Best in Show – 2025 Brightlingsea Dog Show winners

There was lots to enjoy at the 2025 Brightlingsea Dog Show, held alongside the Town Show on Bank Holiday Monday.

The weather was perfect, not too hot and although the entry was down on last year our judge Tony Cruse had plenty of work to do.  With 14 classes and rosettes from 1st to 5th in all classes he had lots of choice. 

A big entry for the ‘tall dogs’ class was won by Lizzie’s pale cream Lurcher.  The dog the judge would like to take home has only one winner, and this time it was a local Pomeranian x Chihuahua called ‘Juno’ owned by Sophie. 

The Visitor Stakes had an entry of 10, and the winner was ‘Jimmy’ a Greyhound from Basildon.  The Local Stakes winner was Barry with ‘Ruby’ his Golden Retriever. 

Best in Show and winner of the Tealby Shield was ‘Bee’ a local Labrador owned by Daisy and Laura.  ‘Bee’ was also shown by one of her owners to win Best Junior Handler. 

We are lucky to have a super large ring, and an appreciative audience sitting ring-side!  Hilltop Kennels and Plumpton’s Park dog field were generous sponsors, and doggy biscuits were an extra treat this year. 

And we would like to thank everyone who worked so hard to make the whole show a success!

Winners album

Other pictures from the day

Seal of approval for People’s Choice Photo Winner

The People’s Choice Photo competition provided a particular attraction at the 2025 Brightlingsea Town Show, with more than 100 votes being cast. It proved a neck-and-neck competition right to the very end finally being won by a nose (or actually a pair of noses) with a wonderful picture of a pair of seals taken by Tanya Ware.

The second place entry – only one vote behind – was a beautiful cloudscape by Caroline Varley, showing off Brightlingsea seafront at it’s dramatic best.

Many thanks to everybody who took part in the competition, and for the joy that they brought to the hundreds of visitors who toured the show exhibition hall. And huge congratulations, once again, to Tanya for her winning seals, and Caroline as a very worthy runner-up.

And here’s your chance to enjoy the other entries from the 2025 People’s Choice Photo competition

There’s something for everyone at the 2025 Town Show today

There’s something for everyone if you come on down to the Brightlingsea Town Show today (Bank Holiday Monday, 25 Aug 2025).

Step inside the exhibition hall at Brightlingsea Community Centre to see what the talented sowers, growers, bakers, crafters and photographers of the town have come up this year – or just enjoy the stalls offering a range of tasty food and drink, plants and craft items for sale. And don’t forget the magic of the Dog Show!

There’s something for everyone if you come on down to the Brightlingsea Town Show today (Bank Holiday Monday, 25 Aug 2025).

Step inside the (air-conditioned!) exhibition hall at Brightlingsea Community Centre to see what the talented sowers, growers, bakers, crafters and photographers of the town have come up this year – stretching from the charm of the children’s entries, through to the adult categories – and have YOUR say by voting for the People’s Choice photo competition.

And then step outside to the stalls offering a range of tasty food and drink, plants and craft items for sale – or even try to Beat the Goalie or try your hand at some of the other challenges that the Rotary Club volunteers have on offer.

Don’t forget the magic of the Companion Dog Show with four-legged friends great and small showing of their charm and their talent. And if you feel like a bit of peace and quiet after all that excitement, why not pop along to the Lozenge Nature Reserve where expert volunteers from the British Naturalists Association are on hand to tell you more about Brightlingsea’s amazing natural diversity.

Opening Ceremony 2025

At midday the Town Show was proudly opened, as tradition dictates, by the Deputy of the Cinque Port Liberty Iain Werngren, together with Brightlingsea Town Mayor Cllr Chris Paveley along with Town Show President Roger Tabor.

And don’t forget to come along to the Grand Prizegiving at 4pm, to see who will take home the silverware this year, with cups, shields and prizes across all the categories.

Are you proud of your pooch? Why not enter the 2025 Dog Show?

We are really looking forward to this year’s Dog show held as part of Brightlingsea Town show on Monday 25th August at Brightlingsea Community Centre.

Dog Show cartoon with pictures of pups in trophy cups

With Pedigree and Novelty classes there is something for everyone. So if you’re “proud of your pooch” – you can just come along and enter them in the show on the day! Full details of the show can be found on our website brightlingseatownshow.org.uk/…/companion-dog-show/

And if your four-legged friend doesn’t feel like taking part, there are always the Doggie prizes in our raffle and dog based stalls and activities such as Canine massage or paw print pottery painting – so there’s lots to see and do!

Anyone can win big at the 2025 Brightlingsea Town Show

Once again this year we have a fantastic raffle with some amazing prizes!

This would not be possible without the generosity of Brightlingsea businesses and individuals who sponsor the show or donate prizes every year !

raffle tickets

We would like to take this opportunity to say a great big THANK YOU to all of them.You can also thank them by supporting their business with your custom throughout the year.

You’ve got to be in it to win it, so come along to the 2025 Town Show at Brightlingsea Community Centre on Bank Holiday Monday (25 August) – find out more at brightlingseatownshow.org.uk

🎉🎉🎉🎉Raffle Prizes include🎉🎉🎉🎉

⭐️Wyvernwood Family Ticket

⭐️Massage 650 voucher

⭐️Vibe Hairdressers voucher

⭐️Café Chic Cake and Drink for 2 voucher

⭐️Brightlingsea Regent Football club 2x adult admission voucher

⭐️Scarlett’s wool and craft shop voucher

⭐️Jethen House Family swim voucher

⭐️Las Naranjas Sanguinas voucher

⭐️Smiths Butchers voucher

⭐️Street cars Free MOT Test

⭐️River Colne Café and Deli voucher

⭐️Pet shop Girls Dog grooming voucher

⭐️Pink Parrot voucher

⭐️Bumbles fruits and veg hamper

⭐️Flo’s flowers

⭐️Happy Days creations sweets

⭐️The Flour garden Bakery voucher

⭐️The Cooperative voucher

⭐️Sainsburys -wine

⭐️Gardening Hamper

⭐️Kids activity hamper

⭐️Arts and crafts hamper

⭐️Bargains stores -Jigsaw

⭐️Haribo Hamper

⭐️Doggie Hamper

Tickets are still just £1 a strip which is great value considering the calibre of the prizes.

Come along to The Brightlingsea Town show stall and buy a fivers worth!! 💸

Entries Deadline Extended – 12 noon Sat 23 August

We have extended the cut off time for entries to the show to Saturday 23rd August at Midday (12 noon)

We know it’s been a dry summer and the garden may not be producing the flowers fruit and veg that we would expect but there is bound to be something you can enter in one of the classes.

Blackberries are plentiful in the hedgerows at the moment and there is even a class for these! 🌸🍏🍅

Why not look at the cookery classes and see what you could enter,then spend an hour or two whisking up a cake or some brownies over the weekend. 🍰

Don’t forget there are lots of classes for the kids to enter that don’t take very long to put together and will give them something to do for an hour or so and a vested interest in coming along to the show to see who has won what!🎨

Get out and enjoy the sunshine, take a few photos on your phone and enter one in The People’s choice photo competition by emailing it to photocomp@brightlingseatownshow.org.uk

Entry forms are still available at Spirals, Little Boat gifts, Scarlett’s wool and craft shop, Parish hall and online at Brightlingseatownshow.org.uk

Could your photo catch the hearts of the people of Brightlingsea?

Have you got a snap that looks great? Would you like to take part in a free fun competition as part of the 2025 Brightlingsea Town Show on August Bank Holiday Monday?

To take part, all you have to do is email a single photo on any subject of your choice to photocomp@brightlingseatownshow.org.uk by 5pm on Friday 22 August 2025.

Photos from 2023 People's Choice competition

The competition be judged on show day, with all the entries on display to the public on the screens at the Community Centre.

If you’re looking for inspiration, here are some of the entries from a previous photo competition.

We look forward to your entry to add to the many we’ve had from the town’s snappers so far. Good luck!

2025 Schedule and Town Show Entry Form now available to download

The Schedule of Classes and Categories for the 2025 Brightlingsea Town Show and Entry Form are now available to download from the Brightlingsea Town Show website.

This year’s schedule has all the usual classes for gardeners, florists, bakers and makers with updated topics for Photography, Floral Art and Children’s categories to spark the imagination of Brightlingsea’s creative minds. You can also download and print out the 2025 entry form from this website.

If you don’t want to do this at home, then printed schedules – together with entry forms – are available from Spirals and Little Boat Gifts and Scarlett’s Wool and Craft Shop for 20p.

But whatever you do, don’t forget to put Bank Holiday Monday, 25 August 2025, into your diary for the show itself. Look forward to seeing you there!

2024 Brightlingsea Town Show winners

Congratulations to all the winners of prizes in the 2024 Brightlingsea Town Show. The prizes were presented by Brightlingsea Horticultural Society President Roger Tabor.

The Nancy Middleton Challenge Trophy – Astrid Maytum, Brightlingsea  

The John Fowler Challenge Cup – Roger Cook Wivenhoe

The Lord Challenge Cup – Astrid Maytum, Brightlingsea 

The Adams Challenge Plate – Diana Scales,  Brightlingsea

The Olive Ruddock Challenge Cup – Roger Cook Wivenhoe

The RD Angier Challenge Cup – awarded jointly to Roger Cook, Wivenhoe & Astrid Maytum, Brightlingsea

The National Dahlia Society Silver Medal – Roger Cook, Wivenhoe

The FE Talbot Challenge Trophy – Diana Scales, Brightlingsea

The Cape Challenge Cup – Roger Cook, Wivenhoe

The WJ Bareham Challenge Cup – Mr & Mrs Boyd, Brightlingsea

 Brightlingsea & District Town Show Medal – Mr & Mrs Boyd, Brightlingsea

Royal Horticultural Society Bronze Medal – Astrid Maytum, Brightlingsea  

Royal Horticultural Society Banksian Medal – Astrid Maytum, Brightlingsea

Brightlingsea Horticultural Society Photography Shield – Claire Hamersley, Brightlingsea

The David Salmon Cup for Photography – Adam Green, Brightlingsea

The Harpur Challenge Rose Bowl – Diana Scales,  Brightlingsea

The Hulton Challenge Cup – Jane Howden, Brightlingsea

The Joyce Brand Rose Bowl – Diana Scales,  Brightlingsea

The Society’s Challenge Cup – Carole Warren, Alresford

The J& M Summers Shield – awarded jointly to Chelsea Osman, Brightlingsea & Carole Warren, Alresford

The Osborne Challenge Cup – Amanda-Jane Thomas, Brightlingsea

The Lillie Fowler Challenge Cup – Linda Morgan, Thorrington

Orsted Energy Trophy: pre-School (not yet at school) – Lavinia Muller, Brightlingsea

Orsted Energy Trophy 4-7 yrs –Dora Stevens, Brightlingsea

Orsted Energy Trophy 8-12 years Martha Rose Harrison, Brightlingsea

Dr & Mrs McKim Sycamore Challenge Cup (Youth entries) – Lavinia Muller

Not awarded this year

The Clifford Salmon Cup, The Paul Jones Trophy and the Silver Candlestick: Allotment Holder Trophy were not awarded in 2024 as there were no entries in those particular classes

Could your photo charm the people of Brightlingsea?

Have you got a snap that looks great? Would you like to take part in a free fun competition as part of the 2024 Brightlingsea Town Show on August Bank Holiday Monday?

To take part, all you have to do is email a single photo on any subject of your choice to photocomp@brightlingseatownshow.org.uk by 5pm on Friday 23 August 2024.

Photos from 2023 People's Choice competition

The competition be judged on show day, with all the entries on display to the public on the screens at the Community Centre.

If you’re looking for inspiration, here are some of the entries from last year’s photo competition.

We look forward to your entry to add to the many we’ve had from the town’s snappers so far. Good luck!