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Visit the official Westminster Kennel Club website.

Westminster Quick Facts:


  • There have been 283,841 dogs entered in Westminster's 128 shows through 2004.

  • Through the 2004 show, there have been 1,623 judges who have officiated at least once, some as many as 22 times, at Westminster.

  • Only one time has the offspring of a Best In Show winner duplicated the feat. In 2000, the English Springer Spaniel Ch. Salilyn N' Erin's Shameless repeated the 1993 BIS accomplishment of her sire, Ch. Salilyn's Condor.

  • Two Best In Show winners, Norwich Terriers, had the same sire: 1994's Ch. Chidley's Willum the Conqueror and 1998's Ch. Fairewood Frolic were offspring of Ch. Royal Rock Don of Chidley (making them half brother/sister)

  • The Papillon, Ch. Loteki Supernatural Being, is the only dog to capture Best In Show at the World Dog Show (1998 in Helsinki) and Best In Show at Westminster (1999).

  • Two dogs have won Best In Show at both Westminster and Crufts in England, each of them winning at the English show before coming to the U.S.: the Lakeland Terrier, Ch. Stingray of Derryabah (Crufts 1967, WKC 1968) and the Kerry Blue Terrier, Ch. Torums Scarf Michael (Crufts 2000, WKC 2003).


Westminster  America's Dog Show

It seems like a long time ago, but in 1938 the Westminster Kennel Club was already holding its 62nd annual dog show in New York City. And to mark the occasion, Time magazine chose for its cover a gentleman named John G. Bates, who later that week would step into the ring at Madison Square Garden to select Westminster's Best In Show winner.

The caption, written all those years ago, still tells the story of this great event:

"His choice becomes the people's choice."

True then, true today: Westminster is, undisputedly, America's Dog Show.

In 2005, the 129th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show will add to its legacy as the greatest dog show in the world. It persists as the second longest continuously held sporting event in this country, just one year behind the Kentucky Derby.

Established in 1877, The Westminster Kennel Club is America's oldest organization dedicated to the sport of purebred dogs. There is only one Westminster, and in its long and prestigious existence, just about every superlative imaginable has been used to describe the club, the show and its impact on the world of purebred dogs. The Westminster Kennel Club "has had great effect in improving the quality of the dogs owned for use or companionship. Of this there can be no doubt ..." wrote one reporter. True then, true today.

Simply put, Westminster has become the symbol of the purebred dog, in show rings as well as in millions of television homes across America.

The elegance, beauty and grace of the canine athletes combine with the excitement of the competition in the world's most famous sporting arena before a live national television audience. The result is an event that is the dog show world's version of the Super Bowl and Academy Awards. But even greater, The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is a celebration of the wonderful canine spirit, reflecting our emotional and spiritual attachment to our dogs.

It all began in 1877 when The Westminster Kennel Club was officially formed "...to increase the interest in dogs, and thus improve the breeds, and to hold an Annual Dog Show in the city of New York ..." (from Westminster By-Laws).

By all accounts, that objective was accomplished from the very beginning.

From Forest and Stream magazine in 1877: "To say that the dog show held in the city last week was a success would but poorly convey an idea of what the result really was. It was a magnificent triumph for the dogs and for the projectors of the show. We question if on any previous occasion has there ever assembled in this city such a number of people at one time, and representing as much of the culture, wealth and fashion of the town. That such a collection of dogs was ever gotten together before in any country we very much doubt ..."

It is still the greatest collection of dogs assembled each year in the same place at the same time. From the opening moments when the 2,500-plus champions begin to compete in 162 different breed and variety rings, to the final crowning of the Best In Show dog, it is the great sport of dogs at its very best.

The growth of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show paralleled New York's growth to prominence. To fully grasp the place in history of the Westminster Kennel Club and its famed annual event, consider that:
  • Westminster pre-dates the invention of the light bulb and the automobile, the building of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Washington Monument, the invention of basketball and the establishment of the World Series.

  • Since Westminster held its first show 128 years ago, there have been 24 men elected president and 12 states have joined the union. The dog show has outlasted three previous versions of Madison Square Garden, and is currently being staged in MSG IV.

  • Westminster's annual dog show has survived power outages, snowstorms, a national depression, two World Wars and a tugboat strike that threatened to shut down the city.
The First Annual New York Bench Show of Dogs, given under the auspices of the Westminster Kennel Club, was first staged in 1877 at Gilmore's Garden (the forerunner of Madison Square Garden) in New York City, drawing an entry of 1,201 dogs.

William Stifel, in his book, The Dog Show, 125 Years of Westminster, wrote of the following highlights for that first show.

The show was such a hit that it was extended to four days from its originally-scheduled three. The gate for the first day of the show was estimated as high as 8,000. On the second day, 20,000 spectators attended, a number matched on the third day and providing the impetus to add a fourth day.

A share of the proceeds from that first show was given to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) to open a home for stray and disabled dogs.

In most breeds, a single class was offered, sometimes divided by sex or age, Native or Imported, or by other categories. Owners were asked to provide, but didn't always do so, data such as date of birth, sire, dam and show record for inclusion in the catalog. In this first show, there were entries in 35 different breeds and a Miscellaneous Class, which included a dog described as a "cross between a St. Bernard and a Russian Setter" and a dog named Nellie, "born with two legs only." (See the Records Section for a complete listing of all breeds.)

Most railroads provided free transport of the dogs to and from the city when they were accompanied by their owners.

Westminster even pre-dates the establishment of the governing body of the sport, the American Kennel Club, by seven years. In fact, in 1877, members of Westminster and members of the Kennel Club of Philadelphia together adopted a set of show rules and regulations and established a Board of Appeals to oversee these rules. This was the precursor of the American Kennel Club, which was finally created in 1884.

As one might imagine, the history of the club and its show is rich and colorful.

In the early Westminster years, some interesting names showed up in the catalogs. In the first show, there were two Staghounds listed as being from the late General George Custer's pack, and two Deerhounds that had been bred by the Queen of England. In 1889, the Czar of Russia is listed as the breeder of a Siberian Wolfhound entered, and the following year, one of the entries is a Russian Wolfhound whose listed owner was the Emperor of Germany.

Philanthropist J. P. Morgan made the first of his many appearances at Westminster with his Collies in 1893. Famous American journalist Nelly Bly entered her Maltese at Westminster in 1894, some four years after she made a record-breaking trip around the world in 72 days, 6 hours and 11 minutes, racing the record of Phineas Fogg in Jules Verne's Around the World in Eighty Days.

In 1888, Anna Whitney became the first woman to judge a dog show in America with her assignment of 117 St. Bernards. She would judge every year for the next seven years, but it would be 1901 before another woman judged any dog show in the U.S. In 1933, Mrs. M. Hartley Dodge became the first woman to officiate as the sole judge for Best In Show. Mrs. Dodge (Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge) became legendary in the dog show world, as the force behind the Morris & Essex Kennel Club and the benefactor of St. Hubert Giralda Animal Shelter in New Jersey.

In 1910, a class was offered for Fire Department Dalmatians, and it was won by Mike of Engine Company 8 of 51st Street. In 1916, one of the breeds entered in the Miscellaneous Class is listed as a "Truffles Hunter" named Prinz Forino. And in 1917, a special hero of World War I, a German Shepherd named Filax of Lewanno who had brought 54 wounded soldiers to safety, was exhibited at Westminster.

The most-coveted award in the dog show, Best In Show, was given for the first time in 1907. That year, and for the next two years as well, it went to a Smooth Fox Terrier bitch named Ch. Warren Remedy. She remains the only dog ever to win three times.

Six other dogs have won Best In Show twice, the most recent being the English Springer Spaniel, Ch. Chinoe's Adamant James in 1971 and 1972.

Storied in its history, rich in its tradition, The Westminster Kennel Club's famed annual dog show is unique, prestigious, and elegant for all concerned.

Indeed, there is only one Westminster.


The colorful history of America's Dog Show

In 1877, New York was well on its way to becoming the world's greatest city. This was the year that a group of sporting gentlemen decided that this would be a good time to hold a dog show in Manhattan. It didn't take long before the Westminster Kennel Club, following the lead of its home town, would be on its way to becoming the world's greatest dog show.

With its spectacular beginnings and extraordinary growth in the years to follow, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show was quickly reflecting the growth and success of New York City. As the dog show grew every year, so did the Westminster Kennel Club's position as the symbol of the purebred dog, with its influence being felt in show rings everywhere, and eventually in millions of television homes across the country.

Westminster has become America's Dog Show.
"Westminster gets its name from a long gone hotel in Manhattan. There, sporting gentlemen used to meet in the bar to drink and lie about their shooting accomplishments. Eventually they formed a club and bought a training area and kennel. They kept their dogs there and hired a trainer.

"They couldn't agree on the name for their new club. But finally someone suggested that they name it after their favorite bar. The idea was unanimously selected, we imagine, with the hoisting of a dozen drinking arms."

-- Maxwell Riddle, from a newspaper story quoted in
"The Dog Show, 125 Years of Westminster" by William Stifel
It was at one of those meetings that the members decided that they would stage a dog show so that they could compare their dogs in a setting away from the field. The First Annual New York Bench Show of Dogs, given under the auspices of the Westminster Kennel Club, was staged in 1877 at Gilmore's Garden (the forerunner of Madison Square Garden) in New York City, drawing an entry of 1,201 dogs.

The show was such a hit that it was extended to four days from its originally-scheduled three, and drew this coverage from "Forest and Stream" magazine:
"To say that the dog show held in the city last week was a success would but poorly convey an idea of what the result really was. It was a magnificent triumph for the dogs and for the projectors of the show. We question if on any previous occasion has there ever assembled in this city such a number of people at one time, and representing as much of the culture, wealth and fashion of the town."
To fully grasp the place in history of the Westminster Kennel Club and its famed annual dog show at Madison Square Garden, consider this:

Westminster pre-dates the invention of the light bulb, the automobile, and the zipper; the building of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Washington Monument; and manned air flightl and the establishment of the World Series. Since Westminster held its first show 127 years ago, there have been 24 men elected president and 12 states have joined the union.

The dog show has outlasted three previous versions of Madison Square Garden, and is currently being staged in MSG IV. It is one of only four events to be held in all four "Gardens."

The dog show has survived power outages, snowstorms, a national depression, two World Wars and a tugboat strike that threatened to shut down the city, in the process becoming the second longest continuously held sporting event in the country. Only the Kentucky Derby has been staged longer - but by just one year.

Westminster even pre-dates the establishment of the governing body of the sport, the American Kennel Club, by seven years. In fact, in 1877, members of Westminster and members of the Kennel Club of Philadelphia had together adopted a set of show rules and regulations and established a Board of Appeals to oversee these rules. This was the precursor of the American Kennel Club, which was finally created in 1884.

As one might imagine, the history of the club and its show is rich and colorful.

In the early Westminster years, some interesting names showed up in the catalogs. In the first show, there were two Staghounds listed as being from the late General George Custer's pack, and two Deerhounds that had been bred by the Queen of England. In 1889, the Czar of Russia is listed as the breeder of a Siberian Wolfhound entered, and the following year, one of the entries is a Russian Wolfhound whose listed owner was the Emperor of Germany.

Philanthropist J. P. Morgan made the first of his many appearances at Westminster with his Collies in 1893. Famous American journalist Nelly Bly entered her Maltese at Westminster in 1894, some four years after she made a record-breaking trip around the world in 72 days, 6 hours and 11 minutes, racing the record of Phineas Fogg in Jules Verne's Around the World in Eighty Days.

The most-coveted award in the dog show world, Best In Show at Westminster, was given for the first time in 1907. That year, and for the next two years as well, it went to a Smooth Fox Terrier bitch named Ch. Warren Remedy. She remains the only dog every to win three times.

Six other dogs have won Best In Show twice, the most recent being the English Springer Spaniel, Ch. Chinoe's Adamant James in 1971 and 1972.


A HISTORY OF JUNIOR SHOWMANSHIP AT WESTMINSTER

The popularity of Junior Showmanship at The Westminster Kennel Club has endured and flourished since 1934 as an important part of the show and a reflection on its role in the great family sport of showing dogs. The fact that the young people are the future of the sport is never more evident than at Westminster, where participants go on to careers in dogs or to carry on family tradition over generations of children and parents.

In this competition, the young people are judged solely on their handling skills independent of the traits of the dog. But while handling, care and responsible ownership are important lessons of Junior Showmanship, so is learning social skills and sportsmanship, as well as the opportunity to bond with one's dog.

Childrens Handling, as it was called in those early years, was first offered for boys and girls under 15 years of age and judged by members of the Professional Handlers Association. In 1951, it became Junior Showmanship.

Today, young people ages 10-18 from all over the country qualify with ten wins in shows during the previous year, and more than 100 youngsters come to New York in February to compete.

Preliminaries are divided into four different sections, two on Monday afternoon and two on Tuesday afternoon. The two preliminary judges each judge one section each night. They select two young handlers from each section to advance, making a total of eight finalists that meet in the ring for the Best Junior title on Tuesday evening.

Through the years, Best Junior has been won by 49 girls and 22 boys; 14 winners have come from New York, nine from California and eight from Pennsylvania. For a complete listing of winners, see the History and Records section.



All the above information was taken direclty from the WKC website.




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