2025 All Breeds Championship Show and Action Dogs Program Open

Melbourne Royal is proud to announce entries for the 2025 All Breeds Championship Show and Action Dogs Program are now open, with exhibitors and dogs competing for prizes to the value of $60,000 - one of the largest prize pools in Australia.  

The Melbourne Royal All Breeds Championship Show is one of Australia’s largest and most prestigious conformation shows, providing you the opportunity to benchmark your breed against the best, while promoting also promoting it to a motivated audience.

With over 5,000 classes and more than 3,000 dogs across 270 breeds, the Melbourne Royal All Breeds Championship Show is where Australia’s finest dogs come to compete, and handlers come to connect and celebrate with a passionate community.

Open to Dogs Victoria registered dogs with pedigree papers, the Melbourne Royal All Breeds Championship will run across 10 action-packed days of competition taking place from 25 September to 4 October in the Dogs Pavilion. 

The Melbourne Royal All Breeds Championship Show culminates on Saturday 4 October with the Grand Finale – General Specials Day – where the top dogs from each group compete for Best in Show and a prestigious Melbourne Royal Blue Ribbon.  

The Action Dogs Program runs from Thursday 25 to Sunday 28 September on the grass outdoor ring and delivers fast-paced thrills with Agility, Jumping, Rally, Obedience, and Games – spotlighting the speed, skill and bond between dog and handler. 

Judged by world-class and accredited experts

Judged by world-class, each dog will be assessed on soundness, general appearance and ability to follow instruction. 

There will four renowned international experts, each accredited and selected for their experience and breed knowledge: 

• Attila Czegledi (Hungary): International All Breeds judge and Gundog/Hound specialist with over 30 years of experience; judged in 52+ countries and mentors Hungarian judges.
• Peter Berchtold (Austria): Accomplished All Breeds judge and Gundog expert; judged at four World Dog Shows and leads several canine education and breed clubs in Austria.
• Paul Scanlon (Ireland): FCI Best in Show judge and multiple Crufts BOB winner; long-standing Miniature Schnauzer breeder and respected international judge and educator.
• Ross Delmar (Ireland): Third-gen dog expert and Fox Terrier breeder; FCI judge with extensive European experience and key roles in Irish canine associations.

What else is new is 2025?

In response to exhibitor feedback Pavilion 19 will be closed daily from 12.00pm 12.30pm so you and your dog can have a rest/respite.

There will be a refreshed layout for this year’s competition, which will deliver an improved surface for the indoor rings to ensure a better experience for exhibitors and their dogs.

The improved layout has also been designed to attract more visitors to the Best in Breed Competition, giving dogs the audience they deserve.

New family-friendly attractions will run throughout the entire Show, even after the competition concludes on day 10 of the Show.

Family-friendly attractions include a Kids Activation Zone where children can get creative by painting their own canine face mask, collecting the ‘dog’ pin from the Farm Animal Trail or by exploring the different breeds on display.

Don’t miss your chance to be part of the 2025 All Breeds Championship Show and Action Dogs Program. Enter now.

2025 Melbourne Royal All Breeds Championship Show & Action Dogs Program Key Dates:

• Entries open: 28 May
• Entries close: 5 August
• All Breeds Championship Show: 25 September – 4 October (Dogs Pavilion)
• General Specials Day (Best in Show): Saturday 4 October
• Action Dogs Program: 25 – 28 September (Outdoor grass ring)

Special thanks to the Melbourne Royal All Breeds Championship Committee including Gael Wilcock (Chair), Heather Tiller, Chris Ramsauer-John, Judy Oliver, Kira Wilkinson, Andrew Burt, Glenn Moore and Tyron Atkinson.

Melbourne Royal also extends thanks to sponsor Dogs Victoria.