We are extremely happy to report that all three poodle breeds were eliminated from the Westminster Dog Show last night during the group stages. This is like having Duke and UNC eliminated before the Elite Eight -- it doesn't happen all that often, and you should just be happy when it does. Here were last night's winners:
Hound Group: Dachsund (Wirehaired)
Toy Group: Pekingese
Non-Sporting Group: Dalmatian
Herding Group: German Shepherd
Tonight, we have the Sporting, Working, and Terrier Groups, followed by Best-in-Show. At my house, we are rooting for the Dalmatian so far.
so is it basically that all of these dogs compete in their own regional (breed) tournaments and then the winners advance to the sweet sixteen (best in show)? if so, how many region winners advance, and when is the big final deal?
ReplyDeleteFirst, you have to win your Breed. So if you're a Dalmatian, you have to compete against all of the other Dalmatian. This portion of the Show is not aired on TV.
ReplyDeleteSecond, you have to win your Group. There are seven groups: Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting, Herding, Sporting, Working, and Terrier. Every breed recognized by the American Kennel Club goes into one of those Groups. Last night, USA and CNBC televised the Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting, and Herding Groups. Tonight, we will see the Sporting, Working, and Terrier Groups.
Finally, the seven Group winners meet in the Best of Show Competition. (Each Group is judged by a different person, and the Best of Show judge doesn't judge any of the Groups.) Best of Show at Westminster is the championship -- the biggest award given by the American dog community all year.
So far, the Dachsund, Pekingese, Dalmatian, and German Shepherd champions have all qualified for Best in Show.
excellent. thanks.
ReplyDeleteA Saint Bernard from Sacramento, in McLean County, is in the Working Group! They're about to announce the group winner right now!
ReplyDeleteWell, darn. I don't think the judge from Frisco, Texas, is going to choose our Kentucky dog.
ReplyDeleteThis is a shame. My wife has some Kentuckian cousins in Frisco, Texas.
ReplyDeleteNo, our Sacramento dog didn't advance. Good try, though.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I should point out that Blue Jays Cafe in Sacramento is totally excellent.
Not that I've met any too many, but the nicest celebrities I've ever met were Louise Mandrell and Mary Carullo, who is doing the USA Network's play-by-play on this dog show.
ReplyDeleteMary Carullo came to Paducah for a tennis tournament one summer I was working for the local newspaper, when I was 19 or 20, and she was so incredibly nice and encouraging to me--actually wrote me a letter, through the tennis club, two weeks after the fact. I love Mary Carullo.
ReplyDeleteSo here's what happened last night:
ReplyDeleteSporting Group winner: Setter (Irish)
Working Group winner: Doberman Pinscher
Terrier Group winner: Kerry Blue Terrier
That meant that the following breeds advanced to best in show: Dachsund (Wirehaired), Pekingese, Dalmatian, German Shepherd, Setter (Irish), Doberman Pinscher, and Kerry Blue Terrier. We were mostly rooting for the Dalmatian at our house, although Number 3 son and I also had an interest in the Doberman, as Number 3 son thought he looked like the Batman of dogs. But we were all disappointed, as the winner was the Pekingese -- or, as someone on Twitter noted, the Ewok of dogs.
Oh, well. At least we didn't have to put up with the poodles this year.
The first group judged is usually the hound group, and Eric will be happy to know that Mary Carullo opened this year's coverage with the same joke about "releasing the hounds" that she used last year.
ReplyDeleteThat is great. I love Mary Carullo.
ReplyDeleteA Nicholasville girl was involved in this thing, too.
ReplyDelete