More Changes at Westminster

By Amy Fernandez

Moving is never fun. When all the dredging and hauling is finished, it takes time to get situated into a new space.  It’s fair to say that Westminster is still settling into its spacious new site at Piers 92/94 at 55th Street and the West Side Highway. Organizational efficiency has been the club’s mantra ever since its debut event in 1877. Repositioning this high pressure, two day, benched show between two venues isn’t a job for the fainthearted. All things considered, Westminster 2013 came off surprisingly well.  However, they noted the kinks, along with the response of participants from every sector. This year’s fixes and upgrades reflect that, and more.

The biggest news is Westminster’s first Masters Agility Championship happening Saturday, February 8 at Pier 94. The entry of 225 includes 16 AKC All American dogs. Along with mixed breeds, three new breeds will make their first Westminster appearance. The Podengo Pequeno, represented by eight dogs, enters the Hound Group, four Chinook will debut as the Working Group’s 29th breed, and 20 Rat Terriers round out the Terrier Group.

With their addition, Westminster’s 2014 entry exceeds 3,000, representing 190 breeds. Labradors again lead the pack with 76 entries, followed by 58 Goldens, and 52  Frenchies. At the other end of the spectrum, a lone exhibit will carry the banner for Dandies, English Foxhounds, and Finnish Spitz. This year’s entry heralds from 49 states and Canada, Mexico, Japan, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Finland, Italy, Norway, Slovenia, Thailand, and Great Britain. Westminster is a traditionally tough experience for exhibitors, but the new venue has definitely eased the pain. This year, the club also reintroduces the ever popular Award of Merit (AOM).

Good for exhibitors, but what about the spectators? An up close view of the action has become standard fare for sporting events, and MSG’s recent makeover raised the bar for that. Once again, live coverage of breed judging via live streaming video can be accessed via the website or the Westminster app.

Spectators at the Piers will also have a better view thanks to 60″ plasma TV monitors at each breed ring, supplemented with a bank of monitors and additional seating, as well as an expanded menu of dining options. Shuttle service between the Garden, area hotels, and the Piers will also run more frequently.

Breed judging, Junior Showmanship preliminaries, benching, and vendors will be Monday and Tuesday, February 10-11 at Piers 92/94. Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding Groups are benched Monday, and Sporting, Working and Terrier Groups on Tuesday. Groups, Juniors Finals, and Best In Show again take place at the Garden on Monday and Tuesday evening starting at 8:00 P.M.

Home audiences have tuned in to Westminster since 1948, and this year the USA Network and CNBC will provide live Westminster coverage from 8-11 p.m. EST. The Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding Groups will be aired on CNBC Monday evening. You can see the Sporting, Working, Terrier Groups, and Best In Show Tuesday night on the USA Network. For the first time, West Coast viewers can also watch live coverage of Tuesday night’s telecast from 5-8 P.M.

Tickets for the Piers, the Garden, and the Agility Trial are available. For more info visit www.westminsterkennelclub.org

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Posted by chesliepickett on Feb 4 2014. 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.