The Westminster Kennel Club Announces Dates, Venues, & Judging Panel For Its Milestone 150th Anniversary Show

Today, The Westminster Kennel Club announced details for the highly-anticipated milestone 150th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show presented by Purina Pro Plan. Judging for the historic sesquicentennial event will be held on the evenings of February 2-3 at Madison Square Garden, with breed competitions taking place earlier in the day at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The agility competition will electrify the Javits Center on January 31. The Best in Show champion will be crowned at New York City’s iconic Madison Square Garden, the original home of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, on February 3 and will be judged by Westminster Best in Show-winning breeder-owner-handler David Fitzpatrick. Tickets for all events at both Madison Square Garden and the Javits Center are on sale now through westminsterkennelclub.org.

“The 150th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is going to be an incredible celebration not only of the world’s top canines, but also of the rich role this iconic event has played in world history along the way,” said Dr. Donald Sturz, President of The Westminster Kennel Club. “No matter what was happening in society, even amid challenging times, the world’s greatest dog show always persevered. This year’s event will celebrate and pay tribute to the universal love of dogs and the many generations who have shaped what the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is today.” The 150th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show judging panel represents a variety of excellence in the sport, featuring world-class breeders, leading handlers, and historic winners from all over the globe.

Two-time Best in Show-winning Pekingese breeder-owner-handler David Fitzpatrick of East Berlin, PA will serve as Best in Show judge in this milestone year. He won Best in Show in 2012 with Malachy, and again in 2021 with Wasabi. Over the years, several of his dogs have also won multiple groups and Reserve Best in Show at Westminster.

Seven highly respected group judges will make their selections over two nights at Madison Square Garden, with their winning dogs advancing to the Best in Show competition.

Monday, February 2, 2026

• Michael Canalizo of Mill Neck, NY will judge the Hound Group.

• Charlotte Patterson of Destin, FL will judge the Toy Group.

• Eugene Blake of Tulsa, OK will judge the Non-Sporting Group.

• Sheree Moses Combs of Wardensville, WV will judge the Herding Group.

Tuesday, February 3, 2026

• Douglas Johnson of Bloomington, IN will judge the Sporting Group.

• Sioux Forsyth-Green of Pinehurst, NC will judge the Working Group.

• Polly Smith of St. Stephens Church, VA will judge the Terrier Group.

The finals for the 92nd Annual Junior Showmanship competition at Westminster, which highlights and supports the dedicated youth in the sport of dogs, will be held on Tuesday, February 3 at Madison Square Garden. The Junior Showmanship Finals judge Michael Faulkner of Center Cross, VA will name the Best Junior Handler. The eight junior showmanship finalists will be determined in preliminary rounds by judges Jason Hoke of Madison, WI, and Valerie Nunes Atkinson of Temecula, CA.

Hound Breeds Judges:

Mrs. Denise Flaim: Black and Tan Coonhounds, Bloodhounds, Bluetick Coonhounds, English Foxhounds, Harriers, Irish Wolfhounds, Norwegian Elkhounds, Otterhounds.

Mr. David Miller: American English Coonhounds, American Foxhounds, Azawakhs, Basenjis, Cirnechi dell’Etna, Pharaoh Hounds, Plotts, Portuguese Podengo Pequenos, Redbone Coonhounds, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Salukis, Sloughis, Treeing Walker Coonhounds.

Mr. Gavin Robertson: Basset Hounds, Beagles (both Varieties), Grand Basset Griffon Vendéens, Petit Basset Griffon Vendéens.

Ms. Patricia Trotter: Dachshunds (all Varieties).

Mr. Raymond Yurick: Afghan Hounds, Borzois, Greyhounds, Ibizan Hounds, Scottish Deerhounds, Whippets.

Toy Breeds Judges:

Mr. Timothy Brazier: Toy Poodles.

Mrs. Connie Clark: Chihuahuas (both Varieties), Chinese Cresteds, Havanese, Italian Greyhounds, Japanese Chin, Maltese, Miniature Pinschers.

Dr. Ian Howell Gabriel: Pekingese, Toy Manchester Terriers.

Mr. George Milutinovich: Brussels Griffons, Pomeranians, Shih Tzu, Silky Terriers, Toy Fox Terriers.

Ms. Patricia Proctor: Affenpinschers, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, English Toy Spaniels (both Varieties), Papillons, Pugs, Russian Toys, Yorkshire Terriers.

Mr. Ekarat Sangkunakup: Biewer Terriers.

Non-Sporting Breeds Judges:

Mr. Timothy Brazier: Miniature Poodles, Standard Poodles.

Ms. Edna Gonzalez: American Eskimo Dogs, Cotons de Tulear, Dalmatians, Finnish Spitz, Keeshonden, Lowchen, Norwegian Lundehunds, Schipperkes, Shiba Inu, Tibetan Spaniels, Xoloitzcuintlis.

Mr. George Milutinovich: Bichon Frises, Boston Terriers, Bulldogs.

Mr. Ekarat Sangkunakup: Chinese Shar-Pei, Chow Chows, French Bulldogs, Lhasa Apsos, Tibetan Terriers.

Herding Breeds Judges:

Mr. Thomas Coen: Australian Cattle Dogs, Bearded Collies, Bouvier des Flanders, Icelandic Sheepdogs, Miniature American Shepherds, Mudik, Norwegian Buhunds, Shetland Sheepdogs.

Dr. Ian Howell Gabriel: Lancashire Heelers.

Mrs. Sharon Ann Redmer: Beaucerons, Belgian Laekenois, Belgian Malinois, Belgian Sheepdogs, Belgian Tervuren, Bergamasco Sheepdogs, Berger Picards, Spanish Water Dogs, Swedish Vallhunds.

Mr. Joseph Reno: Border Collies, Briards, Canaan Dogs, Collies (both Varieties), Entlebucher Mountain Dogs, Finnish Lapphunds, Polish Lowland Sheepdogs, Pumi, Pyrenean Shepherds.

Mr. Channing Sheets: Australian Shepherds, Cardigan Welsh Corgis, German Shepherd Dogs, Old English Sheepdogs, Pembroke Welsh Corgis, Pulik.

Sporting Breeds Judges:

Mr. Tyron Atkinson: Pointers, German Shorthaired Pointers, English Setters, Gordon Setters, Irish Red and White Setters.

Mr. Jose M. Doval: Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers.

Mr. Edmund Dziuk: Barbets, Brittanys, Lagotti Romagnoli, American Water Spaniels, Boykin Spaniels, English Springer Spaniels, Field Spaniels, Irish Water Spaniels, Sussex Spaniels, Spinoni Italiani, Vizslas, Wirehaired Pointing Griffons.

Mr. Gavin Robertson: German Wirehaired Pointers, Clumber Spaniels, English Cocker Spaniels, Welsh Springer Spaniels, Weirmaraners, Wirehaired Vizslas.

Mrs. Cindy Vogels: Bracco Italiano, Nederlandse Kooikerhondjes, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Curly-Coated Retrievers, Flat-Coated Retrievers, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers, Cocker (ASCOB) Spaniels, Cocker (Black) Spaniels, Cocker (Parti) Spaniels, Irish Setters.

Working Breeds Judges:

Ms. Judy A. Harrington: Anatolian Shepherd Dogs, Great Danes, Komondorok, Kuvaszok, Leonbergers, Mastiffs, Newfoundlands, Portuguese Water Dogs, Standard Schnauzers.

Mrs. Sandra Pretari Hickson: Akitas, Black Russian Terriers, Boxers, Bullmastiffs, Chinooks, Dogos Argentinos, Dogues de Bordeaux, German Pinschers, Giant Schnauzers.

Mrs. Faye Strauss: Bernese Mountain Dogs, Danish-Swedish Farmdogs, Rottweilers, Saint Bernards, Samoyeds, Siberian Huskies, Tibetan Mastiffs.

Mr. Adrian W. Woodfork: Alaskan Malamutes, Boerboels, Cane Corsos, Doberman Pinschers, Great Pyrenees, Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, Neapolitan Mastiffs.

Terrier Breeds Judges:

Dr. Ian Howell Gabriel: Border Terriers, Dandie Dinmont Terriers, Fox Terriers (smooth), Fox Terrier (Wire), Norfolk Terriers, Norwich Terriers, Sealyham Terriers, Standard Manchester Terriers.

Mrs. Rosalind Kramer: Airedale Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Bull Terriers (both Varieties), Irish Terriers, Kerry Blue Terriers, Lakeland Terriers, Miniature Bull Terriers, Parson Russell Terriers, Russell Terriers, Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Welsh Terriers, West Highland White Terriers.

Mr. Bruce Schwartz: American Hairless Terriers, Australian Terriers, Bedlington Terriers, Cairn Terriers, Cesky Terriers, Glen of Imaal Terriers, Miniature Schnauzers, Rat Terriers, Scottish Terriers, Skye Terriers.

For the complete judging panel, please visit westminsterkennelclub.org/judges.

The epic three-day, three-night competitive event will feature over 3,000 champion dogs from around the world, culminating in the coveted Best in Show award. Westminster’s “Canine Celebration” will kick off Westminster Week on Saturday, January 31, at the Javits Center and feature a variety of showstopping activities, including last year’s hugely popular Flyball Tournament at Westminster and the 13th Annual Masters Agility Championship presented by Purina Pro Plan.

Tickets for all events at both venues are on sale now and are available through westminsterkennelclub.org. For Javits group sales and ADA-accessible/companion information, please email: tickets@westminsterkennelclub.org.

For Madison Square Garden, accessible seating may be secured through Ticketmaster or by contacting the Accessibility Services Department at accessibilityservices@msg.com or 888-609-7599.

Posted by Liz on May 20 2025. Filed under Breaking News, Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.