The Sanction Show - An Unsolved Mystery

Of course, I ought to have found out in advance what a Sanction Show meant. I did look up "sanction" in the dictionary when I first saw the poster outside our local hall, but it did not seem exactly helpful. Why should one want to give authority to a dog? Most dogs have far too much authority over their owners as it is. 

“Someone inside will tell me about it," I thought, remembering how ready exhibitors of fruit and vegetables were to explain to the interested, if ignorant onlooker. 

So, confidently, I paid my sixpence and passed in. The hall seemed very full, both of people and smoke. The others forming a large circle were all occupied and a double row of people leant over their backs, I rose on tiptoe and saw that the centre of the ring held a strange procession. Round it marched in solemn order two girls in white overalls leading large and lean dogs, one smartly dressed woman accompanied by a grey mass of wool of unrecognisable character, a man pulled by a cheerful terrier, and two ‘middle aged’ women towing Pekes. Twice round they marched and then came to a halt. A young man in Plus-fours waved a programme at them, and they obediently lined up in a row, while he wandered up and down gazing superciliously at the whole exhibit. 

It  was a Little difficult to tell who was being judged ~ certainly although their mistresses  were presenting the Pekes, the terrier was undoubtedly exhibiting his man – and the plus-foured youth did little to clarify the proceedings. As one too bored to continue, he waved the whole Lot away, and, as they passed out of the ring, an attendant satellite, even more bored, handed out a few pink cards impartially.

 Now was the time for those leading questions which had been such a success with the potato~grower, I turned to my neighbour on the right, a keen-eyed woman who was gazing ferociously at the ring. I followéd her eyes and saw, among the strangely assorted group which had just filed in. a girl placing her greyhound in the first dancing position. 

“Absurd!” snorted the lady. “Ridiculous! Shouldn't be allowed!” 

"Do you mind telling me why?" I asked, politely. "Is it against the rules?" 

She turned abruptly on me.

 “Most unnatural!” she said "He should make her run round and judge her moving ~ only way you can judge at all. I Insist on it when I judge.” 

"Of course... so stupid of me," I murmured, and sunk into silence. No, one could not ask her what a Sanction Show really was.

 The man on my left had a friendly face, and a shabby tweed coat that looked more approachable. As I tried to catch his eye the stern lady leant behind me, and tapped him on the arm. “George," she said, “are you ready?" 

"Yes, madam," said George, pulling on two leads. Two spotlessly white objects appeared with which George passed casually into the ring, where he wandered round with an expression as bored as that of the judge. Again no word was spoken, but though apparently dismissed as beneath contempt, he brought back a pink card. 

It was then that I gave it up and went home. But I do wish I had talked to George instead of his mistress, for it must have meant something, mustn't it?