Pekingese to compete in the Sydney Royal Easter Show

WETHERILL Park's Jonathon Nash knows what it takes to be a champion.

He has spent the past two years entering his Pekingese — Frawai The Ultra Will — in the Australian Bred Dog for Pekingese breed class at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

And his four-legged friend hasn't disappointed him.

Last year Frawai The Ultra Will won his class.

The dog has also won at other competitions, including the County of Cumberland Championship Show where he was crowned Best Intermediate in Show (All Breeds), Multi Best in Group winner Australian Champion and Best Puppy in Show.

He will now be competing against other champions, grand champions and supreme champions from Sydney, the ACT and Queensland in the Best of Breed category at the Sydney Royal Easter Show next Sunday.

If successful, he will go on to compete in the Best in Group.

And if he claims victory in that category, he will go on to compete in the Best in Show.

Mr Nash, who owns another five Pekingese, said it would take one-and-a-half hours to groom Frawai The Ultra Will before he takes to the stage at this year's show.

"I also enter his half-sister in the show and it takes months to get the dogs ready for it," he said.

"We give them fish oil, special foods and special oils that go on their coats.

"But it's very rewarding when they win, that's why we do it."

Former Smithfield resident and breeder Frances Wickens said she had bred 100 Pekingese Australian champions including Frawai The Ultra Will.

"Will is very lucky to be alive because up until six weeks old we took him to the vet twice to be put down because he had a lot of colic and was still using a titty bottle to be fed, but he came home and then started his show career at the age of three months," she said.

"That's why I named him The Ultra Will because he had the will to survive."

The 72-year-old, who has been breeding dogs for 50 years, said she had also bred five Pekingese grand champions and three Pekingese supreme champions.