The 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Part I
If you’re in New York City today, head to the west side Jacob K. Javits Convention Center for this year’s Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. This is the 150th year of the show, with more than 3000 dogs from all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and 17 additional countries competing for top honors.
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 - 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 famous Madison Square Garden.
Enjoy these photos.
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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.
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- My longtime driver, Carlos Villamil, attended the show yesterday as I was away traveling for business. The event runs over three days with individual breed judging Monday and Tuesday.
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- Before any dogs are shown, there is a lot of grooming that takes place. This is an Old English Sheepdog getting brushed out.
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- This is a Border Collie just after its bath.
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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.
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- The Pumi is a medium-small breed of sheepdog from Hungary. Known for their corkscrew curls and whimsical ears, these dogs are intelligent, agile, and very capable herders.
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- Here’s a Yorkshire Terrier, or Yorkie, heading to its grooming table. The tapes and tied to the hair are used to wrap he coat to prevent it from getting dirty, tangled or broken. They will be removed before show time.
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- Another breed that needs a lot of grooming is the Lhasa Apso. This old breed originally served as sentinels in palaces and monasteries isolated high in the Himalayas of Tibet. It’s distinguishing characteristics include its long, flowing coat, curled tail, bushy eyebrows, and flattened nose.
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- And one of my two favorite breeds, the French Bulldog. This affectionate and playful breed is best known for its wrinkly face and bat-like ears.
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- The French Bulldogs showed very early, right at 9am. In all, there were 48 dogs entered in this show – a big class compared to others.
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- French Bulldogs are members of the Non-Sporting Group – a classification of breeds with unique traits including an ability to thrive and adapt to many different environments. Frenchies come in a variety of colors including fawn, cream, brindle, and pied.
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- But this is the girl we’re watching today, Dezperado’s Goldshield Pop The Cork! Also known as “Clicquot.” She is being handled by Perry Payson, the same handler who shows my dog, Luna Muna. This girl is also bred by Luna’s breeder, Hilary Branscum.
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- The ideal French Bulldog standard characteristics include a distinctive short face and body.
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- The Frenchie is a small, muscular dog with a smooth coat. The body is compact and well-proportioned, with a broad chest and a short, but strong neck.
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- Originally hailing from France, French Bulldogs were bred to be companions and lap dogs for lace workers in the 19th century. It remains a very popular breed today. They’re sociable, lively, playful, and intelligent.
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- When on the table, the judge looks for a well-balanced body structure.
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- The judge also looks for a square and broad skull, and short, wide muzzle.
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- On the floor, the judge walks by to see its stance. He or she will also ask the handler to walk the dog up and down the ring to see its movement and gait, which should be effortless and with good reach.
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- With such a large class, the Frenchies showed for more than an hour. The judge was very thorough in his selections.
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- Perry kept Clicquot engaged and happy as the judge made his cuts.
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- She was showing so beautifully.
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- And then she won Best of Breed for the Frenchies under Judge Ekarat Sangkunakup and advanced to the group competition last night. How very exciting for dog and handler.
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- Here is “Sensation” – a gorgeous Pointer and the Westminster Kennel Club mascot. I’ll share more photos from the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in my next blog – stay tuned.
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