Barely back from rainy yet sunny Varaždin, Croatia, our washing machines at home had no time to catch their breath before we were packing again. We had only a few days to wash everything, get the girls all spruced up, and prepare our colleagues at work for the fact that we would be out of sight again for a while. This time, our destination was clear – Blankenberge, Belgium, and the prestigious EURO OES Show 2026, the ultimate European celebration for all Old English Sheepdog lovers.
We decided to combine business with pleasure and turn our trip to the North Sea into a well-deserved vacation. Since we weren’t just passing through on our way to Crufts this time, it would have been a shame not to explore the picturesque local countryside and historic towns. But more on that in our next report – today, let’s look back at the amazing show weekend that wrote a new chapter in the history of our DEMABO kennel.
Travel Peppers and the Mystery of the Lost Baguettes
Our Friday departure was unusually calm by our standards, and we hit the road almost right on time. Even the Czech highways spared us any unpleasant surprises, and we zipped past Dresden so quickly that, in all the euphoria, I completely forgot one crucial thing… our bags with baguettes for the journey were still sitting on the kitchen counter at home.
We did have ham, cheese, vegetables, and our famous “travel peppers” in the car (we call them that because they were grown in Greece, imported to the Czech Republic, traveled with us to the show in Croatia and back, and were now heading to the North Sea), but the bread was simply missing. Our stomachs started protesting after about 300 kilometers. Fortunately, no real harm was done – we didn’t starve and made do with the classic “dietary” highway gas station food.
The drive through Germany went smoothly, but as Friday afternoon progressed and the holiday weekend approached, the traffic got heavier. Around Dortmund and Essen, it was the classic stop-and-go highway crawling. Once in the Netherlands, we picked up speed again, and then our GPS navigation decided to take initiative. It chose to bypass Antwerp from the north. I have no idea how brilliant of a plan that actually was, but suddenly our friend Lenka, who had left an hour and some 70 kilometers before us, was literally in our sight. We arrived in Blankenberge almost at the exact same moment. Perhaps if I hadn’t entered the coordinates of the neighboring office building instead of the actual hotel into the GPS, we would have been there even sooner! 😊
The accommodation was wonderful – we got a beautiful room on the ground floor at the very end of the complex. We quickly discovered a strategic shortcut leading outside around the lecture halls and the kitchen, so the traditional nightmare of hauling tons of heavy dog gear didn’t happen this time. Everything seemed rosy. Our friends welcomed us with smiles, and Lisa teased me right at the entrance, asking if we had all our pain pills safely hidden (a nod to our previous EURO OES episode in Denmark). Everything was running like a fairytale. Until our furry girls started asking for their dinner.
Partnership Blunders: Current Score 1:1
At that exact moment, a cold sweat broke over me. I realized that the barrel full of kibble for the girls was left standing in our hallway back home. I had fed them in the morning as usual, and it didn’t cross my mind that the barrel needed to go into the car too. Total panic! What now? Three pairs of hungry eyes were staring up at me.
I shared this dog-owner nightmare with Conny, one of the main organizers. Conny reacted with incredible understanding. She spread the word among all the exhibitors in the hotel and the neighboring caravan campsite. The atmosphere there was already wonderfully cozy. Within minutes, Roosmarie and Nelleke mixed a perfect “Dutch blend” from their own supplies, which lasted the girls for both dinner and breakfast. A huge thank you once again!
The next morning, I set out on a rescue mission to nearby Bruges. Based on the ingredients, Denisa and I had used AI to select two brands of food. However, when I walked into a massive Belgian pet store, I realized I had no idea what the bags actually looked like—the AI had only given me the text ingredients, and everything on the shelves was in French or Flemish. Fortunately, a young local shop assistant noticed my desperate look. In my broken English, I explained the situation. She smiled and said she could wholeheartedly recommend the first brand we had selected—and she even gave me a discount because she happened to be its ambassador! I drove away happy with a full bag, looking forward to seeing how the girls would like it.
Before this shopping adventure, we checked in for the show. Normally, it’s not even worth mentioning – you say hello, say who you are, pick up your numbers and the goodies. Nothing to it. Except I noticed that on the envelope with tickets for the seminar, informal dinner, lunch, and the Gala evening, there was a big number “1” written on everything. I asked how that was possible, and the second wave of panic hit: everything had been ordered and paid for only one person. Fortunately, thanks to Chris, another organizer, everything was sorted out, paid for on the spot, and re-ordered. A huge weight fell off my chest – Denisa and I would get to experience all these beautiful moments together among real OES people. Most importantly, the score of logistical blunders was now tied 1:1. I forgot the food, Deny miscalculated the booking. Luckily, the girls were entered in their classes absolutely correctly.
The rest of Saturday was more relaxing for me, but Deny didn’t stop—she had to thoroughly groom all three of our girls for Sunday’s big day. In the afternoon, we also enjoyed a very interesting and laid-back lecture by Mark Wibier about the breed from a judge’s perspective. It was lovely to see how much everyone cares about this breed, but also sobering to hear how small the breeding community actually is. In the end, Mark Wibier shared a message and a plea that we should all take to heart: “Let’s throw away personal animosities, let’s communicate with each other, let’s not be afraid to ask a more successful exhibitor why they beat us, let’s ask for advice, and let’s pass it on with an open heart.”
Sunday, the Big Day: Battles in the Ring and Mona’s Touching Triumph
On Sunday, the females were not scheduled until after the lunch break, so the morning passed in relative peace. We managed to set up our tent right next to the ring, giving us a perfect view. However, as the hours ticked by and the temperature rose, the tension and sweat on my forehead grew. I knew that once we entered the ring, I practically wouldn’t leave. Three dogs are simply three dogs.
It all kicked off in the Open Class, where DEMABO was represented by our almost six-year-old Antea. She is a female who has won countless titles in her life, but this time bad luck found us. On our way to the ring, we lost her hair clip. I tried to hold her hair up before the run, but handling is my weak spot in this regard. Because of this, Antea couldn’t see the path properly while running, crouched a bit, and couldn’t fully showcase her usual stunning, ground-covering movement. It was entirely my mistake; next time I will improve and not ruin it for the girls. I was deeply sorry and incredibly mad at myself, but in the end, 4th place (Excellent 4 / V4) in such massive competition at the Euro OES is a wonderful achievement, and we thank judge Jenny Joice for the beautiful critique.
Our Lana (Callandra DEMABO) then entered the largest class of the entire show – competing against 18 top European females. We secretly hoped she might charm the judge. However, the competition was fierce. While we didn’t make it into the top four, the judge congratulated us, saying, “I’m sorry, but I only have four places here,” and handed us a fantastic critique and a gorgeous rosette.
The biggest emotions and the absolute, unexpected highlight of the day came with our oldest lady. Mona (Q’MonaLisa aus dem Elbe-Urstromtal) entered the Veteran Class. At 9 years old, she was officially the oldest dog shown at the event. Moninka hadn’t been in the show ring for a long time, and the long wait by the ring was honestly boring her – well, she is a lady of senior years, after all. But the moment she ran into the ring, she came alive. She fought her way to an amazing 3rd place (Excellent 3 / V3)! As a bonus, she received a beautiful and practical gift from the Danish OES Club for the oldest veteran – herbal liqueur in a beautiful hip flask. That flask definitely came in handy for the owners after such a demanding day! 😊
We also had Badys DEMABO entered for the show, but due to difficult logistics from Spain, he couldn’t make it in the end, which we completely understand and were very sorry about. We left the show tired, sunburnt, hot, but incredibly happy. Back in our room, we took a quick shower, planning to rest for at least three hours. A glance at the watch brought us right back to reality – we had exactly 20 minutes before the Gala dinner started!
When the Breed Means More Than Personal Disputes
The celebratory Gala dinner took place in a hotel hall I didn’t even know existed. The entire room was beautifully decorated in a maritime, seaside theme. Conny, Chris, and the whole team did a fantastic job! That was when I finally realized that the sea was literally 30 meters behind the corner, just hidden behind a massive sand dune.
The atmosphere of the evening was absolutely fantastic, filled with smiles and excellent food. The program was unforgettable – including the traditional song Fly on the Wings of Love for the winners, and even a completely “crazy” performance of the greatest music hits of the last century. Regardless of nationality, we were all dancing and enjoying a perfect night.
Of course, no such evening would be complete without the traditional raffle. Denisa and I decided to tempt fate and bought two “reaches” of tickets (60 tickets). Our friend Petra, who sat at our table with her son Adam, bought a more modest single “reach” (30 tickets). Since they had to go to sleep early, they asked us to keep an eye on their tickets and claim any potential prizes. We all know how these raffles go – the chances of winning are usually minimal. But fate had a great sense of humor in Belgium. While I was jumping from one prize table to another with a disappointed face holding our giant stack of 60 tickets, Denisa couldn’t keep up with claiming prizes for Petra and Adam, ending up with quite a pile! Well, luck smiled upon the new OES generation, and Denisa and I were left with only that proverbial love… and great joy for their raffle success! 😊
I was deeply touched and pleased by the words of the Euro OES Committee that were shared during the evening. It was a strong call for unity and a wish that love for the breed should always stand high above personal disagreements, prejudice, or old grudges. As the well-known breeder Christina Bailey beautifully wrote in her review – this show was organizationally and socially absolutely fabulous, and those who decided not to attend and support it due to personal disagreements shot themselves in the foot. They missed out on a phenomenal experience.
Because the Bobtail (Old English Sheepdog) is exactly what connects us all. This incredibly smart, deeply loving, and loyal dog that can make you laugh in times of sadness and returns your love a million times over. I don’t know any other breed that does it with such warmth.
On Monday morning, everyone went their separate ways. And Deny and I? We simply and completely overslept. Once the pressure and tension dropped, our bodies demanded their dues. We arrived for breakfast as the very last guests, and we are so sorry that we didn’t manage to say goodbye to everyone in person.
Finally, we would like to thank Chris and Conny from the bottom of our hearts for how wonderfully they looked after us the entire time, constantly checking if everything was okay and if we needed anything. Huge thanks also go to everyone else involved in organizing this event. You did a fantastic and incredibly demanding job! Thank you!
Keep your heads up, the dog-show life goes on! We will keep meeting at future shows, and we are already incredibly looking forward to the next EURO OES, which will be hosted by sunny Italy.
Yours, Martin, Denisa, and the proud DEMABO pack
