Mark your calendar for MSDA’s next Spring Event March 5-6-7, 2027. The weekend is planned to include three days of AKC Sporting Group dog shows (always among the biggest sporting group shows in the country), All-Breed Obedience and Rally trials, Bird Instinct Clinics, AKC Fetch testing, CGC and Trick Dog tests, educational opportunities, many great vendors and much more! The Event Chair is Bill Burland (Burland@mdsportingdog.org). Club representatives are encouraged to contact Francine Kaplan (Kaplan@mdsportingdog.org) or Loreen Peterson (Peterson@mdsportingdog.org) for the 2027 Offer sheet to sign up for your supported entry or specialty.
The 2026 Spring Event was Friday, February 27 – Sunday, March 1. Results for conformation were:
- Friday 2/27 #1: GCHS Travelda’s And Then Came You (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever). 422 entries; Ms. Pluis Davern, judging.
- Saturday 2/28 #1: GCHG Pizzazz Kurly Kreek Raise A Ruckus (Curly-Coated Retriever). 558 entries; Mrs. Barbara G. Pepper, judging.
- Sunday 3/1 #1: GCHS Clussexx Texaz Heaven Hell or Houston (Clumber Spaniel). 475 entries; Ms. Claire Wisch-Abraham, judging.
MSDA holds some of the largest AKC Sporting Group dog shows in the U.S. and, along with those, all-breed obedience and rally trials, often several individual breed specialties, bird instinct clinics as well as other activities that vary from year to year. Past activities have included Canine Good Citizen (CGC) testing, “fun matches” (dog shows that are just for fun – no points awarded), AKC Fetch testing and introductions to the relatively new dog sports of Barn Hunt and Flyball.
“Spring Event” is short for “Spring Community Event”, and all of the dog-loving community is welcome to attend. The weekend, usually the first weekend in March, is open to the public and there are hundreds of dogs under one roof. Most recently, Spring Event has been held at the Howard County Fairgrounds in West Friendship, MD.
Bill Burland is the Spring Event Chair. Contact Bill at Burland@mdsportingdog.org.
(Win photos will be added soon!)
Several professional photographers were kept busy throughout the 2026 Spring Event weekend documenting the dogs, the activities and all of the fun. Here are links to their sites:
- Haley Dagen captured candid photos of dogs, handlers, spectators and volunteers as well as the action in over 30 breed competitions. See her galleries at https://haleydagenphotography.zenfoliosite.com.
- Brian Sirotkin’s galleries from the weekend include action shots from Instinct Clinics, extensive coverage of the Boykin specialty, and many additional candid photos as well as breed and group competitions. Find them all at https://bsphotography.net/.
- David Sombach was the official win photographer for the conformation, obedience and rally events. His galleries, covering all three days and including the Boykin and Clumber specialties, are at https://davidsombachphotos.com/.
If you are a potential entrant, MBF is the superintendent, and you probably know how this works. Find the Premium List, entry forms, Judging Program and other information at Infodog.com, usually starting in early January.
If you just want to come to see the dogs, look through the InfoDog list of Maryland shows for Maryland Sporting Dog Association. The “Premium List”, which describes what is planned, is usually available in early January. The “Judging Program” provides a more detailed schedule of the days so that you know where and when to look for specific breeds when you attend. The Judging Program is typically posted around mid-February. While admission is free, there may be a cash fee to park on site.