A viewer’s guide to the Westminster Dog Show
If you are going to watch Westminster tonight, be aware that USA Network will carry the first hour at 8 pm (ET) and then the coverage switches to CNBC so USA can show their regularly scheduled wrestling. (You don’t have to guess what I think about that! But, my significant other is a big wrestling fan, so he thought it made sense. USA is the number 1 cable network and wrestling is their top-rated show, so they didn’t want to take it off the air, even for one night, to show Westminster — even though Westminster is one of their highest-rated specials of the year and they’ve been showing it for years.) Tuesday night the entire broadcast will be back on USA.
If, like many dog show people, you want to see more than just the Group judging, you can go to the Westminster Kennel Club web site and watch the breed judging all day today and tomorrow. They have streaming video online. The video is available for each breed within about two hours after judging for a breed is completed. There’s no sound or commentary, just footage of the dogs being judged. They did this for the first time a year or two ago and it’s been a big hit, getting millions of hits. (Check the system requirements to make sure it will work with your computer. I have a Mac and no Media Player, so it wouldn’t work the first year for me. But it works now.) Watching the breed judging is wonderful if you’re a fan of a particular breed. I think it helps a lot of people understand how the dogs get to the Group judging they see on TV.
You can also download a judging schedule to see what time breeds are being judged, as well as breed results as they become available. And here’s the list of 2008 Breed Entries, by Group.
Good luck to everyone showing at Westminster! And, happy viewing to the rest of us. I’d love for you to post your comments about the show, either here or over on our CoolDog Forum. Let us know who you like and who you think will win it all.
From the Allentown Morning Call, which has had some great coverage leading up to Westminster this year. Pennsylvania is traditionally a strong state for dog show addicts, but I didn’t know there were so many in the Allentown area.
A viewer’s guide to the Westminster Dog Show
By Karen Steinrock
February 8, 2008
Just eight days after the most exciting Super Bowl in years, the canine equivalent hits Madison Square Garden. The 132nd Westminster Kennel Club dog show kicks off Monday morning, with 2,500 champion dogs representing 169 breeds vying for top dog status at the world’s most prestigious dog show.
As the field narrows Monday and Tuesday, one lucky dog will be crowned Best in Show Tuesday evening, launching both dog and owner to instant fame.
I’ve attended Westminster three times wearing various hats (spectator, exhibitor, press corps), so I have some inside scoop that may make the televised coverage a bit more interesting and understandable.
Once upon a time, Westminster was the only dog show on TV. Now, flip the channel to Animal Planet or ESPN on any given weekend and you’ll find a dog show, many of which are repeated several times. The odd timing of last week’s taped broadcast of the AKC Eukanuba National Championship (from December), is a classic example. It’s confusing.
Competition for viewers may have weakened Westminster’s significance in the eyes of the public, but never in the dog show subculture. It’s THE show to win and everyone whose anyone in the show dog world is there.
What’s New: Televised coverage has changed a bit this year. The order of breed and group judging switched days. Hound, terrier, non-sporting and herding dogs now strut their stuff Monday, followed by sporting, working and toy breeds on Tuesday. Best of breed winners from the day’s judging compete in the televised group competition both nights 8 to 11 p.m. (see details box).
Four newly recognized breeds make their debut at this year’s show, including the Swedish Vallhund and Beauceron (herding), Tibetan Mastiff (working) and Plott (hound). Total number of entries is 2,627 dogs representing 48 states, the district of Columbia and six foreign countries (127 of those entries are junior showmanship competitors, which do not compete in breed).
Labrador retrievers boast the highest entry with 51 dogs. Other large entries include 40 German shorthaired pointers, 37 pugs, 36 golden retrievers, and Rhodesian ridgebacks, Cavalier King Charles spaniels, French bulldogs and Australian shepherds with 35 entries each. Best of breed winners from these classes really earned their spot on the carpet, believe me.
Results from breed judging will be posted on westminsterkennelclub.org within two hours of judging both days, so you can follow your favorite breed, dog or exhibitor throughout the day Monday and Tuesday.
How dogs are judged: The distinguished judges you see were carefully chosen for this prestigious assignment, all highly experienced and knowledgeable of the breeds they adjudicate.
Each dog is evaluated for structure, type and movement, according to breed written standards. This begins with a hands-on examination of teeth, head carriage, body mass, muscling and coat, followed by a straight up and back, then side view, of the dog’s gait to assure soundness and suitability of that dog to perform its task.
Gaits vary widely among breeds, some showier than others, but all serve a purpose. A standard poodle, for example, is breathtaking at a full trot, compared to a lumbering English bulldog, yet they compete in the same group. Hardly seems fair, but the bulldog’s job is every bit as important. The judges’ keenly trained eyes mark those distinctions. Or so we hope.
At this level, showmanship can make all the difference. A dog with sparkle, or the ”it” factor has a definite leg up on the competition. The best handlers know what buttons to press to get ”it,” so masterful and fluid in their movements, you can’t take your eyes off the dog. It’s an art.
After fighting traffic and stifling crowds at the Garden three times, I’m happy to enjoy the show at home, furries at my feet. I think we all imagine our dogs strutting down that famous green carpet someday, but that’s pride more than desire. Sometimes there’s no place like home. Enjoy the show!
Karen Steinrock is a writer based in Grantham, Cumberland County. Readers may send questions or comments to ksteinrock@comcast.net or P.O. Box 306, Grantham, PA 17027. Please include hometown and phone number.
