Westminster Kennel Club

125th Dog Show

 

TELEVISION SCHEDULE

 

Monday, February 12

8 to 11 pm, USA Network

(repeats Tuesday, February 13, 11 am)

Best of Group Competitions will be judged in the following order:

Working

Terrier

Toy

Non-Sporting

Tuesday, February 13

8 to 11 pm, USA Network

(repeats Wednesday, February 14, 11 am)

Best of Group Competititons will be judged in the following order:

Sporting

Hound

Herding

FOLLOWED BY BEST IN SHOW JUDGING

 

History of the Best in Show:

The Best in Show, the most coveted prize at the Westminster Kennel Club show, was not award until 1907. Prior to that year, the format for most dog shows held in the United States did not include provisions for such an award. Also, the Best in Show was not award in 1923 because the American Kennel Club (AKC) had put a moratorium on the judging of such an award until uniform processed and regulations could be adopted.

The Best in Show has been award 92 times at Westminster and the Terrier Group has seen the most winners at 42. The closest to that many awards is the Sporting Group and the Working Group, which have won BIS 15 and 14 times, respectively.

Nearly 40 different breeds have won BIS and the top-winning breed of them all is the Wire Fox Terrier, which has won BIS 13 times.

Only six dogs in the history of Westminster have won BIS more than once and only one dog has won it three times. Ch. Chinoe’s Adamant James (English Springer Spaniel, 1971-72), Ch. Rancho Dobe’s Storm (Doberman Pinscher, 1952-53), Ch. My Own Brucie (Cocker Spaniel, 1940-41), Ch. Pendley Calling of Blarney (Wire Fox Terrier, 1930-31), Ch. Conejo Wycollar Boy (Wire Fox Terrier, 1917 and 1920), and Ch. Matford Vic (Wire Fox Terrier, 1915-16) have all won BIS twice. Only Ch. Warren Remedy (Smooth Fox Terrier, 1907-09) has won three times.

The largest dog to ever win BIS was Ch. Seward’s Blackbeard, a 155-pound Newfoundland that took top honors in 1984. The smallest dog to ever win BIS was Ch. Great Elms Prince Charming II, a four-and-a-half pound Pomeranian selected in 1988.

Seven times in the last 25 years a bitch was won BIS, with Ch. Fairwood Frolic (Norwich Terrier) the last in 1998.

The Hound Group has gone the longest of any groups since last winning BIS. For the Hounds, it has been 14 years.