There is no other dog show in the world like The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Take a look back in your own life. How did you discover this iconic event? For me, it was a yearly ritual growing up as an only child. My parents and I would gather with tremendous excitement in front of the television. The three of us would cheer on our favorites, and I would beg to stay up late to watch who would be Best in Show. If I was told it was time for bed, I’d sneak into the living room and hide under the coffee table to watch it all.
We always had animals, and always obtained our purebred dogs from reputable preservation breeders. We never attended a dog show in person, or had knowledge of such events, but we knew WKC was the most prestigious event in the country. Our family, in our wildest dreams, never thought we would own a champion or participate in the crème de la crème of dog shows.
My mother and I went on a vacation to France. In Paris, at the Eiffel Tower, my mother said with excitement, “Look over there!” All I saw was a group of gargoyles with legs. So, I responded, “What are those, dogs?” My mother replied, “Let’s go meet those people and their dogs.” Then she shockingly announced that my dream is to own an American Kennel Club Champion and go to WKC with a brindle female French Bulldog. I was shocked, to say the very least, but that’s what we did.
My mother proposed that I was to find this Frenchie, learn how to show her, obtain a championship, and go to Westminster. I was to do all the work, and she would cheer and hold the awards. We would travel the world with the Frenchie, stay at luxurious accommodations, and have glorious adventures at WKC. This was all a shock to my father when we returned home.
So my task started, but many of the people I contacted about this dream shrugged us off, or never returned emails or calls when I announced our plans. French Bulldogs were more of a rare breed then. One woman, Karen Fore of Fancibul French Bulldogs, believed and trusted us, though it came to pass that my mother died suddenly, not ever to see her Frenchie pup. However, my dad said, “Live your mother’s dream.”
I grabbed any book, joined my local breed club, went to classes, and attended our first dog show having no idea about where to go, grooming, points, etc. Our little Frenchie earned first place (the only one in her class) and I shrieked, “She’s a champion, we are going to Westminster!” The exhibitors and the judge just watched with jaws wide open. When I realized how many mistakes I’d made, a professional handler, Polly Lamarine, saw my struggle and mentored me. I was embarrassed, and begged her to show our little Frenchie “Sweetums.” She refused and said, “You need to learn to do this yourself, so stay all day and watch.” So, it came to pass that Sweetums finished her championship before I knew what points were, and Polly helped to guide us into our first Westminster entry at Madison Square Garden.
Those were the days of strict entry limits, multiple entry forms submitted, and snail mail. It was a miracle we were accepted. The excitement was mind blowing! I hired a detail officer to guard Sweetums, and that year there was a record entry and record crowds. I did not understand benching at all, but with the support of my friend Jan Worthington who made a “dogumentary” of our experience, we somehow managed. It took longer than a half hour to get to our ring from the benching, with Sweetums carried above my head so that she wouldn’t be stepped on. Hands reached out to pat her as we pressed onward. Sweetums was treated like a rockstar!
I was a wreck, but I was just thrilled to be there. As the judge, Edd Bivin, checked us in, he held up my number 5. I said, “Oh, I’m number 5.” He looked sternly at me and asked, “Why didn’t you pick up this number?” My reply was that I thought he knew I was there, since my number 5 was on the bench. Then the handlers started to chuckle. Judge Bivin gently asked if it was my first time at WKC. I whispered, “yes” and apologized. I was incredibly embarrassed and devastated that I was so ignorant. He then turned to the rest of the entry and said, “All of you, stop that behavior. Everyone here has had a first time.” He continued, “Congratulations, young lady, now let’s get on with Breed judging.” Sweetums was judged as if she was the best French Bulldog he had ever laid eyes on. I will be forever grateful that this judge made my first experience at WKC so wonderful.
I thought that Westminster was to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but it is now our annual goal. Each year we are tremendously excited. Now we are generations away from our first champion and have competed at Madison Square Garden, The Piers, Tarrytown, Arthur Ashe Stadium, and now the Javits Center. We’ve stayed in many hotels, but the Hotel Pennsylvania was an experience, to say the very least. The Helmsley was magnificent. The New Yorker. I’ll never forget those experiences. They are just a few of the hot spots where we have stayed—and then—whoosh over to MSG for Group judging and Best in Show. We worry about feeding ourselves “din din” AFTERWARDS.
The year the pandemic struck, we had NO IDEA what was coming. Westminster was held at Piers 92 & 94, and we took the shuttle bus from the hotel to The Piers. This was an adventure in itself! It was like The Muppet Show, with a bus full of all breeds, people, and gear. Never mind having to line up for the shuttle buses to leave after we were released from the benching. The crowds were slight that year and the vibe was tense, but my friend Irene came from England to show at WKC, since it was on her bucket list. I managed to get two Frenchies accepted, and we had an absolute blast.
Westminster then moved to Tarrytown, New York, which is my second-favorite location. The grounds at Lyndhurst are so elegant, though no one knew if the event would be held that year. Proof of COVID vaccinations, masking, etc., were needed, and there were long lines of traffic at the entrance. But the show was so gorgeous and worth every second. The weather was wonderful and the bathroom, with a powder area, wooden walls, flowers, mirrors, etc., in a truck body, was just incredible! The air-conditioned tent for Group and Best in Show was amazing too. So massive. So special. And the town and businesses were so welcoming to dogs and WKC people. The entire experience was a time to put aside the concerns of COVID, and WKC actually helped to take us beyond the pandemic that year.
We were also at WKC for the first live stream of Breed judging on the Internet. To have this option, for those unable to attend (breed enthusiasts, friends, family, and the public), is a huge asset. At the time, I said, “Uh oh, now I really need to get myself looking more presentable.” Hence, I started wearing a hat, since, if I have multiple dogs, I don’t have the time to fix my own hair!
Weather, of course, adds to the stress and anxiety. We are fortunate to live in New England, though we have missed the show twice due to blizzards. Devastating. Unless you’re in it, you have no idea how much hard work is behind it all to get to Westminster. Behind the scenes, there are litters born, elder dogs, full-time jobs, someone to watch the dogs left at home, money, etc. The people who help out are the unsung heroes and the key to attending WKC, and my dog sitter Kate trudges through the snow with the dogs back home. This year, as in the past, our dear friend Joan carried our gear and put up with me not locating the entrance to the Javits Center, not finding the parking garage, and getting lost. I’m thankful for having dear friends and a support team.
Some of us who go to Westminster have a love/hate relationship with the show. If we don’t stay in Manhattan, we must drive to and from in one day. For WKC to be held all day makes for a very long and exhausting dog show. But, I love it. It is history and tradition. We get to see dogs of interest in person and we get to see other breeds. It’s a time when I see people and friends once a year, and we “talk shop” by sharing knowledge. We interact with the inquisitive public too, which is important, especially now with French Bulldogs being so popular. My dogs love the attention, and I always allow them to be held, with supervision, of course. I explain about the Breed Standard, the joys of owning a purebred, and how to obtain a quality dog. It’s one of my favorite things when attending WKC.
For us, Westminster is all about connecting and reconnecting. To share the experience with people who dream of it, like my mother, gives me such great happiness. My parents may not have lived to see the dream of watching us compete at The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, but I’m living what they dreamed of years ago. Westminster is, and always will be, the ultimate in dog show experiences. Can’t wait for the 151st!
