In 2004 the National Specialty crossed into Quebec for the first time, landing in St-Hyacinthe. For a club that had spent its first decade mostly in Ontario, this was a real change, and it brought a new group of members and dogs into the ring.
First time in Quebec
St-Hyacinthe is a small city east of Montreal, known across Canada for its veterinary school. Holding the Specialty there made sense for a breed club that cared about health and science as much as about conformation. It also gave Quebec breeders a shorter trip and a chance to show what they had been building.
A bilingual weekend
The show ran in both English and French, and for many members it was the first time they had attended a club event where French was the main language outside the ring. That side of the weekend does not show up in the results, but it shaped how the club saw itself going forward: not just an Ontario club, but a Canadian one.
Results
We are still looking for the 2004 catalogue and any photographs from St-Hyacinthe. Best in Specialty Show and Best Puppy in Specialty Show will be added once they have been confirmed. If you were there, please write to us, call us, or come and visit us at a club event, and help us get this year right.
As of 2026, St-Hyacinthe 2004 is one of the years the club would most like to complete, because it marks the moment the Specialty became truly national.
