No more weather concerns. No more parading around in a tennis facility. After a four-year absence, the Westminster Dog Show is back at its longtime home, Madison Square Garden in Midtown Manhattan, for its 149th edition.
The three-day competition involving more than 2,500 dogs from every state in the union culminates Tuesday night with the Best in Show event at the so-called world’s most famous arena, a version of which hosted the yearly contest since it first began in 1877.
But the COVID pandemic forced a move in both location and season, from MSG in the winter initially to suburban Tarrytown, New York, where the 2021 and 2022 events were held outdoors in mid-June, complicating the humans’ already challenging job of delivering the perfect coiffure for their pooches.
The hosting Westminster Kennel Club opted for early May dates at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens the last two years before bringing the contest back to its roots.
Organizers proudly point out the dog show is the second-longest continuously running sporting event in the country after the Kentucky Derby – perhaps stretching the definition of “sporting event’’ a bit. They also say the contest has been the only dog show to be televised live nationally since 1948.
As an organization that believes every dog breed “has a legacy and history that deserves to be taught, honored, and preserved,’’ the club stages what’s known as a conformation show, where competitors are judged on how much they live up to the expected characteristics of their breed.
Among the 201 eligible breeds, dachshunds lead the way with 52 representatives, followed by poodles (44), French bulldogs (40), chihuahuas (39) and golden retrievers (38). Mixed breeds are also welcome at the agility and obedience contests being held at the Javits Convention Center in Manhattan.
Best in Show remains the top prize, claimed last year by a miniature poodle named Sage, which besides breed traits displayed an impressive black mane and large, round tufts of hair around her paws. It marked the first time a miniature poodle had won since 2002, a stretch during which beagles, German shorthaired pointers, Pekingese and wire fox terriers also repeated as champions.
The key to their success?
“It’s a great dog having a great night,’’ Westminster Kennel Club President Donald Sturz told the Associated Press. “That’s what determines the Best of Show winner at Westminster. There’s just something that dog brings that night that just puts them a notch above the other great dogs in the ring.’’
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
