Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show History
The first Westminster show was held in 1877. The show originated as a show for gun dogs, primarily setters and pointers, initiated by a group of hunting men who met regularly at the Westminster Hotel at Irving Place and Sixteenth Street in Manhattan. They decided to create a kennel club called the Westminster Kennel Club specifically for the purpose of holding a dog show. The prizes for these first shows included such items as pearl handled pistols, of use to the hunters and terriermen who worked these dogs in the field. Since that time dog shows have drifted away from a focus on working dogs to a focus on the appearance of the dog alone.
The first show took place in May 1877 at Gilmore’s Gardens (the Hippodrome) on the site now occupied by the New York Life Building, which also contains the AKC headquarters. The first show drew over 1200 dogs and proved so popular that its originally scheduled three days became four. It remained 3 or 4 days until 1941, when it changed to its current two-day format. Gilmore’s Gardens at the time was an old railroad depot, which two years later became the first Madison Square Garden.
Dog breeds listed for the first show include the Long-haired Saint Bernard, the Esquimaux Dog, and the Siberian Bloodhound; most dogs had simple names such as Duke, Rover, Mungo, Nellie, and Rex, compared to today’s fancier and longer dog names (although among today’s call names there still number many Dukes, Nellies, Rexes and the like).
The advent of Westminster predates the creation of the AKC, so breed standards were still rough and hard to find. The Westminster Kennel Club was the first club admitted to the AKC after AKC’s founding in 1884.
In 1905, with an entry of over 1700 dogs, Westminster surpassed even Crufts to become the largest all-breed dog show in the world.
WINNING BREEDS
As of the 132nd Westminster Show (February 2008), Best in Show has been won by the Terrier Group 44 out of the 100 times that the prize has been awarded since 1907, more than twice as many wins as any other group, even though only 27 of the 157 (or 17%) officially recognized AKC breeds are terriers. Only one Herding Group dog, a German Shepherd named Ch. Covy Tucker Hill’s Manhattan has won best in show.
The 2007 winner of Best in Show was Ch. Felicity’s Diamond Jim, aka “James”, an English Springer Spaniel (Sporting Group), and the 2008 Best In Show was a Beagle (Hound Group) named Ch. K-Run’s Park Me In First, aka “Uno” - the first time a beagle has won best in show.
* Terrier Group: 44
* Sporting Group: 19
* Working Group: 15
* Non-Sporting Group: 10
* Toy Group: 9
* Hound Group: 4
* Herding Group: 1
The oldest dog to win Best in Show was a Sussex Spaniel named Ch. Clussexx Three D Grinchy Glee (aka Stump), at 10 years of age in 2009.
The youngest dog to win was a Rough Collie named Ch. Land Loyalty of Bellhaven, at 9 months old in 1929.
One dog, a Smooth Fox Terrier named Ch. Warren Remedy won Best in Show three times (1907-1909), and six other dogs have won twice.
Dogs (males) have won best in show 67 times to 35 for bitches (females).
