Protecting The Westminster Silver

By Amy Fernandez

Yes, we’re a few years removed from breed judging being held at Madison Square Garden, but Westminster’s innovative split venue format remains a work in progress. Most of the big logistical issues have gradually settled into a workable groove such as organizing the rings and benching space into some semblance of exhibitor convenience. For the most part, benching and breed judging matched up on one pier or the other. That diminished some of the tension for exhibitors. On the other hand, the crosstown bus ride still takes forever. Unfortunately, that’s never gonna change. Westminster can’t do much about NYC traffic. They could, however, do plenty about the horrifying loading zone in front of the piers. Once again it was a non-stop mess with exhibitors dodging a constant snarl of taxis, buses and Ubers while hauling their dogs and equipment into the building.

It’s not good but the bus drivers and security personnel deserve a lot of credit for minimizing the mayhem. Rather than barking orders and stressing about who was going in the out door, they knew the drill. Unlike past years, there seemed to be an organized management strategy directing the chaotic flow of dogs, equipment, and confused spectators.

Once you ran the gauntlet to get into the show, it was definitely a streamlined exhibitor experience with the stepped up security measures which were much in evidence. There were metal detectors, bag checks, and security guards conspicuously posted throughout the venue.

They definitely weren’t taking any chances with the James Mortimer Memorial Trophy. Although this has been a standard bit of Westminster gear for a century, the club made it a full-on feature of the show this year complete with pedestal, plaque, glass case and a personal guard. That was Miguel’s job. It was also his first dog show. He’s worked for this security firm for five years (pays his bills for the nursing degree he is pursuing) but this was his first dog show. He’s the first to say he’s no dog lover. Maybe he had no interest in how the game worked, but he had to admit he was surprised and impressed by the intensity of the crowd. Jumping, cheering, screaming- never any doubt when a big win went down.  And what did he think of the fabulous Mortimer Trophy?

It’s worth about $7000, consisting of 20 pounds of silver and standing almost two feet tall. It’s hard to imagine the possibility of sticking that under your coat and walking off with it. But hey, Miguel was assigned to guard it and he was on the spot from 6:00 AM to 4:00 PM. That’s a lotta hours staring at this big, glossy commemoration to the glory of James Mortimer. Was he curious?

So, I filled him in. Jim Mortimer deserves credit for turning dog shows into a financially lucrative proposition. He was a breeder, exhibitor, kennel manager, handler, broker, judge, and most prominently Westminster’s superintendent from 1885 to 1915. After arriving from England in 1877, he didn’t so much ascend through the ranks as blast to the top, quickly becoming an influential presence in both Westminster and AKC. The power invested in this multifaceted job was more than a template for an evolving vocation; it was an open invitation to self-serving careerism. He had an agenda and it got him on the wrong side of AKC more than once. But he made it work.

Looking around there today, Miguel had to agree. Mortimer woulda loved it.

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Posted by chesliepickett on Feb 15 2018. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.