Gardayan one of the truly magnificent dogs in France today seems representative of the beauty that the breed must possess. Gardayan won Best In Show at the 1996 French National Championship Show held in Paris at Longchamp on June 15, 1996. Since this is the championship show for the whole country this win must rank with the top show awards given anywhere in the world. Gardayan also won Best of Breed at the 1994 Exposition Nationale D'Élevage held in Rabastens de Bigorre in the environs of the Pyrenees Mountains. This is equivalent to a annual National Specialty Show for the Réunion des Amateurs de Chiens Pyrénéens, the official parent club for the breed in France. The only other Montagne des Pyrénées to go Best In Show at the French Championship show was, French Champion Ubelle de Chantigny. Ubelle was a gorgeous bitch, much admired by all.
French Champion Ubelle de Chantigny with her owner, Dr. Tassy. Also shown on our left Monsieur Alain Pécolt and on our right Monsieur Guy Mansencal. Ubelle won Best In Show at the French National Championship Show at Longchamp in Paris in 1989.
Exposition Nationale d'Élevage
In 1981 the Réunion des Amateurs de Chiens Pyrénéens began a National Specialty show for the breed. Wins at this Specialty would qualify toward a French Championship. This now allowed either the Championship Show and the Exposition National d'Élevage qualify for the championship win. This now allowed up to two champions in each sex possible each year. Previously only the Championship show in Paris would quality and thus only one Champion of each sex was possible in France each year for each breed. Initially the Championship Show and the Exposition National d'Élevage were rotated around France. More recently the Championship Show returned to Paris at Longchamp. The Exposition National d'Élevage has been held at Rabastens de Bigorre in the environs of the Pyrenees Mountains, the ancestral home of the breed. It is still possible to happen upon a heard of sheep accompanied by their Shepherd, Patou, and Berger, but times have surely changed since Patou routinely guarded his sheep and master from all predators or intruders.