Black Diamond Dog Show held in Morgantown

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) — Hundreds of dogs were on display Sunday for the final day of the Black Diamond Cluster Dog Show held in Morgantown’s Mylan Park.

Both the Mountaineer Kennel Club and the South Hills Kennel Club competed during the four-day event, with more than 500 dogs competing just on Sunday. 612 people entered the competition with 125 different dog breeds and varieties.

Dogs are judged based on how well they conform to characteristics set by the American Kennel Club (AKC). Once the winner of each dog breed is determined, the best in each breed competes for Best in Show. The trophy for Best in Show was handmade out of coal by Mountaineer Coal Creations .

The Black Diamond Cluster gets its name from the coal found throughout the region. Show Chair Ann Hubbs said that in small coal mines, large dogs were used to pull mined coal to the surface, and the name is meant to honor those dogs who worked side by side with miners for many years.

“The idea is to have fun with your dog,” Hubbs said. “To teach your dog not to be afraid out in society, to be able to take your dog with you and have them be a good citizen, to know to be friendly to everyone.”

Although dog conformity competitions are limited to purebred dogs, many AKC competitions are open to All-American dogs, or dogs that are not registered or purebred.

Another dog show will be held in Morgantown in June and will be hosted by the Greater Clarksburg WV Kennel Club .

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