it look easy.
Those are the weekends I love. The ribbons are wonderful, but watching these dogs grow, mature, and slowly become everything I hoped they could be—that's the part that keeps me coming back every weekend.
