NEW YORK –
It’s called “America’s Dog Show” and the entry for the 2006 Westminster Kennel Club All Breed Dog Show shows exactly why.
Westminster’s total entry of 2,622 for its 130th annual event February 13-14 at Madison Square Garden in New York City comes from 48 different states, the District of Columbia, Canada and Puerto Rico. Leading the way with the most entries are California (277) and New York (249).
Sustaining the far-reaching importance of Westminster in the dog show world is the fact that the top eight states in terms of entries include Florida (127), Texas (106) and Washington (96). Other states in the top eight include Pennsylvania (198), New Jersey (191), and Connecticut (117). The entries include 9 dogs from Hawaii and 3 from Alaska.
As in recent years, the entry limit of 2,500 dogs was reached quickly after entries opened on December 9. The final total entry of 2,622 includes dogs that had been invited to pre-enter for being ranked in the top five of their respective breeds or varieties, and 122 dogs entered in Junior Showmanship.
Samoyeds and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels have the highest entries of 42 each. Other large entries include Golden Retrievers and Rhodesian Ridgebacks with 39 each, Australian Shepherds with 35 and French Bulldogs with 30. Dachshunds have 75 entries in three Varieties, and Poodles, also with three Varieties, have 47.
All 165 breeds and varieties recognized by the American Kennel Club will be represented at the show, to be held at Madison Square Garden. There are no new breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club for competition in 2006. There are also 122 entries in Junior Showmanship, where young handlers age 9-18 compete based only on their handling abilities.
Mr. James G. Reynolds of Ottawa, Canada, will judge Best In Show, heading a judging panel of 36 judges from 17 states, Canada and England.
Breeds and Varieties in the Working, Terriers, Toy, and Non Sporting Groups will be benched and judged during the day on Monday, with Group competition that evening. On Tuesday, breeds and varieties in the Sporting, Hound and Herding Groups will be benched and judged, with judging of those Groups and Best In Show to be held Tuesday evening. The evening competition will be televised live each evening at 8 PM (ET) on USA Network.
The Westminster Kennel Club 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, behind only the Kentucky Derby. Westminster will stage its 130th consecutive show on February 13-14, 2006, nationally televised on USA Network. For additional information, log on to www.westminsterkennelclub.org.
The final tabulation of entries for 2006 (the Judging Schedule will be posted on www.westminsterkennelclub.org when finalized):
Sporting breeds (421): Brittanys 15, Pointers 18, Pointers (German Shorthaired) 25, Pointers (German Wirehaired) 3, Retrievers (Chesapeake Bay) 25, Retrievers (Curly-Coated) 8, Retrievers (Flat-Coated) 25, Retrievers (Golden) 39, Retrievers (Labrador) 26, Retrievers (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling) 15, Setters (English) 19, Setters (Gordon) 10, Setters (Irish) 26, Spaniels (American Water) 1, Spaniels (Clumber) 9, Spaniels (Cocker) Black 17, Spaniels (Cocker) ASCOB 9, Spaniels (Cocker) Parti-Color 10, Spaniels (English Cocker) 12, Spaniels (English Springer) 14, Spaniels (Field) 7, Spaniels (Irish Water) 5, Spaniels (Sussex) 5, Spaniels (Welsh Springer) 10, Spinone Italiano 21, Vizslas 28, Weimaraners 15, Wirehaired Pointing Griffons 4.
Hound breeds (378): Afghan Hounds 22, Basenjis 18, Basset Hounds 14, Beagles (13”) 14, Beagles (15”) 21, Black and Tan Coonhounds 4, Bloodhounds 8, Borzoi 27, Dachshunds (Longhaired) 21, Dachshunds (Smooth) 33, Dachshunds (Wirehaired) 21, Foxhounds (American) 8, Foxhounds (English) 5, Greyhounds 6, Harriers 9, Ibizan Hounds 7, Irish Wolfhounds 13, Norwegian Elkhounds 9, Otterhounds 5, Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen 15, Pharaoh Hounds 12, Rhodesian Ridgebacks 39, Salukis 21, Scottish Deerhounds 6, Whippets 20.
Working breeds (399): Akitas 16, Alaskan Malamutes 15, Anatolian Shepherd Dogs 8, Bernese Mountain Dogs 28, Black Russian Terriers 10, Boxers 25, Bullmastiffs 24, Doberman Pinschers 25, German Pinschers 12, Giant Schnauzers 14, Great Danes 18, Great Pyrenees 10, Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs 13, Komondorok 3, Kuvaszok 7, Mastiffs 18, Neapolitan Mastiffs 3, Newfoundlands 21, Portuguese Water Dogs 24, Rottweilers 21, St. Bernards 12, Samoyeds 42, Siberian Huskies 19, Standard Schnauzers 11.
Terriers breeds (317): Airedale Terriers 7, American Staffordshire Terriers 24, Australian Terriers 11, Bedlington Terriers 15, Border Terriers 24, Bull Terriers (Colored) 4, Bull Terriers (White) 3, Cairn Terriers 12, Dandie Dinmont Terriers 4, Fox Terriers (Smooth) 20, Fox Terriers (Wire) 13, Glen of Imaal Terriers 7, Irish Terriers 8, Kerry Blue Terriers 7, Lakeland Terriers 5, Manchester Terriers (Standard) 16, Miniature Bull Terriers 3, Miniature Schnauzers 14, Norfolk Terriers 13, Norwich Terriers 12, Parson Russell Terriers 20, Scottish Terriers 13, Sealyham Terriers 6, Skye Terriers 7, Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers 11, Staffordshire Bull Terriers 15, Welsh Terriers 7, West Highland White Terriers 16.
Toy breeds (410): Affenpinschers 5, Brussels Griffons 21, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels 42, Chihuahuas (Long Coat) 18, Chihuahuas (Smooth Coat) 10, Chinese Cresteds 33, English Toy Spaniels (Blenheim & Prince Charles) 4, English Toy Spaniels (King Charles & Ruby) 2, Havanese 31, Italian Greyhounds 15, Japanese Chins 10, Maltese 13, Manchester Terriers (Toy) 14, Miniature Pinschers 17, Papillons 24, Pekingese 9, Pomeranians 26, Poodles (Toy) 13 , Pugs 24, Shih Tzu 14, Silky Terriers 20, Toy Fox Terriers 21, Yorkshire Terriers 24.
Non-Sporting breeds (313): American Eskimo Dogs 14, Bichon Frises 19, Boston Terriers 25, Bulldogs 24, Chinese Shar-Pei 24, Chow Chows 13, Dalmatians 12, Finnish Spitz 7, French Bulldogs 30, Keeshonden 14, Lhasa Apsos 16, Lowchen 9, Poodles (Miniature) 9, Poodles (Standard) 25, Schipperkes 17, Shiba Inu 11, Tibetan Spaniels 21, Tibetan Terriers 23.
Herding breeds (262): Australian Cattle Dogs 10, Australian Shepherds 35, Bearded Collies 15, Belgian Malinois 15, Belgian Sheepdogs 15, Belgian Tervurens 10, Border Collies 16, Bouviers des Flandres 15, Briards 17, Canaan Dogs 8, Collies (Rough) 8, Collies (Smooth) 12, German Shepherd Dogs 6, Old English Sheepdogs 22, Polish Lowland Sheepdogs 9, Pulik 7, Shetland Sheepdogs 10, Welsh Corgis (Cardigan) 16, Welsh Corgis (Pembroke) 16.
Junior Showmanship: 122
Entries by state: California 277, New York 249, Pennsylvania 198, New Jersey 191, Florida 127, Connecticut 117, Texas 106, Washington 96, Massachusetts 93, Maryland 92, Virginia 90, Ohio 84, Michigan 72, Georgia 69, Illinois 63, North Carolina 56, Missouri 45, Colorado 40, Wisconsin 40, Tennessee 37, Indiana 33, New Hampshire 32, Oregon 32, South Carolina 25, Arizona 24, Kentucky 23, Minnesota 23, Delaware 19, Oklahoma 19, Maine 18, Iowa 16, Rhode Island 16, New Mexico 14, Louisiana 13, Nebraska 13, Nevada 13, Alabama 11, Vermont 10, Hawaii 9, Arkansas 7, Mississippi 6, Utah 5, West Virginia 5, Kansas 5, District of Columbia 4, Alaska 3, Idaho 1, Montana 1, South Dakota 1. Others: Canada 46, Puerto Rico 1.