Montgomery Weekend: White Tents, Terrier Traditions and the Famous Mud

White tents, outdoor rings and crowds gathering to watch terriers. Beautiful autumn weather, if everyone is lucky. Muddy shoes, if they’re not.

For terrier enthusiasts, early October in Pennsylvania means Montgomery weekend. With nearly a century of history behind it, this gathering has become a fixture of the fall dog-show calendar. Even if you’ve never owned a terrier, there’s plenty to appreciate.

Hatboro, Devon and Montgomery: Three Clubs, Four Days

“Montgomery weekend” means more than Sunday’s Montgomery County Kennel Club show. It’s shorthand for four days of shows hosted by three different clubs.

The 2026 Montgomery weekend schedule is:

Thursday and Friday, October 1–2: Hatboro Dog Club’s all-breed shows in Macungie, Pennsylvania.

Saturday, October 3: Devon Dog Show Association in Ludwigs Corner, Pennsylvania.

Sunday, October 4: Montgomery County Kennel Club’s terrier show in Macungie.

The names can confuse newcomers. Hatboro’s shows are held at Macungie Memorial Park, rather than in Hatboro itself. And although terriers are a major attraction, Hatboro welcomes breeds from all seven groups. This year marks the club’s 78th and 79th shows.

A Terrier Tradition Since 1929

The first Montgomery County Kennel Club show took place in 1929 at the Fort Side Inn in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania. A Wire Fox Terrier named Iveshead Scamp won Best in Show, handled by Leonard Brumby Sr.

The grounds have changed over the years, but the show’s devotion to terriers has endured. Several breed clubs hold their national specialties there, bringing people devoted to individual breeds together at the same event. The Skye Terrier and Kerry Blue Terrier clubs are among them.

Here’s a small historical detail: just one Kerry Blue Terrier was entered at Montgomery in 1929, a dog named Sheephead Lad. In 1991, there were 157 Kerries exhibited. That’s quite a change from an entry of one.

White Tents and the Famous Montgomery Mud

The outdoor setting is part of Montgomery’s character. Its white tents and busy rings are familiar sights to longtime visitors. Accounts of the show describe spectators gathering several people deep, including breeders, judges and handlers who have no dog competing but wouldn’t want to miss the judging.

Then there’s the weather.

The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of America’s historical gallery remembers 1999 as a particularly muddy Montgomery. A veteran named Brett still won Best of Breed that year, despite the conditions.

Our practical advice: bring layers, something waterproof and shoes you won’t mourn if they come home with a little Pennsylvania attached.

And What About Morris & Essex?

If you’re picturing vintage hats and elaborate period outfits, you may be thinking of Morris & Essex. That show has its own celebrated fashion tradition, with many attendees dressing in styles recalling its original shows of the 1920s through the 1950s. Morris & Essex took place in 2025, and its next show is scheduled for October 2, 2030. Montgomery weekend remains an annual fall tradition between those occasions.

Take Time to Watch the Breed Rings

You don’t have to wait for Best in Show to find something interesting.

Montgomery offers a chance to watch breeds you may rarely encounter at a local show, alongside substantial entries in more familiar breeds. In 2024, the entry included Cesky Terriers, American Hairless Terriers and Manchester Terriers, as well as larger gatherings of Cairns and Norwich.

If you’re visiting for the first time, check the official judging program before arriving so you can catch the breeds you want to see. Spend some time ringside and watch how the dogs move, how they’re presented and what distinguishes one breed from another.

Questions are welcome, but timing helps. Someone preparing to enter the ring may have more time to talk afterward.

You may also see sparring in some terrier breeds. At the judge’s direction, handlers bring a few dogs into view of one another, keeping them on lead and safely separated. The judge watches for confidence, alertness and characteristic terrier spirit. It’s a controlled display, not a fight, and it isn’t appropriate for every terrier breed.

Your Show Weekend at a Glance

If you’re showing, ShowPoints can help keep your dogs’ scheduled ring times, judges and breed entry counts together on your phone, with customizable ring-time reminders. For many conformation events, you can also find links to judging programs and open directions to the venue. Always check the official judging program for your assignments.

A little less searching through screenshots leaves more time to watch the dogs and enjoy the weekend.

For those at Montgomery, we wish you the best of luck! And thank you to the clubs, volunteers, superintendents and everyone who works so hard to make these shows happen.

Learn more at showpoints.app.