The Big E – Electric!!!

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424 – February, 2026

By Elaine Lessig

Long before there was electricity, there was a Westminster Kennel Club. It’s interesting to discover how it all began. A group of gentlemen gathered regularly to brag about their hunting skills at the bar in the Westminster Hotel located in Manhattan, New York. What they had in common was the pleasure of taking their dogs into the field to hunt and shoot, the spirited conversations which followed, and the opportunity to enjoy their drink as well. What ensued was the Westminster Kennel Club, established in 1877 by this group of stalwarts who turned the name of their bar into a legend.

I remember my first trip to Westminster. In 1987 my husband and I purchased a sweet tricolor Cavalier King Charles Spaniel whom we named Sophie. She was our first purebred dog, bought as a pet. To say she was adored is not to say enough. As they should be, Sophie was a true companion. I had no idea, at that time, about dog shows other than watching the Westminster Kennel Club show on television each February. Eventually, I figured it out. Then in February of 1988–along with a friend who owned a Landseer Newfoundland–we bought tickets to go to Manhattan for the daytime judging.

Living in southern New Jersey at that time, we could get on a bus which went directly into the Port Authority Bus Terminal and would take us home, too. The next year, we bought tickets for both daytime shows. The daytime activities were still at Madison Square Garden at that time. Seeing all the breeds over two days was a real treat. Looking down at the rings to see the dogs compete was thrilling. The Garden was a wonderland of vendors, too. The isles were full all the time. The ladies’ rooms were notorious for their never-ending, long lines.

Click here to read the complete article
424 – February, 2026

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