Today is Day 1 of the storied Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, held Feb. 11-12, 2013, in New York City.
Pets Adviser’s Dave Baker and Kristine Lacoste are blogging occasional updates throughout the day. So keep checking this page for the latest news, photos and videos from Westminster.
Live Blog: Westminster Day 1 — Monday
8:04 am
We’re just getting set up here at Piers 92/94 in New York City. This year’s dog show is being split into two different venues, with Piers 92/94 being the daytime site — and then in the evening, the whole show picks up and moves across town to Madison Square Garden, the usual location.
Last year was so frantic and chaotic because the show was crammed into an under-renovation MSG. Now we’ve got a lot more room, but will confusion still reign because of the dueling locations? We’ll see, but so far so good. —Dave
9:11 am
Here’s what the view looks like from the press room at Pier 92, where the pugs were being judged a few moments ago. —Kristine
9:29 am
Coming up at 10 is a matchup I’ve been looking forward to seeing: the affenpinschers. Favorite GCH CH Banana Joe V Tani Kazari, “Joey,” will be looking to kick off a line of victories on the way to Best of Group tonight. This is the first step. Last year Joey lost out in Best of Group (Toy) to the pekingese, Malachy, who went on to win the whole darn show. —Dave
10:11 am
And Joey gets the affenpinscher win. We’ve got video:
—Kristine
10:45 am
We have some official results:
Pekingese: Ch Yakee Easily Persuaded
Pug: GCH Hill Country’s Tag I’m It
Rhodesian Ridgeback: GCH Whirlaways Ida Belle’s A Ringing
Tibetan Terrier: GCH Ri Lee’s Stellar Performance
Shar-Pei: GCH Shine’s Deck The Halls
Boston Terrier: Katbird’s Evolution Matters At Kayas
—Dave
11:15 am
Jason
Seventeen-year-old Cailyn Bowen didn’t expect to be at Westminster. The junior handler acquired Shetland sheepdog “Jason” at 8 months old and was told the dog wouldn’t show well. Fast forward to 2013 and Jason, aka Mistybrook’s Time for the Blues, is now a champion and competing on the green. When asked if she was nervous she replied, “Yes, very nervous!” —Kristine
11:20 am
I’m standing ringside for the Havanese judging for Best in Group. Two things of note: (1) Ernesto Lara, the handler for “Joey” the affenpinscher who won earlier today, is now showing the Havanese GCH Marcosa’s Bachelor Button; and (2) the Havanese CH Marcosa’s Always Watching You was spotted “vacating” on the turf as the dogs were being lined up.
The handler, a young woman, handled the potentially embarrassing snafu with dignity and grace, quickly scooping up the offending poop with a plastic grocery bag and handing it off to a friend on the other side of the velvet rope — seemingly without blinking an eye. —Dave
11:53 am
These two Chinese Crested dogs were playing in the benching area while waiting for their turns in the show ring. Betty Lou Scott, who came to the show from Hawaii with grand champion Aloha’s Bare Bones “Bones” was chatting with Owen Olsen when his dog, Gingery’s Wolverine “Wolfie” tried to engage in some playtime. —Kristine
12:19 pm
Emry
Rounding the corner in the benching area, I ran into Tammie Wilcox from Tacoma, Washington, grooming a contented Havanese, GCH Bellesteven ‘Sun’s Emry, aka “Emry.”
She was struggling with the dim lighting that made it difficult for grooming, which was quickly agreed by her neighbor Ellen Perry.
Perry jokingly asked a passing photographer if he could illuminate his camera flash while she scissored a Bichon Frise named “Governor,” aka GCH Glenleigh Gangs and Roses.
Also with Perry, who traveled from Franklin, Tennessee, was “Beaudreaux,” aka GCH Fenice Le Beaudreaux. She held him while proudly declaring that he was the #1 Papillon in the country.
Ellen Perry with Beaudreaux and Governor
—Kristine
12:42 pm
We have some more official results:
Hound
Basenji: GCH Jasiri-Sukari Win Tin Tin
Greyhound: GCH Epic Impassioned
Norwegian Elkhound: GCH Daggarwoods Bjorn Star
Otterhound: GCH Aberdeens Under The Influence
Toy
Affenpinscher: GCH Banana Joe V Tani Kazari
Brussels Griffon: Ch Paragons Sharp Dressed Man At Greengates
Chihuahua (Smooth): Ch Sandy’s Babes Tradewinds As Ever
Italian Greyhound: GCH Deerfield’s Jackson Cage
Manchester Terrier (Toy): Ch Burmack’s Highlander At Chesterfield
Poodle (Toy): GCH Donnchada Angel Wings At Dulcinea
Silky Terrier: GCH Snow Glen’s Tesoro Cover Story
Non-sporting
Chow Chow: GCH Padow’s Twilight Embrey In A New Moon At Asans
Dalmatian: GCH Spotlights Ruffian
French Bulldog: GCH Bandog Bayou’s The Warrior
Keeshond: GCH Shainakees Abundant Asset Is Mercy
Poodle (Miniature): GCH Surrey Sugar Baby
Poodle (Standard): GCH Brighton Lakeridge Encore
Shiba Inu: GCH Lee-Fen’s An Everlasting Love
Xoloitzcuintli: GCH Bayshore Georgio Armani
Herding
Australian Shepherd: GCH Woodstock’s Belle Starr
Belgian Malinois: GCH How Sweet It Is De Burr Oak PT
Belgian Sheepdog: GCH Sans Brancos Stunned At Kindred
Belgian Tervuren: GCH Hillside Special and Hamazing
Border Collie: GCH Borderfame Signature
Collie (Smooth): GCH Ceilidh’s Deep River Haute Couture
Finnish Lapphund: GCH Yutori’s Shades Of Autumn
Icelandic Sheepdog: GCH Bjarkarkots Hroi Hottur Luke MX AXJ OF
Norwegian Buhund: GCH Trollheimen Kiss My Cash
Full breed results from Day 1 of Westminster: http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org/bob.php?year=2013&day=1
—Dave
1:04 pm
Here’s a rear shot of a Bichon Frise, showing the tail taped up at a grooming station. Whatever it takes to keep that tail out of trouble, right? —Dave
1:25 pm
Watch as this pooch is prettied up with the help of a blow dryer:
—Dave
2:45 pm
Lunch break! And some down time. Live-blog over and out.
We’ll be back late tonight with more photos and videos from Westminster.
—Dave
1:18 am (Tuesday)
Are we crazy for being up this late? (And to think we have to be back at Westminster again in seven hours.)
We are putting together a photo gallery from Day 1, but in the meantime, I wanted to share this video of the affenpinscher known as Joey / Banana Joe. This was backstage during preparations for the Best of Group competition, which Joey won:
2:03 am (Tuesday)
One more thing! This video of the Ibizan hound goes out to Sandra Lawson and Crystal Beck:
—Dave
