Cuba Tips
Question: In March 2009, I stumbled upon a dog show in Miramar at Eduardo Saborit Stadium. I’d like to find any information pertaining to this event and the Organization and/or people behind it.
Answer: In Havana, four dog shows – two national and two international – are held every year. The two national shows are in February and September. Sometimes a few dogs from other countries participate in these shows. The two international shows are in April and November, with the April show being the Exposición Internacional de Primavera (Spring International Exhibition) and the November show being the Exposición International de Otoño (Fall International Exhibition).
The exhibitions are large. For instance, the April 21-24, 2011 Spring International Exhibition has some 300 dogs registered. And the September 2011 Campeonato Nacional (National Championship) already anticipates at least 200 dogs. These are juried exhibitions, with recognized international judges coming from countries such as Mexico, Costa Rica, Peru, Japan, Colombia, Panama, Cuba, El Salvador, etc.
The dog exhibitions normally take place over four days, with each day dedicated to a different category depending on whether it’s a national or international show: Grand Championship, Central America and Caribbean Champion, Cuban beauty, young Cuban dog, etc. All exhibitions are held at the Eduardo Saborit Stadium, located in Havana’s Playa Municipality on 5th Avenue, just west of the Amusement Park at the roundabout which connects with 146th Avenue that goes up to the Convention Centre. (With these references, you should be able to locate it easily.) All competitions use internationally recognized and established standards.
All dog shows in Havana are organized by the Federación Cinologica de Cuba (FCC or the Cuban Dog Breeders Federation). Founded in 1987, the main objective of the FCC is the genetic study of different dog breeds with the aim of their development and reproduction.
The FCC is a member of the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI or World Canine Organization), which was founded in May 1911 and which, in May 2008, had 84 member countries, with one member per country. Each member country regulates its own breed clubs and stud books, and trains its own judges. However, the FCI acts as an international coordinating body, making sure that pedigrees and judges are internationally recognized.
Although the FCC doesn’t yet have a website, you can contact the president – Miguel Calvo Cartaya – either by phone or email. Below are his references:
Miguel Calvo Cartaya, FCC President
Telephone (53 7) 209 7317 / cell (from within Cuba) 05 285 4902
Email [email protected] or [email protected]
However, the FCI website – located at www.fci.be – provides a calendar of shows and working trials held in each member country, including Cuba. It also provides a link to the World Dog Show 2011 site at http://www.worlddogshow2011.fr , which is another source for information about exhibitions.
In Cuba, as of 2010, there were some 14 Canine or Breeding Clubs including Collies, Pointers and Sighthounds, Poodles, Dalmations, and the Bichon Havanese, among others. Cuba claims one national breed – the Bichon Havanese or Bichon Habanero – which originated from an earlier breed known as Blanquito de la Habana – also called Havanese Silk Dog, a now extinct breed. The earlier breed is thought to have arrived in Cuba sometime during the 16th and 17th centuries, when ship captains transported this small dog – believed to have originated in the Western Mediterranean region – from continent to continent. In the 19th century, European immigrants – French, Belgian and German – began to arrive with their Poodles, and Cubans crossed the Blanquito with their Poodles to create today’s Bichon Havanese.
In 1987, when the FCC was founded, an interest in this national breed was reborn. In 1991, the Bichon Habanero Club was established to study the island’s remaining indigenous dogs to ascertain their purebred status, and to introduce a closely supervised breeding program using a foundation stock of some 15 dogs. In 1996, the first Havanese made its debut in a show organized by the American Kennel Club and, in 2000, in the Westminster Toy Category. In 1997 the first Havanese was exported from Cuba to the Netherlands.
Dear Olga, if you send us the exact dates we will try to let you know what’s happening in jazz on those three specific nights.
I have a question: I am going to Havana (again!) for 3 days at the beginning of February. I love cuban Jazz.
The question is – what are the best jazz clubs to visit in the capital at that time of the year, by the best i mean authentic, not very touristy places where you can hide behind the locals and enjoy the real cuban atmosphere without fello travellers:)) Thank you in advance for your responce.
hello my boyfriend and i are traveing to cuba varadero in a month, and i was wondering if i would be abe to pack a viberator with me in my checked luggage. I dont want any problems in the cubian airport and i dont no there thoughts on those kind of things. Any information would help. Thank you.
I currently hold a Dominican Republic passport but I’m a resident of the United States (and live in the united states) i would like to obtain a 3 or 6 month Cuban Visa how is it possible to achieve this without having any family members that live in Cuba? Also how i manage my money? i do not want to bring too much cash i would prefer to have a debit card and take money out as i needed it or debit cards cant be used in Cuba?
Thank you for sharing this good stuff, really appericate it.Awsome.
Hola Susan.. I am coming to Cuba with my partner in about a month, but whilst he is cycling around Western Cuba for a week, I will be in Havana by myself. I was wondering if you have any ideas about short courses I could do in Havana whilst I’m there – to meet some people and taste the Cuban culture, perhaps even learn some Spanish, write, try Cuban Salsa or even just guided walking tours around the city. I have been searching online, but am finding it hard to find anything that suits my time frame of a few days. Any thoughts you may have would be greatly appreciated! -Kat
I will be in Camaguet and Sancti Spiritu provinces in January and I would like info on the invasion route of Che’s army as they made there way from the Sierra Maestras to Santa Clara. Are there any resources I can obtain to find points of interest, rebel garrisons and historic sites of battles, etc. in these provinces?
Americans cannot travel to Cuba unless they meet certain criteria..However the american embassy can tell anyone what they need to know.. Or perhaps someone here. i am Cuban, can travel as much as i choose which is monthly.. However, i love my country so much that i broke the law and i flew back and forth via canada jamaica mexico etc. for over 25 yrs without trouble…Now i leave from the US The one good thing Prez has done..
Tell me about dollar exchange rate is right now. Thank yo. Miki
I am going to a wedding in Cancun in August 2010 and wondering if there is a ship/boat/ferry to Havana to Cancun as a preference to flying and if so where I can get more information as I can’t seem to find same on the web?
Many thanks
I’m certified to teach English-as-second-language and will be in Cuba this winter. Is it possible to volunteer to teach English in Cuba? Any suggestions are appreciated. Thank you.
Have you heard of Martha’s Guest House in Vedado? am going to Havana in November and this seems like a better alternative to many hotels…want to book by tomorrow if possible…thanks in advance for any help you can give me on this–
Seems very good info. Great job !
Hi,
I would like to take some ipods to Cuba for some friends there the next I travel and am wondering if they will be able to access itunes on any of the computers there or would the music have to pre-loaded on the ipods before I arrived?
: O So Brei Info: O … das ist er Most Amazing site dude …
Hola,
I will be traveling to Cuba in January and would like to know how I can find someone to drive us
(2 persons) from Havana Vieja to the ferry station for Cayo Levisa?
And… an estimate $$ on the ride?
I do not want to ask my family in Cuba for that favor.
Thank you,
Ron…
Hi
My husband and i are travelling to Cuba in 1 mth, and we hold Australian passports. We are trying to come to grips if a Tourist Card (apparently issued at the airport) is the same as a Tourist Visa?
We would welcome your knowledge.
Thanks
Natalie
hello, im 42yrs old looking for fun in cuba can any body help ,tell us where to go
Finally someone wrote a decent article about this. I’ve been looking for more than an hour.
http://www.reginatravelwatch.com
Re Australian Debit Mastercard – cash exchange, credit/debit cards and Travellors Cheques are a most misunderstood area with regard to Cuba. No major Travel Guide gets it right.
An Australian Debit Mastercard will work in Cuba for over the counter withdrawals (but not in ATM’s for which you need a Visa card) as long as it is not linked to a USA company. For example the OZ Wizard Mastercard which is one of the best generally for travel because it has no fees will NOT work in Cuba because its parent company is the USA GE company!
My family and I are coming on holiday to Cuba in two weeks. I would like to know the status of Swine Flu cases, especially those reported in June/July.
Is the spread under control, and are there emergency medical services available to visitors.
I already requested this information from the British Embassy approximately 2 weeks ago, and they have not bothered to reply which I find worrying.
Can you please advise?
Thank you
About bringing iPhone with you – definitely nobody is aczually checking this. I have my Nokia as a mobile with GPS and Garmin and I entered Cuba a few times without any problem.
Im just wanting to know if there is any thing that you can send to me by mail on travling to Cuba or anything on information on this web site that if there is any thing that i can help out with send some kind of information cateloge that i need to help with any thing if so can you mail it to me via- Adriano Shelton-Castillo @ 709 South Sierra Madre Colorado Springs Co,80903 thatnk you ….