Page 196 - ShowSight - January 2020

WESTMINSTER 2020
The Westminster Kennel Club welcomes 204 breeds and varieties among 2,630 entries from 49 states and 19 other countries to its expanded three-day dog show featuring the top three breeds per day—Dachshunds, Poodles, and Golden Retrievers—at Pier 94 in New York City from Sunday to Tuesday, Feb. 9-11, 2020. America’s longest continuously held dog show culminates with Best in Show awarded Tuesday evening during the live three-hour broadcast on FS1 from Madison Square Garden.
WHAT YOU’LL SEE AT
\Dachshunds dominate on Sunday with 55 entries (all varieties) during the Hound breeds judging. Historically bred to hunt badgers because of their tena- cious hunting spirit and good nose, today’s dogs excel at assisting police with tracking duties and competing with their owners in Earthdog events.
Poodles are paramount on Monday with 43 entries (all varieties) during the Non- Sporting and Toy breeds judging. Origi- nally purpose-bred as a retrieving water dog, the Poodle still retains that job today as well as being a wonderful com- panion and superstar in the Obedience and Agility rings.
Golden Retrievers grab the top spot on Tuesday with 48 entries during the Sporting breeds judging. Preservation breeders of this traditional bird hunter and field worker are maintaining the breed’s unique characteristics which make them valuable in today’s society as heroes in search-and-rescue work, amazing comfort dogs in the aftermath of tragedy, and brilliant guide dogs for the blind.
Joining the Westminster roster of breeds for the first time is the Azawakh with 6 entries. This slender sighthound and ancient companion of desert-roam- ing nomads will debut on Sunday during the Hound breeds judging.
There are 2,630 dogs representing 204 breeds and varieties from 49 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico with the most dogs from California (238), fol- lowed by New York (208), Pennsylvania (175), New Jersey (156), Florida (153), Texas (124), and Massachusetts (114). They include Junior Showmanship qual- ifiers (108) and 101 entries from 19 other countries, topped by Canada (63), Japan (11), and South Korea (5). The farthest entries are from Australia (2) and Thailand (2).
Breed Entries by Group
Sporting (442): Brittanys (19), Lagotti Romagnoli (10), Nederlandse Kooiker- hondjes (5), Pointers (17), Pointers (German Shorthaired) (28), Pointers (German Wirehaired) (9), Retrievers (Chesapeake Bay) (13), Retrievers
(Curly-Coated) (6), Retrievers (Flat- Coated) (23), Retrievers (Golden) (48), Retrievers (Labrador) (44), Retrievers (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling) (15), Setters (English) (16), Setters (Gordon) (8), Set- ters (Irish) (14), Setters (Irish Red and White) (11), Spaniels (American Water) (2), Spaniels (Boykin) (5), Spaniels (Clumber) (9), Spaniels (Cocker) A.S.C.O.B. (8), Spaniels (Cocker) Black (9), Spaniels (Cocker) Parti-Color (7), Spaniels (English Cocker) (11), Spaniels (English Springer) (29), Spaniels (Field) (9), Spaniels (Irish Water) (4), Spaniels (Sussex) (7), Spaniels (Welsh Springer) (7), Spinoni Italiani (13), Vizslas (17), Weimaraners (10), Wirehaired Pointing Griffons (5), Wirehaired Vizslas (4).
Hound (361): Afghan Hounds (17), American English Coonhounds (2), American Foxhounds (4), Azawakhs (6), Basenjis (13), Basset Hounds (8), Bea- gles, (13”) (9), Beagles, (15”) (18), Black and Tan Coonhounds (5), Bloodhounds (7), Bluetick Coonhounds (5), Borzois (16), Cirnechi dell'Etna (10), >
188 • ShowSight Magazine, January 2020