Hero from Chesterfield wins one of Britain’s largest dog shows

A dog named Hero, owned by Lucy Mottram of Chesterfield has won Best in Show at the prestigious Southern Counties Championship Dog Show in Berkshire.

The five-year-old Polish Lowland Sheepdog, whose official Kennel Club name is Champion Mybeards Hero, beat more than 7,500 other dogs to claim the title at one of the UK’s largest dog shows.

Hero made history with this success, as he is the first of his breed to have achieved a Best in Show win at this level in the UK. He was handled to his victory by Lucy who has competed at dog shows since childhood.

The show ended up being a real family affair as Lucy’s mother Diane, who has bred Polish Lowland Sheepdogs for over 30 years, was at the ringside and able to cheer on her daughter and Hero.

The Kennel Club recognises 221 breeds of pedigree dog. The long-coated Polish Lowland Sheepdog – affectionately referred to as the PON by devotees of the breed (an acronym of its native Polish name, Polski Owczarek Nizinny) – was originally bred to herd sheep, as its name suggests. They are active, happy and independent and also willing to please.

Being a pastoral breed, they do need regular walks and are relatively easy to train, especially if given the right encouragement. Their long coat requires regular brushing in order to remove tangles and achieve the desired rustic look.

Lucy said: “The show was held over three days and had more than 7,500 dogs entered and I still cannot believe that Hero won. He was bred by my mum and we thought he was special at six weeks of age. I am still on cloud nine and over the moon.”

For more information on all 221 breeds of pedigree dog, and to find out which breed of dog might suit your lifestyle, visit our Breeds A to Z.