The 143rd edition of the most famous dog show in the world is coming up in three weeks. The Meet & Compete Featuring the Masters Agility Championship will be held February 9th. The Masters Obedience Championship as well as the main event will begin on Monday February 11th. Here’s a quick overview of the schedule, past winners and some basic facts to get you primed. We will have more information in the coming days leading up to the show. I will talk more some of the things you may not know about the competition as well as my personal insights as a competitor. My current show dog, Slugger, goes into the show as the #3 Smooth Coat Chihuahua in the country!
The Westminster Kennel Club & Dog Show is the second-longest continuously held sporting event in the United States. It was first held on May 8, 1877 at Gilmore’s Gardens, just two years after Aristides won the first Kentucky Derby. “The show originated as a show for gun dogs, primarily Setters and Pointers, initiated by a group of hunters who met regularly at the Westminster Hotel at Irving Place and Sixteenth Street in Manhattan.” By the way, in 1877 Rutherford B. Hayes became our 19th President of the United States, taking over from Ulysses S. Grant. Also that year, the first telephone was installed in Boston-Somerville, Massachusetts and Chester Greenwood patented earmuffs after inventing them at age 15. It’s very cold outside, so i thought you might like someone to thank when you bundle up.
But back to the dogs, [source] the title of “Best in Show” was first awarded in 1907. Ch. Warren Remedy, a Smooth-coated fox terrier owned by Winthrop Rutherfurd, became the first and only dog to take the top prize three years in a row (1907, 1908, 1909). The title has been awarded every year since, except for 1924, due to a change in rules by the American Kennel Club.
Last year, GCH Belle Creek’s All I Care About Is Love, a Bichon Frise, from the Non-Sporting Group earned the top spot. You can check my post about last year’s competition in Westminster 2018 Wrap-up; Flynn with the Win!. To date, Wire Fox Terriers have won the most top awards (14) with the Scottish Terrier and English Springer Spaniel following.
Surprisingly, there are several popular breeds which have never won Best in Show. The country’s most popular breed, the Labrador Retriever, has yet to climb that canine mountain. Additionally, the Golden Retriever, AKC’s third most popular breed, has won the Sporting Group many times but not the top prize. Other breeds still looking for their first Best in Show win include Rottweiler, Great Dane, Chihuahua, Miniature Schnauzer, Shih Tzu, French Bulldog, and Dachshund.
In 2019, two new breeds will be making their official debut in the competition. Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen (also know as “GBGV” or “Grand”), an active and never high-strung scent hound out of France known as a poor man’s hunting dog, will compete in the Hound Group. Nederlandse Kooikerhondje (pronounced Coy-ker-hund-tsje), a small dog with a big personality, will compete in the Sporting Group. I covered this in more depth in a previous post.
MOST WINNERS BY BREED
14 – Wire Fox Terrier
8 – Scottish Terrier
6 – English Springer Spaniel
4 – Airedale Terrier, American Cocker Spaniel[B], Boxer, Doberman Pinscher, Smooth Fox Terrier, Standard Poodle, Sealyham Terrier, Pekingese
3 – Miniature Poodle, Pointer, German Shorthaired Pointer
2 – Afghan Hound, Beagle, Bichon Frise, Bulldog, Bull Terrier[C], German Shepherd Dog, Lakeland Terrier, Newfoundland, Norwich Terrier, Old English Sheepdog, Toy Poodle, West Highland White Terrier
1 – Affenpinscher, Bedlington Terrier, Clumber Spaniel, English Setter, Irish Water Spaniel, Kerry Blue Terrier, Papillon, Pomeranian, Pug, Rough Collie, Scottish Deerhound, Siberian Husky, Skye Terrier, Standard Schnauzer, Sussex Spaniel, Welsh Terrier, Whippet, Yorkshire Terrier
MOST WINNERS BY GROUP
46 – Terrier
18 – Sporting
15 – Working[D]
11 – (tie) Toy, Non-sporting
6 – Hound
2 – Herding
BEST IN SHOW WINNERS SINCE 1990 [Wikipedia]
2018: Bichon Frise – GCh. Belle Creek’s All I Care About Is Love (aka: “Flynn”)
2017: German Shepherd – GCh. Lockenhaus’ Rumor Has It V Kenlyn (aka: “Rumor”)
2016: German Shorthaired Pointer – GCh. Vjk-Myst Garbonita’s California Journey (aka: “C.J.”)
2015: Beagle – GCH Tashtins Lookin For Trouble (aka: “Miss P”)
2014: Fox Terrier (Wire) – GCH Afterall Painting The Sky (aka: “Sky”)
2013: Affenpinscher – GCH Banana Joe V Tani Kazari (aka: “Banana Joe”)
2012: Pekingese – Ch. Palacegarden Malachy (aka: “Malachy”)
2011: Scottish Deerhound – GCH Foxcliffe Hickory Wind (aka: “Hickory”)
2010: Scottish Terrier – Ch. Roundtown Mercedes of Maryscot (aka: “Sadie”)
2009: Sussex Spaniel – Ch. Clussexx Three D Grinchy Glee (aka: “Stump”)
2008: Beagle – Ch. K-Run’s Park Me In First (aka: “Uno”)
2007: English Springer Spaniel – Ch. Felicity’s Diamond Jim (aka:”James”)
2006: Colored Bull Terrier – Ch. Rocky Top’s Sundance Kid (aka:”Rufus”)
2005: German Shorthaired Pointer – Ch. Kan-Point’s VJK Autumn Roses (aka:”Carlee”)
2004: Newfoundland – Ch. Darbydale’s All Rise Pouch Cove (aka:”Josh”)
2003: Kerry Blue Terrier – Ch. Torums Scarf Michael (aka:”Mick”)
2002: Miniature Poodle – Ch. Surrey Spice Girl (aka:”Spice”)
2001: Bichon Frise – Ch. Special Times Just Right (aka:”J.R.”)
2000: English Springer Spaniel – Ch. Salilyn ‘N Erin’s Shameless (aka:”Samantha”)
1999: Papillon – Ch. Loteki Supernatural Being (aka:”Kirby”)
1998: Norwich Terrier – Ch. Fairewood Frolic (aka:”Rocki”)
1997: Standard Schnauzer – Ch. Parsifal Di Casa Netzer
1996: Clumber Spaniel – Ch. Clussexx Country Sunrise (aka: “Brady”)
1995: Scottish Terrier – Ch. Gaelforce Post Script (aka:”Peggy Sue”)
1994: Norwich Terrier – Ch. Chidley Willum The Conqueror (aka: “Willum”)
1993: English Springer Spaniel – Ch. Salilyn’s Condor (aka: “Robert”)
1992: Wire Fox Terrier – Ch. Registry’s Lonesome Dove (aka: “Lacey”)
1991: Standard Poodle – Ch. Whisperwind On A Carousel (aka: “Peter”)
1990: Pekingese – Ch. Wendessa Crown Prince (aka: “Prince”)
* * COMPLETE EVENT SCHEDULE * *
Meet & Compete Featuring the Masters Agility Championship
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2019
All Daytime session will take place at Piers 92/94 and evening session will take place at Pier 94 (711 12th Ave. at 55th St. & West Side Highway).
— Meet & Compete
———— AKC Meet the Breeds (10 am-5 pm)
— Masters Agility Championship
———— Agility Preliminaries (8 am – 4 pm)
———— Agility Finals (7 pm – 9 pm)
» For more information, read “Agility 101“
* * * * * * *
Masters Obedience Championship
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2019
Event will take place at Pier 94 (711 12th Ave. at 55th St. & West Side Highway).
— Daytime Session (8 am – 4:30 pm)
» For more information, read “Obedience 101“
* * * * * * *
143rd WKC Dog Show
* Daytime Sessions will take place at The Piers 92/94 (711 12th Ave. at 55th St. & West Side Highway).
* Evening Sessions will take place at Madison Square Garden (West 33rd St. & 7th Ave)
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2019
— Daytime Session (8 am – 4:30 pm)
———— Breed Judging across Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding groups
———— Junior Showmanship preliminaries
» For more information, read “Junior Showmanship 101“
— Dog Show 101 (12pm- 1pm)
———— Pier 94, Ring 10 –
» Read more.. “Dog Show 101“
— Evening Session (7:30 pm – 11:30 pm)
Doors open at 6 pm for Best of Breed benching area
———— Group Judging across Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding groups (begins at 7:30 pm)
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019
— Daytime Session (8 am – 4:30 pm)
———— Breed Judging across Sporting, Working and Terrier groups
———— Junior Showmanship preliminaries
— Dog Show 101 Presentation (12pm- 1pm)
———— Pier 94, Ring 10
— Evening Session (7 pm – 11:30 pm)
Doors open at 6 pm for Best of Breed benching area
———— Junior Showmanship Finals (begins at 7:00 pm)
———— Group Judging across Sporting, Working and Terrier groups (begins at 7:30 pm)
———— BEST IN SHOW!
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Two New Breeds to Debut at 2019 Westminster Kennel Club and Dog Show [dogshowconfidential.com]
Westminster 2018 Wrap-up; Flynn with the Win! [dogshowconfidential.com]
Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show [wikipedia.org]
The Colorful History Of America’s Dog Show [westminsterkennelclub.org]
Retro Dogs: A Visual History Of The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show [akc.org]
Official list of all American Kennel Club dog breeds [akc.org]
the Win! [dogshowconfidential.com]
List of Best in Show winners of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show [wikipedia.org]