Ukraine's corgi dog festival is fit for a Queen

The dog days of summer may not yet have arrived in Kyiv, but on a hot, humid Sunday at a beach club on the Dnipro river, canines are all that can be seen: corgis, specifically — the adorably short-legged dogs beloved of the late Queen Elizabeth, and now the people of Ukraine.
Everywhere you look, there they are: jumping gleefully into the river; competing on a miniature agility course; sporting little sunhats with holes for their ears and generally spreading their furry brand of joy amid a gathering of Kyivans exhausted by the relentless night-time bombardment by missiles and drones.
This is the third 'Corgy' — or 'orgy of corgis' — organised by Katernya Shekshnova, a breeder and pioneer of canine therapy. She was inspired by the comfort that her corgi puppies brought her son when the Russian invasion began. Air raids triggered compulsive behaviour in the young boy, including biting his fingers until they bled.
'They are a key that opens hearts,' Shekshnova says as her tiny charges walk alongside her, recalling Princess Diana's memorable description of the 'moving carpet' that accompanied her mother-in-law everywhere. 'Communicating with animals triggers hormones associated with happiness. And then the work can begin.'
Shekshnova's corgis are regular visitors to a rehabilitation centre for soldiers and veterans, but this event is all about celebrating the breed, with a bit of fundraising on the side. Nadia has brought all four of her corgis: parents Adele and Oscar, and two of their grown-up offspring, Lo and Nicole, all sporting sunhats. 'I don't really know why I chose corgis,' she says. 'I just looked at them and fell in love.'
Nadia is not yet sure whether to enter them in one of the many contests at the event. 'I'm not sure if I want to shame them,' she says with a laugh.
Corgis have been commonplace in Ukraine for some time but their popularity 'exploded after the death of Queen Elizabeth ', said Maria, another visitor. The Queen's death, six months after the Russian invasion began, was deeply felt in Ukraine, as was the support offered by the royal family and Britain as a whole.
Other qualities make corgis the perfect wartime companions. 'Look how calm and sweet they are,' Maria says, noting the absence of barking or growling among dogs that were strangers to one another until today. 'And,' she adds, with emphasis, 'they look like they are smiling all the time.'
Kyiv's most recognisable corgi, Loyd, was well known long before the invasion, having fronted a 2019 promotional video for the capital in which he slipped away from his owners to narrate a tour of the city, mostly from a dog's ground-level perspective. The mascot is followed by 45,000 people on Face­book, while 'Corgis of Ukraine' has almost 3,000 fans.
Ukraine's most famous dog of war is Patron, a Jack Russell who is the face of the country's canine mine-sniffing force. But one corgi, Elton, has been certified as a search-and-rescue dog with Antares, a volunteer group based in Pavlohrad, near the eastern city of Dnipro. Maria Romanova, Elton's owner, was only 17 when she brought him to join the team. She hoped to contribute to the war effort like her older brother, a soldier fighting on the front line.
'Until recently, we did not take young people on difficult missions,' said Larisa Borysenko, who founded Antares back in 2008 as a volunteer service to locate missing hikers. 'But the rush left us no choice, and if a 17-year-old girl can do something that millions of adults can't, then she is needed now.'
The corgi festival, however, is all about fun. Let off their leashes, the corgis bound into the river, some even gamely clambering on to paddle­boards for a cruise along the river. Nadia isn't sure whether to let her own four pooches take part. 'I am not sure the water is clean enough for royal dogs,' she says. Misha, a classic white and tan Pembrokeshire corgi, makes do with a paddling pool filled with plastic balls.
The day wraps up with an award ceremony for obedience, agility and looks. An interloping chihuahua makes it to the final but neither organiser nor corgi partisans seem bothered. 'It's about love and joy,' Shekshnova says. 'The corgis teach us that.'

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Daily Mail​

an hour ago

• Daily Mail​

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's surprise reaction to Queen's request at Princess Eugenie's wedding

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The Guardian

20 hours ago

• The Guardian

A giraffe operation and a Juneteenth parade: photos of the day

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Daily Mail​

a day ago

• Daily Mail​

Inside Queen Elizabeth II's life at the races: She won over £8.7million... but historic footage reveals it was the humble victories that truly delighted her

It's that time of year when the bookies fill up with hopeful punters and racing enthusiasts dust off their grandest hats for Ascot. While lucky bettors could win part of a record £17.75million prize money this week, there was one member of the Royal Family who was overjoyed to leave the races with a modest £15. The late Queen's love of both horses and racing is well-documented. At the time of her death, she reportedly won 566 of her 3,441 races as an owner, and it is thought she made £8.7million from her hobby since 1988. But in 1991, the Queen, in her 60s, was joined by the Queen Mother at Epsom for the Derby, taking part in the grand racing tradition of a low-money sweepstakes. A clip from this event appeared in the 1992 BBC documentary Elizabeth R, which was produced to mark the Queen's Ruby Jubilee and gave viewers a unique, behind-the-scenes perspective on the monarchy. Dressed in a bright purple ensemble, the Queen began to watch the race on a screen before running through the room with binoculars in hand to watch the three-year-old stallion get over the line from the balcony, which is opposite the finishing post. She is so excited that she stands in front of the Queen Mother and blocks her view. 'That's my horse, isn't it? That's my horse!' the Queen said while turning to her mother as she looked at the horse, Generous. Queen Elizabeth ll is filmed for a BBC television programme as she watches racing at the Epsom Derby 'Oh my god, Mother! We won!' She was then given her winnings from the sweepstake: 'What do I get?' she asked an aide. 'Well, you get 16, Ma'am,' he answered. 'Sixteen pounds! Oh!' said the Queen, smiling broadly to the camera. It was as if the Queen were a child who had won a prize at the arcade. 'How kind of you,' she exclaimed. Earlier in the programme, there was another heartwarming scene in which the Monarch tells her mother it is nice to be on-course to watch the racing, rather than staring at a television. 'Do you know I've not watched with a pair of binoculars for ages, look at it pouring with tears, I always watch on the television,' said the Queen. Many have remarked over the years that the Queen was happiest and most relaxed when she was talking about horses. Biographer Ben Pimlott quoted a horse-world confidante in his book, The Queen, when he described her passion for the animals and the sport. 'She is very interested in stable management — and happiest with the minutiae of the feed, the quality of the wood chipping and so forth,' he wrote. Top trainer Richard Hannon Senior said Her Majesty's horse knowledge put many highly credentialed trainers to shame. 'I always had to do my homework when I ran one of Her Majesty's horses or when she came to visit our stables,' he said. 'She knows all the pedigrees of her horses inside out. There's no small talk when discussing her horses. She knows all the bloodlines going back decades. 'She also used to say to me after a stable tour, "It's nice to come to a place that doesn't smell of fresh paint".' It was a view shared by her racing adviser John Warren. 'If the Queen wasn't the Queen, she would have made a wonderful trainer. She has such an affinity with her horses and is so perceptive,' Warren once said. The British Horseracing Authority paid tribute to the much-loved monarch as it suspended race meetings when news of her death broke. This comes as Tuesday kicked off the first day of Royal Ascot. The King, whose only Ascot win was Desert Hero in 2023, is set to attend every day of the five-day festival after it was reported he was surprised at how much he enjoyed the occasion. For the 200th anniversary of the Royal Procession, Charles and Camilla arrived in a carriage with Saudi Arabia's Prince Faisal bin Salman Al Saud and Lady Sarah Keswick, one of the Queen's official companions. On day one, Charles's hopes for his horse were dashed as the favourite failed to dazzle in the sun and finished ninth. Reaching High had been hotly tipped by bookies at 11-4 before the Ascot Stakes, but he flopped in front of the expectant monarch. The King, whose only Ascot win was Desert Hero in 2023, is set to attend every day of the five-day festival after it was reported he was surprised at how much he enjoyed the occasion Charles, 76, and Queen Camilla, 77, had been cheering from the Royal Box but were seen leaving shortly after the loss, even with two more races to go. He had taken over his mother's stable of horses. The late Queen had more than 20 Royal Ascot winners during her 70-year reign. Earlier, Charles had written in the official racecard: 'Having experienced the thrill of victory at Royal Ascot ourselves in 2023, we can only wish all those competing this week the very best of luck and that everyone watching has a most enjoyable five days.' What is Royal Ascot? One of Britain's most well-known racecourses, Ascot holds a special week of races in June each year called Royal Ascot, attended by The King and Queen, who has had an interest in horses since childhood. This week has become Britain's most popular race meeting, welcoming around 300,000 visitors over five days, all dressed up in their finest clothes and hats. What do The King and Queen do at Ascot? Each day of the week begins with the Royal Procession, when The King, The Queen and accompanying Members of the Royal Family arrive along the track in horse-drawn landaus. They then spend the day watching the races from the Royal Enclosure. In 2006, Queen Elizabeth II opened the redeveloped Ascot Racecourse by thanking all who had been involved. In 2021, The Queen, as The Duchess of Cornwall, sat down with Oli Bell to discuss the passion for horse racing throughout the Royal Family, and her hope for it to continue with the next generation. Why are The King and Queen involved at Ascot? Ascot Racecourse was founded by Queen Anne in 1711, and has since received the support of a further twelve monarchs. The Ascot summer race meeting officially became a Royal week in 1911. The King and Queen are owner and breeder of many thoroughbred horses and share an interest in horses with many members of the family. The names of the week's races have a Royal theme, such as 'King George V Stakes', 'Diamond Jubilee Stakes' and 'Windsor Castle Stakes'.