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Ryan Lee Horvath shares his experience judging at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show and insights on various breeds.
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Ryan Lee Horvath: To say I was thrilled to open my invitation to judge at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is an understatement. Having been involved in various capacities in the sport for the past 30 years, WKC has played a part for the majority of my life. Watching the show live on TV as a child, I could have never thought I’d be chosen to judge at this prestigious event. It was a real treat to officiate not only my breed, Dachshunds, but to be honored to judge both Basset Hounds and Beagles as well. The cherry on top was having the show return to its home in Manhattan. It was truly an epic feat for the show to find its way back to the city. Kudos to Dr. Donald Sturz and all involved in pulling it off with tremendous success!
Ryan Lee Horvath: I was pleased with the overall quality of my entry across the breeds I judged, something one would expect at a show of this caliber. My Beagle entry had an exceptional depth of quality. Solid dogs, big for their inches, were apparent in the overall entry. My winners were the complete package; pleading expression, showed themselves to their best, and rose above to win their Varieties. The Basset Hound entry had the overall appropriate silhouette you would want to see for the breed; head carried with confidence, level toplines, and gaily carried tails. Unfortunately, there were some exhibits with steep shoulders, elbows that were not set close and therefore exerted more effort than desirable on the move, which would ultimately inhibit their ability to work in the field. Again, my Breed winner rose to the top with overall balance on the stack and in motion, and typey head and expression.
I’m hard-pressed to find a breed that exceeds the mild and endearing temperament than a Basset Hound! My Dachshund entry had a nice depth of quality. The overall appearance and balance of the breed was exceptional. There were very few exhibits that lacked type and I was pleased to see that the length of ears that frame the face has improved. As has been the case in Dachshunds, short upper arms and short keels continue to plague the breed. Some fronts did not display the proper wrap-around front that is typical for the breed. I was pleased to see an improvement in sickle hocks, with dogs that were better able to move with balance in reach and drive. My overall winners were successful, as they displayed proper breed type, were balanced, and handled the ring with the confidence that the breed must possess.
Ryan Lee Horvath: Having The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show back to its original February date makes it an ideal time for exhibits to both start a show career or end their career on the green carpet. It was heartening to see such depth of quality in not only the breeds I officiated over but in the overall entry within the Groups. It appears that 2025 will be a great year for many breeds, and kudos go to the dedicated breeders who continually evaluate their lines with the goal of striving to produce that perfect puppy!
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Sharon Ann Redmer reflects on judging Herding breeds at Westminster 2026, highlighting breed function, type, and standout winners.
