Goodwoof at Goodwood: Celebrating the year of the Poodle - when is the event? How do I book tickets?

The fantastic event, presented by MARS Petcare, will be held in the grounds of the Duke Of Richmond’s Goodwood Estate on May 20 and 21 with high hoped of building on the success of last year’s first ever event.

Poodles are held in high esteem in the life of the Duke Or Richmond, who commented: “When I was a child, my grandmother, Betty, had a huge black standard poodle called Bruno. Memories of playing with him remind me of my earliest days at Goodwood, so I’ve always had a soft spot for the breed. I’m very much looking forward to seeing a whole pack of poodles heralding the opening of another fun-filled weekend as we celebrate our love of dogs at Goodwoof this May.”

The style stakes are high at Goodwoof which also features a spin on a traditional dog show staple, with Chien Charmant, a concours d’elegance for the dog world as opposed to a formal pedigree procession. Refined to be a cool and diverse celebration of style, swagger and that special charisma that certain dogs and their owners exude. It’s not about breed, but a distinct and unique celebration complete with stories of fascinating characters judged by an amazing panel which last year included the likes of Hayley Atwell and Clodagh McKenna.

At Goodwood, each generation has been besotted by their canine companions and more than a few were known for spending far more time on their dogs and horses than they did on their friends and guests. Built in 1787 by the third Duke of Richmond and designed by architect James Wyatt, The Kennels which will form the backdrop for Goodwoof, even had central heating installed a hundred years before Goodwood House. Throughout the centuries dogs have remained a steadfast part of the family, a fact perhaps evidenced by their frequent appearances in the family portraits at Goodwood House.

It’s this heritage that forms the focus for Barkitecture presented by Mastercard, where an exciting collection of architectural genii will create a bespoke one-off collection of dog kennels. Featuring entries from the likes of Jony Ive and Linley, to name a few, it will be curated by Kevin McCloud.

Auctioneers Bonhams raised over £30,150 for last year’s charity, Dog’s Trust when the kennels were sold. This year’s theme, ‘A Companion Piece – Dogs at Work’, encourages kennel designs that demonstrate how important dogs have become to human lifestyle and wellbeing. The aim is to represent the spaces we create for them within our homes, workplaces, and schedules, with the auction this year run in aid of 2023’s charity partner, Pets As Therapy.

Dogs of all shapes, sizes and breeds are welcome to enjoy expert advice in the Wellness Centre, presented by MARS who lead the way in animal nutrition and health protection and enjoy a wide range of free workshops, including dog yoga, sound-bathing and reiki, in The Studio, presented by Randox Health. Visitors can teach their dog new tricks with unlimited Have-a-Go activities such as FlyBall, test their dog’s speed in the popular 50m Dash competition, hear all about their dog’s ancestry with a dedicated Paw Reader, browse the goods of carefully hand-picked retailers, chill out to the smooth sounds emanating from the bandstand, cool off with a dip in Fido’s Lido, and sit back with a glass of Taittinger champagne whilst listening to the mellifluous tones of well-known voices reading from dog themed works of fiction in Literary Corner.

Adult Early Bird ticket prices have been held at £30 (£35 when the offer ends) for adults, £20 for young people aged 13-21 and all under 12s and dogs go free (but do need to be pre-booked). There is plenty of free parking followed by a lovely walk through the Goodwood coppices or a Bark and Ride shuttle bus will be in operation throughout the weekend for those looking to save smaller legs.

For more information and to book your tickets visit www.goodwood.com/goodwoof