My Mom Went to Westminster!

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

12 Feb 2008 02:04 PM

The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show -- one of the biggest dog shows out there -- is going on right now at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Last year, I was very tempted to hop on a train and catch some of the action, but didn't. But I just got the inside scoop from my mom, who went to day one of the Westminster action yesterday!

Here are some of the things she noticed:

• It's much easier to follow the action on TV -- because there are commentators. At the show itself, it can be hard to tell what's going on. It might be worth it to buy a program next time. (She had opera glasses with her, but didn't use them much. Maybe binoculars would work better?)
• The main space (where basketball games are usually played) is divided into six rings. All of the rings have something going on at the same time. Periodically, they used one of the rings for photographs of the winners.
• Audience members are allowed to wander through the handlers' area -- where the dogs are kept before and after showing. This is unlike most other dog shows. The area is VERY crowded all day, to the point of being claustrophobic. She said that some of the dogs had fans in their kennels to help keep cool.
• There were NO treats being sold in the vendor area. Posters, knick-knacks, jewelry, crafts, but no treats. I guessed that this was because the Westminster folks didn't want audience members slipping treats to competitors. That would sure ruin a handler's day -- their dog getting sick in the ring or having an allergic reaction to a treat.

My mom even got a chance to do some star spotting: she saw Cameron Mathison and a crew from Extra doing interviews with the dog handlers!

She also caught a glimpse of dog celebrity Uno: the first beagle to win the hound group since 1939. No beagle has won Best in Show at Westminster. Will Uno make history? You can tune in tonight and watch the final three groups and the Best in Show competition on USA Network.

Learn more about Aimee Amodio

Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

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Courtney Mroch (9169) 13 Feb 2008 01:05 PM

From the sounds of it, it's amazing those dogs can be as focused as they are then with all hubbub going on around them. WOW!