Rhodesian Ridgeback World Congresses through history
- 1984: Johannesburg, South Africa
- 1988: Hilleroed, Denmark
- 1992: Warwickshire, England
- 1996: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- 2000: Garderen, Netherlands
- 2004: Dallas, Texas, United States
- 2008: Portumma, Ireland
- 2012: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
- 2016: Lund, Sweden
- 2026: Prague, Czech Republic
For 40 years, the RRWC has served as a major engine for our international Ridgeback community. It gathers us together to discuss our breed, share information, and address any challenges that lie ahead. Meeting in person, exchanging ideas, and having a platform for discussion – and even arguing! – is essential, even in our global digital world.
A strong start
The first Rhodesian Ridgeback World Congress was held in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1984. It has since crisscrossed the globe, going five times to Europe, twice to North America, and once to Australia.
Congress presentations have varied in length and subject matter, covering everything from history to health. Some presenters have been respected Ridgeback breeders and judges; others are academics or subject matter experts with an interest in Ridgebacks.
Traditionally, at each Congress, bids from prospective host countries for the Congress eight years in advance are presented, and attendees vote on them. Also on the agenda is an update from the country that is hosting the next Congress in four years.
Typically, local breeders and fanciers from the host country make up the majority of Congress attendees. However, the gatherings also attract a passionate and committed knot of international followers, coming from every continent except Antarctica.
The Rhodesian Ridgeback World Congress had always operated without an official structure, trusting that the event – with its seminars, social events, and conformation show, always adjudicated by a breeder judge – would simply roll from one country to another, without any external over-sight or input.
That worked remarkable well for almost 40 years – until Covid.
Hurry up and wait
The ninth – and last – Rhodesian Ridgeback World Congress was held in 2016 in Lund, Sweden, a collaboration between the Ridgeback clubs of Norway, Sweden and Denmark.
In 2020, the RRWC that had been scheduled for Dortmund, Germany, was unavoidably cancelled due to global disruption from the COVID pandemic.
Eventually, as the world re-emerged from lockdown and returned to normalcy, Ridgebackers looked ahead to the next Congress, which was to be held in conjunction with the World Dog Show in Zagreb, Croatia. In April 2024 that event was postponed.
Concerned about the fate of the Rhodesian Ridgeback World Congress – and well aware that the longstanding method of having two Congresses in the works at any given time was now disrupted – members of its only standing committee, the RRWC Health Committee, convened to develop a plan to put the Congress back on track.
In early 2024, the committee issued an open letter to all previous RRWC attendees and national Ridgeback clubs, announcing a Zoom meeting at which stakeholders would convene to determine the future of the Congress.
We Have a Winner!
Several Ridgeback clubs worked diligently to see if they could organize an event of such magnitude in less than a quarter of the time required for previous congresses.
In the end, one club was able to present a bid at the April 14 Zoom meeting which was unanimously approved by the 48 attendees who voted.
The 2026 RRWC’s seminars, presentations, and social events will take place Wednesday through Friday, May 27 through and 29, in or around the Czech Republic’s capital city of Prague. Due to the very large entries of 200-250 dogs that the Czech club’s regular show draws annually thanks to its central location and superb organization, the World Congress show will be held over two days – Saturday and Sunday, May 30 and 31.
Article by: Denise Flaim