OODLES OF POODLES

Coming to Goodwoof

The team putting together the second celebration of all things dog, Goodwoof, presented by MARS Petcare, are excited to see visitors, both human and canine, once again stream between the giant welcoming Goodwoof hounds and into the spacious showground to enjoy another weekend packed with surprises designed to delight the whole family. Set in the paddocks around The Kennels at the heart of the Goodwood estate, Goodwoof will take place on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 May and will be even bigger and better than before.

The breed in the spotlight this year is the poodle. These amazingly stylish dogs never fail to turn heads as they saunter by and, at Goodwoof, there will be plenty of stunning examples to delight the eye, in the Saturday morning Poodle Parade. The Duke of Richmond says that the standard poodle has a very special place in his memories, “When I was a child, my grandmother, Betty, had a huge black poodle called Bruno. He was very much a part of my earliest memories of my time at Goodwood and so I have always had a soft spot for the breed. I’m very much looking forward to seeing as many poodles at Goodwoof as we can bring together.”

Whatever engages and entertains a dog will be found at Goodwoof, making it the ultimate dog’s day out. Worldclass international competitors will demonstrate their superlative skills as gun dogs, sheepdogs and CaniCross competitors take to field and trail. These canines are at the absolute pinnacle of their competitive working lives and are mesmerising to watch in action. Visitors can marvel at the seamless action of these incredible dogs who seem to have an almost telepathic connection with their handlers. Nowhere else can you see so many champions come together in one place. The Studio, presented by Randox, is an oasis of calm where dogs and their owners can relax with sound-bathing, reiki, massage and doga. For the more spirited amongst us, the popular 50m dash is available to get the heart rate and competitive spirit pumping.

The Wellness Centre, presented by MARS Petcare, is at the centre of Goodwoof. It’s here that owners can find out everything they need to know to ensure their dog’s health and wellbeing is optimal. A brace of experts are on hand to advise on all aspects of nutrition, behaviour and health and there’s even the chance to find out about a dog’s DNA origins which helps owners to tailor nutrition, exercise and future proof potential health issues.

Our carefully curated retailers offer a wide range of lovely things, including fabulous black and white Pawtraits taken at the event by society photographer, Dan Stevens. There’s the chance to relax with a glass of Taittinger at the Champagne bar, find a deep sense of wellbeing whilst listening to canine tales of derring-do read by famous voices at Literary Corner, watch happy dogs taking a cooling dip in Fido’s Lido, teach yours new tricks in the Have a Go area, marvel at the skills displayed in the Action Sports arena, or simply picnic next to the Woofstock bandstand.

The Early Bird ticket offer continues to run, together with your membership discount. All activities and displays are included in the ticket price with children under 12 and dogs going free. To purchase tickets and to plan your day, go to goodwood.com

This recipe serves four people.

250g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

50g butter, cold

50g sugar

25g sultanas, soak in a little milk

150ml whole milk

1 egg

1 egg yolk for glazing