The 143rd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
If you’re in New York City today, head to midtown for this year’s Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. This is the 143rd year of the show, with more than 2800 dogs in 203 different breeds and varieties competing for top honors.
Yesterday, my Chow Chow, Empress Qin, competed against 12 other Chow Chows for "Best of Breed". It’s always a great feeling to have one of your own at this prestigious event. It was a very full day for Qin that included grooming, working with her handler, and of course, meeting lots and lots of visitors. The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is one of the few “benched” shows in this country - entered dogs are required to remain in assigned areas when not in the ring, so spectators could meet the breeds and talk to their owners and handlers - it's a wonderful way to learn about the many different types of dogs and their temperaments, as well as their feeding and grooming requirements.
The “Best In Show” competition takes place tonight at New York's famed Madison Square Garden, but you can also watch it LIVE at 7pm ET on Fox Sports 1.
Enjoy these photos of Qin and some of the other beautiful dogs that competed…
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- The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show launched in 1877, and is now one of the longest continuously running American sporting events, second only to the Kentucky Derby. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the show because I was on QVC selling my favorite puffer jacket! Be sure to catch me on QVC again today – check my Twitter page @MarthaStewart for air times.
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- Here is Empress Qin, just under two-years old, and already competing with thousands of other champion conformation dogs. Qin is very relaxed and ready to be groomed for her afternoon time in the ring.
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- Here is Qin on the right and her sister, Tolosa on the left – both on their grooming tables ready for a brushing.
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- Although Qin doesn’t go into the show ring until later in the day, she is here bright and early to start the hours-long grooming regimen. Chows need a lot of brushing and combing to look just right.
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- James Dalton of Fabelhaft Kennels in Portsmouth, Ohio, is always here – he is the breeder of Creme Brulee and Bete Noir, who are watching all the excitement of the shows from my Bedford, New York farm. This is James with his brindle Frenchie, Prada.
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- Large monitors are placed near every ring, so spectators can see all the details of each show. French Bulldogs typically show early in the morning of the first day of breed competition. When the dogs are in the ring, the judge inspects the dog’s body type, teeth, and overall appearance. They judge each dog against the parameters of the standard of its breed.
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- Here is James stacking his dog on the ring floor.
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- In the ring next door, the Miniature Pinschers. The Miniature Pinscher is a small breed of dog originating from Germany. The breed’s earliest ancestors may have included the German Pinscher mixed with Italian greyhounds and dachshunds.
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- In another section of the building, more dogs are groomed before their scheduled class is called to show. Here is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in the red and white colored variety called Blenheim.
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- English Bulldogs also need grooming. Here is one waiting patiently on his table.
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- This is an Old English Sheepdog – a large breed of dog famous for his profuse coat and peak-a-boo hairdo.
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- I’m sure you’re familiar with this breed, the Beagle. The beagle is a scent hound, developed primarily for hunting hare. There are two varieties of Beagle – those under 13-inches tall at the withers and those between 13-inches and 15-inches. A Beagle last won “Best in Show” at Westminster in 2015.
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- This is a Bedlington Terrier – it looks very much like a lamb. It is named after the mining town of Bedlington, Northumberland in North East England and was originally bred to hunt vermin.
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- This breed is called a Puli, a small-medium breed of Hungarian herding and livestock guarding dog known for its long, corded coat. The tight curls of the coat appear similar to dreadlocks.
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- Here is a handler taking photos with his Australian Shepherd.
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- There were also 27-vendors selling official Westminster Kennel Club merchandise in addition to other dog accessories, fine art, jewelry, and gifts featuring various breeds.
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- Every breed was represented on trivets, jewelry, art and so much more.
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- Here is a handsome Japanese Akita waiting to walk into his competition arena. The Japanese Akita is a large breed of dog originating from the mountainous regions of northern Japan.
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- Show dogs are very used to all the grooming. Some breeds need more grooming than others – it is important to consider this whenever thinking of adding a dog to your family. This is a toy poodle having his feet washed.
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- This standard poodle was lying down during his grooming – maybe even taking a short nap. Teaching your dog to lay down still is very helpful when brushing out their coat or trimming hairs on their feet.
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- The Yorkshire Terrier is another breed that needs a lot of grooming for its silky, straight coat. These small dogs are popular companion animals. Ideally its maximum size is seven-pounds.
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- Here’s another dog stacked in the ring. Stacking is the art of physically placing the dog’s feet in the best position, so it looks its best. This dog is a Norwegian Elkhound.
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- This big dog is a Neopolitan Mastiff, a large, ancient dog breed. This massive breed is often used as a guard and defender of family and property. Full grown, males can weigh up to 150-pounds. This handsome Neo was very polite and friendly.
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- This is another giant breed – the Great Dane, a German breed known for its giant size. This Great Dane’s black and white variety is called a Harlequin and his name is Bugs – he was born on Easter.
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- Here are two happy winners with their Australian Shepherds.
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- Back at Qin’s grooming table, visitors lined up to say hi to my precious girl. All the children loved her. Qin loved all the children too – her tail wagged with every pat.
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- This is Gibbs, Qin’s father, who also showed. He is a beautiful boy.
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- And here is Qin – all ready for the ring.
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- Right next to Qin’s table was this pretty girl, an Irish Wolfhound. She watched all the activity from her comfy bed.
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- In dog showing, there is also a category for junior handling. Children nine to 18 years old learn basic handling abilities, and how to care for, and present, different breeds in a competition. While Juniors are judged by an official AKC Judge, it’s the quality of their presentation that is judged, not the dog.
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- This Lhasa Apso looks ready to show. These dogs are a non-sporting dog breed originating in Tibet. It was bred as an indoor sentinel in the Buddhist monasteries, to alert the monks to any intruders who entered.
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- This poodle is also nearly done being groomed. This dog has what is called a lion cut. The dog’s limbs are hairless, with only a pompom around the front and back paws. The tail should be rounded off and the chest, stomach and head should be left with hair. It is the most widely used haircut in competitions and dog shows. It takes a lot of time and effort to get this look just right.
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- This breed of dog is called a Berger Picard, with distinctive erect ears, a wavy fawn or brindle coat, and a strong tail that tapers to a J-hook. Males stand as high as 2- inches, and females as low as 21-inches. It is a very athletic dog best suited for an active home where it can get lots of exercise.
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- Westminster also hosts other types of dog sports competitions. This ring is dedicated to Master Obedience, where the dogs are asked to follow a certain number of commands, all off lead.
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- Here’s Qin – ringside.
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- In the ring, the dogs are asked to line up in a stack, so the judge can easily walk by each one and assess its appearance. We’re all cheering for four dogs – Qin, Tolosa, Gibbs and Monet – all related and bred by Karen Tracy of Pazzazz Kennels.
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- Here is Qin going around the ring, so the judge can look at her gait, or movement, as she trots.
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- And here she is stopped and stacked again. She is so beautiful and knows exactly what to do.
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- Unfortunately, Qin didn’t win any ribbons this time, but she is very young and loves to show, so I know she will be back. She was excellent. And afterwards, Qin was so excited to see Carlos and get lots of love for a job well-done. I’ll see you very soon, my sweet Qin! You were great! And congratulations to Monet, who brought home a blue and white ribbon for best Select.
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