New Zealand’s national dog show has been cancelled at short notice, after concerns were raised about the ground at its venue in Feilding.
The 2026 Purina Pro Plan National Dog Show was due to be held at Manfeild Park Stadium from 10 to 12 September 2026, with hundreds of dogs and their owners set to take part. Manfeild Park Trust chief executive Paul Cocks said some members of Dogs New Zealand, the group that organises the show, had raised worries about the stadium’s surface. This led to testing being carried out.
“The expected timeframe for receiving the results is several weeks away,” Cocks said.
Until the results come back, the board has decided not to use the stadium, just to be on the safe side. No new venue or date for the show has been announced yet, but Cocks said the board would think again once it knew more.
Michael Romanos, president of the Wellington Welsh Corgi Club, said he was very disappointed by the news. He had entered his Pembroke Corgi, Maestro, who turns one on Monday, and Maestro had been due to compete against about 30 other Pembroke Corgis.
Romanos had already booked four nights of pet-friendly accommodation for the trip. “We were all geared up to go. I’ll have to cancel the accommodation,” he said.
He said hundreds of dog owners around the country would have been getting ready to compete for ribbons, rosettes, cups and other prizes.
For now, dog lovers like Romanos will just have to wait and see if a new date or venue for the show is found.
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