Over 60 tail-waggers from Illinois are taking a bite out of the competition at this year's Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York. The prestigious event, which is the second-longest continuously held sporting event in the U.S., has invited 2,500 dogs from all 50 states and various countries to showcase their pristine pedigrees and perfect poise.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the 61 Illinois breeds showing up at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center have seen a slight drop from last year's 73 competitors. Moreover, just a single Illinois pooch is vying for the obedience title, a downgrade from last year's four.
Fur and enthusiasm were in ample supply as the event commenced with agility and obedience challenges over the weekend. The Patch reveals that Fox Sports is airing over 16 hours of this canine contestation, giving dog lovers across the nation a front-row seat to the spectacle, which runs until Tuesday.
One Illinoisan, a youthful handler, is competing in the renowned Junior Showmanship Competition, which evaluates both dog handling skills, and the care provided by trainers aged 9 to 18. These competitors must have nabbed Best Junior Trainer at Westminster events at least seven times before they can showcase their talents at this level. Winners stand to direct a hefty $5,000 Westminster donation to a training club or to the American Kennel Club Humane Fund.
Amidst the dog show buzz, a somber note resounded in the recent arrest of Adam Stafford King, a veterinarian and Havanese breeder from suburban Chicago, who was slated to judge some toy breeds at Westminster. As reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, King was charged with distributing child pornography in March and is currently held without bail, following a plea of not guilty.
In the wake of the scandal, the American Kennel Club wasted no time in revoking King's judging privileges. Details of the case are still unfolding, but the Westminster show, as they say, must go on. For the Illinois dogs and their handlers, the goal remains clear: to leap over the competition and fetch themselves a winning title in the big city.
