It’s still not Madison Square Garden, but at least the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is back in New York City.
Just 7 train rides from Midtown, world champion dogs invaded the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens this weekend to celebrate the 147th edition of the competition, which organizers say is the second oldest continuously held sporting event in the United States is. The very good dogs (they are all very good dogs) competed in agility and obedience championships over the weekend before moving on to two days of judging to determine the best of each breed and group and of course the best of the show who be judged Tuesday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Once a staple of the garden, the show, like the rest of the world, has been thoroughly derailed by the coronavirus pandemic. The last two competitions that experienced delays were held at Lyndhurst, an estate in Tarrytown, New York. While the shows took away some of the live experience, they were still huge spectacles on TV and online, with Wasabi the Pekingese winning best show in 2021 and Trumpet the Bloodhound taking first place in 2022.
This year fans should be there more often as the show gets a little bit closer to what people are expecting. But first the dogs had to get ready.
In an embarrassing faux pas, all seven of these Dalmatians reported to a competition day in the same outfit.
You might also be a little grumpy after spending so much time being groomed.
Huge crowds flock to the US Open each year to watch people chase tennis balls. Throwing away a few during Westminster could yield some exciting results.
Spectators would do well to invest in binoculars when the smaller breeds, like Pomeranians, are showing their stuff.
Custom dog bags are good signs you’re not at the US Open. (No, they didn’t have dogs in them.)
Actually, all of these outfits and accessories would probably work well at the Open.
Something is wrong with this mirror.
There is concentration and then there is Peggy Beisel-McIlwaine, judging for the eighth time at Westminster, walking over a group of collies.
The calm before the storm.