NEW YORK ” Sari Brewster Tietjen, a second-generation dog fancier and lifetime participant in the sport of purebred dogs, has been selected to judge Best In Show at the 133rd Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show February 9-10, 2009 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
As a young girl, she bred, raised and showed over fourteen different breeds. The breed she is most closely associated with is the Japanese Chin, which she has had for over fifty years. She has been judging for more than 40 years, as she and her sister have both followed in the footsteps of their mother.
A native of Rhinebeck, NY, Ms. Tietjen is an award-winning author and journalist with four books published and a fifth one in progress. She has been writing about the sport of purebred dogs in various publications for over twenty-five years.
Ms. Tietjen heads a panel of 38 judges from 17 states and Canada.
Group judges will be Mr. Robert Ennis of Angola, NY (Sporting); Mrs. Patricia V. Trotter of Carmel, CA (Hound); Mrs. Paula Nykiel of Washington, MO (Working); Mr. Peter Green of Bowmansville, PA (Terrier); Mr. Fred Bassett of Broken Arrow, OK (Toy); Mrs. Charlotte Patterson of Destin, FL (Non-Sporting); and Mr. Robert Slay of Cary, NC (Herding). Mr. Edmund Dziuk of Columbia, MO will judge the Junior Showmanship Finals. (photos available in Media Center on Web site)
There are 170 breeds and varieties eligible for competition, including one new breed eligible for the first time for judging at Westminster, the Dogue de Bordeaux, which competes in the Working Group.
The Westminster Kennel Club (www.westminsterkennelclub.org) is America’s oldest organization dedicated to the sport of purebred dogs. Established in 1877, Westminster’s influence has been felt for more than a century through its famous all breed, benched dog show held every year at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The show is America’s second longest continuously held sporting event.
Breed judges for 2009:
SPORTING BREEDS AND VARIETIES (28):
Mrs. Anne F. Yuhasz, Newbury, OH: Brittanys, German Shorthaired Pointers, German Wirehaired Pointers, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Curly Coated Retrievers, Wirehaired Pointing Griffons.
Mr. Frank DePaulo, Germansville, PA: Pointers.
Dr. Donald Sturz, Jr., Centerport, NY: Flat Coated Retrievers, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers, Vizslas.
Mrs. Nancy Arbuckle, Zionsville, IN: Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers.
Mrs. Anne D. Bolus, Apison, TN: English Setters, Gordon Setters, Irish Setters, American Water Spaniels, Sussex Spaniels, Welsh Springer Spaniels, Spinoni Italiani, Weimaraners.
Mr. David W. Flanagan, Millbrook, NY: Clumber Spaniels, Cocker Spaniels (all varieties), English Cocker Spaniels, English Springer Spaniels, Field Spaniels.
Ms. Beth Sweigart, Bowmansville, PA: Irish Water Spaniels.
HOUND BREEDS AND VARIETIES (26):
Mr. Bo N. Bengtson, Ojai, CA: Afghan Hounds, Greyhounds, Salukis, Whippets.
Dr. Donald Sturz, Jr., Centerport, NY: Basenjis, Dachshunds (all varieties), Norwegian Elkhounds, Petit Basset Griffons Vendeen.
Mr. James G. Reynolds, Ottawa, Canada: Basset Hounds, Beagles (both varieties), Black & Tan Coonhounds, Bloodhounds, American Foxhound, English Foxhound, Harriers, Otterhounds.
Ms. Patricia W. Laurans, Newtown, CT: Borzoi.
Mr. Luc Boileau, Burlington, WI: Ibizan Hounds, Irish Wolfhounds, Pharaoh Hounds, Plotts, Scottish Deerhounds.
Mr. Frank DePaulo, Germansville, PA: Rhodesian Ridgebacks.
WORKING BREEDS (26):
Ms. Theresa L. Hundt, Newtown, CT: Akita, Anatolian Shepherd Dogs, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Boxers, Great Pyrenees, Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, St. Bernards.
Ms. Patricia W. Laurans, Newtown, CT: Alaskan Malamutes, Bullmastiffs, Giant Schnauzers, Great Danes, Kuvaszok.
Mr. Charles E. Trotter, Carmel, CA: Black Russian Terriers, Dogues de Bordeaux, Komondorok, Neapolitan Mastiffs, Rottweilers, Standard Schnauzers.
Ms. Betty Regina Leininger, Frisco, TX: Doberman Pinschers, German Pinschers, Samoyeds.
Mr. David Bolus, Apison, TN: Mastiffs, Newfoundlands, Siberian Huskies.
Ms. Beth Sweigart, Bowmansville, TX: Portuguese Water Dogs.
Mrs. Judith Goodin, Leavenworth, KS: Tibetan Mastiffs.
TERRIER BREEDS AND VARIETIES (28):
Mr. James G. Reynolds, Ontario, Canada: Airedale Terriers,
Mr. Zane Smith, Earlville, NY: American Staffordshire Terriers, Australian Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers.
Ms. Peggy Beisel-McIlwaine, Ann Arbor, MI: Bedlington Terriers, Border Terriers, Dandie Dinmont Terriers, Glen of Imaal Terriers, Irish Terriers, Parson Russell Terriers, Miniature Schnauzers.
Dr. H. Scott Kellogg, Knoxville, MD: Bull Terriers (both varieties), Smooth Fox Terriers, Wire Fox Terriers, Miniature Bull Terriers, Welsh Terriers.
Mr. Robert D. Black, Wrightstown, PA: Cairn Terriers, Kerry Blue Terriers, Scottish Terriers, West Highland White Terriers..
Mr. Jon R. Cole, Nashville, TN: Lakeland Terriers, Norfolk Terriers, Norwich Terriers, Sealyham Terriers, Skye Terriers, Standard Manchester Terriers, Soft-Coated Wheaten Terriers.
TOY BREEDS AND VARIETIES (23):
Dr. Lee Anthony Reasin, Austin, TX: Affenpinschers, Italian Greyhounds, Shih Tzu.
Ms. Beth Sweigart, Bowmansville, PA: Brussels Griffons, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.
Ms. Peggy Beisel-McIlwaine, Ann Arbor, MI: Chihuahuas (both varieties).
Ms. Betty Regina Leininger, Frisco, TX: Chinese Cresteds.
Mrs. Keke Kahn, Sarasota, FL: English Toy Spaniels (both varieties), Japanese Chins, Maltese.
Miss Dorothy M. Macdonald, Carmel Valley, CA: Havanese, Toy Fox Terriers, Toy Manchester Terriers, Miniature Pinschers, Silky Terriers.
Mr.W. Everett Dean, Jr.,Richmond, VA: Papillons, Pekingese, Pomeranians, Pugs, Yorkshire Terriers.
Mr. Luc Boileau, Burlington, WI: Toy Poodles.
NON-SPORTING BREEDS AND VARIETIES (18):
Mrs. Keke Kahn, Sarasota, FL: American Eskimo Dogs, Bichons Frise, Finnish Spitz, Lhasa Apsos, Lowchen, Schipperkes, Shiba Inu.
Mr.Carl E. Gomes, Bronx, NY: Boston Terriers, Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, Keeshonden.
Mr. Luc Boileau, Burlington, WI: Miniature Poodles, Standard Poodles, Tibetan Terriers.
Mr. Kenneth D. Falconi, New London, CT: Chinese Shar-Peis, Chow Chows, Dalmatians, Tibetan Spaniels.
HERDING BREEDS AND VARIETIES (21):
Mr. Jon R. Cole, Nashville, TN: Australian Cattle Dogs, Bearded Collies, Beauceron, Border Collies.
Mrs. Judith Goodin, Leavenworth, KS: Australian Shepherds, Bouviers des Flandres, Briards.
Dr. H. Scott Kellogg, Knoxville, MD: Belgian Malinois, Belgian Sheepdogs, Belgian Tervuren, Canaan Dogs.
Mrs.Donna J. Francis, Chardon, OH: Collies (both varieties), Polish Lowland Sheepdogs, Pulik, Shetland Sheepdogs, Swedish Vallhunds, Pembroke Welsh Corgis.
Mr. David Bolus, Apison, TN: Cardigan Welsh Corgis,. German Shepherd Dogs, Old English Sheepdogs.
JUNIOR SHOWMANSHIP PRELIMINARIES: Mr. David W. Flanagan, Millbrook, NY and Mr. Nicholas P. Urbanek, Glenshaw, PA.