Ulaanbaatar, May 9, 2024 /MONTSAME/. The World Dog Show 2024, an annual competition organized by the International Canine Federation (FCI), took place in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. For the first time, a Mongolian Bankhar competed in the international arena and returned to its homeland on May 7, 2024, with the world championship title.

In the special event, 18,350 dogs of 376 breeds from 98 countries participated in a competition. The Mongolian Bankhar, a native breed of Mongolia, competed on the world stage for the first time. The Mongolian team demonstrated the country's traditional customs, gers, artifacts, and the history of the Mongolian Bankhar. They also wore their traditional costumes, which greatly attracted the interest of not only dog lovers but also competition judges. The FCI classifies all breeds into 10 groups according to their purpose, and breeds that are not yet registered but are planned to be registered compete in the 11th group. Three dogs named Khangardi (Garuda), Toligor, and Guyen, who are National Champions of Mongolia, participated in the World Championship. Among them, Khangardi, a guard of Shand, competed in the 11th group and won the championship among 18 breeds. On the other hand, Guyen and Toligor became the Champions of Croatia.

The Mongolian Kynological Federation - MFK and the Mongolian Bankhar Dog Project - MBDP are working together with the goal of registering the Mongolian Bankhar worldwide. The Mongolian Kynological Federation, by participating in the “World Dog Show 2024” with the Mongolian Bankhar, will have a significant impact on the request to register this breed in the International Canine Federation in 2025. To note, a total of 367 breeds are officially registered in the FCI.

President of the Mongolian Kynological Federation B. Enkhbayar said, "FCI is an organization that unites over 100 countries around the world. Our federation joined in 2009 and became an official member in 2023. Next year, we plan to register the Mongolian Bankhar dog as an official breed. In this regard, three Bankhars from Mongolia participated in the “World Dog Show 2024”. Our team, which participated for the first time, won the Croatian championship and became the world champion in the 11th group. The Mongolian Bankhar made its debut in the world ring for the first time, which is remarkable. We have met the requirements set by the FCI and earned the right to participate in the World Dog Show. We embarked on a long journey and triumphantly participated in the "World Dog Show 2024"."

"There are several criteria for checking whether a dog is a pure breed. Since we have met all of them, we will introduce the Mongolian Bankhar as an official breed at the international conference in Helsinki, Finland in 2025. During the competition in Zagreb, world canine professionals got acquainted with the Mongolian Bankhar in person. We not only participated in the competition but also promoted our homeland too," he continued.

There are about 260 purebred dogs registered in the world as an official breed. Of these, about 50 breeds of dogs are in Mongolia. However, of the 12,000 purebred dogs registered in the Mongolian Kynological Federation, 8,000 are Mongolian Bankhars. In addition, from May 14-16, the “Mongol Nomad 2024” International Dog Exhibition and Competition will be held in Ulaanbaatar. Khangardi, a Mongolian Bankhar who won the World Championship in " World Dog Show 2024", is five years old.

Khangardi's owner, D.Tuvshintor, said, “I have been raising dogs for 38 years. I especially raise the Mongolian Bankhar. My dog is known as The Guard of the Shand-Khangardi. The Mongolian dog, like the Mongolian people, can adapt very quickly to any conditions, and is flexible and resilient, which made me learn a lot. Whether it is food adaptation, long travel, weather, etc., it can withstand without any problems. Khangardi participated in this competition with a very calm demeanor. Khangardi is the third generation of my first raised dog, Khaba, who is the Mongolian National Champion. The paramount concern for the Mongolian Bankhar breed is maintaining a balanced physique and robust health. Excessive size poses a risk of anatomical strain, hence a standard has been established. A Mongolian Bankhar should epitomize exceptional health, resilient working power, and be confident in itself.”

Owner of Guyen and Toligor, which became the Champion of Croatia, L. Bilguun said, “My dogs became the Champion of Croatia. It’s very nice. Toligor is four, and Guyen is one year old. From a young age, I have had a hobby of raising and breeding dogs. However, since 2016, I have been breeding and raising purebred Mongolian Bankhars. The father of Toligor and Khangardi dogs is Daichin (Warrior), the Mongolian national champion dog. Compared to other dog breeds, Mongolian Bankhars are easy to care for and do not have any difficulties. Also, Bankhars adapts very well in all four seasons."