The FCI World Winner Show gathers thousands of dogs from all over the world to Helsinki

Well over ten thousand dogs from all over the world are expected to attend the World Winner show. This annual International Kennel Union's FCI's biggest dog show of the year was last held in Finland in 2014.

- We are very happy that we can once again invite dog show enthusiasts from all over the world to Helsinki for a unique dog hobby event. Messukeskus offers a great, functional setting for our exhibition, which is praised by many around the world. In addition to the show, the guests of the event and their dogs will be able to admire the summer Helsinki at its best, praises Kimmo Mustonen, the leader of the show committee and the chairman of the board of the Finnish Kennel Club.

- We have been preparing the World Winner exhibition for a long time together with Messukeskus and various partners. We also received help from the City of Helsinki in the application process for the exhibition. Helsinki is known and respected as a city of events. Cleanliness, a wide range of services and the dog-friendliness of the city are trump cards for the organizer of a large dog show.

In connection with the World Winner Show, several Circuit Shows will also be held on August 7 for a total of 257 breeds. In addition, the FCI General Assembly will be held at Messukeskus during the event week from 4 to 6 August. 

Hundreds of volunteers involved

In addition to the staff of the Finnish Kennel Club's office and its subsidiary Showlink, a total of hundreds of volunteers representing various dog hobby organisations and associations participate in the organisation of the World Winner Show and special shows. The Finnish Kennel Club pays compensation to voluntary associations and individual operators. 

- Without our numerous volunteers, it would not be possible to organize such a large event. Building and dismantling shows, checking the vaccinations of dogs coming to shows, security guarding, keeping the show venue clean and running show rings require expertise that we have among the wide membership of the Finnish Kennel Club, Mustonen praises.

The World Winner Show will feature 110 different judges from a total of 32 countries over three days. The Circuit Shows feature 129 judges from 33 different countries. There are a total of about 200 ring officials in the show rings.

As with the dog shows held at Messukeskus in December, special attention will be paid to the well-being of dogs in the World Winner shows and special shows. The event will feature dog welfare advisors who will guide and advise people who bring their dogs to the show. There are already good experiences of this activity.

Mustonen says that the Finnish dog show culture is appreciated around the world, and it also serves as a good model for the world. The starting point is that the dog's well-being must always be at the center of all dog hobby events.

Registration for the exhibition is open until 9 July

The World Winner Show and the Circuit Shows are a unique opportunity to compete in the same ring with show stars from all over the world and, at best, win the titles back home to Finland. The event is also a unique opportunity to see a wide range of fine dogs from the same breed and get to know both the dogs and their owners better. International contacts are important from the point of view of dog breeding, and a sense of community is the spice of dog shows.

- In Finland, we breed high-quality dogs. We hope that as many of these fine dogs as possible will be seen in the show rings at Messukeskus in August. Finnish dogs are known for their good movements, among other things," Mustonen praises.

Registration for the World Winner Show from 8 to 10 August and for the Circuit Shows on 7 August is open until 9 July. The entry prices are staggered so that the earlier you enter the show, the cheaper it is. You can register with the lowest price until 5 May. More information about registrations can be found on the event's website.

Follow the World Winner Show and the Circuit Shows on our various channels:

Website
www.wds2025.fi

Facebook
www.facebook.com/WDS2025Helsinki

Circuit Shows 7.8.2025 Helsinki | Facebook

FCI World Dog Show 8.-10.8.2025 Helsinki | Facebook

Instagram
@wds2025helsinki