More than 2,500 elite show dogs, including about 60 from Georgia, will converge on New York City's Madison Square Garden on Monday and Tuesday for the 132nd annual Westminster Kennel Club dog show.

Westminster is the country's second-longest running sports event, surpassed only by the Kentucky Derby. And it holds the same significance for dog aficionados as the Derby does for horse fans.

"Westminster is the Super Bowl for dog shows," said Dahlonega resident Terri Ann Votava. "To win any of the awards there, it's a feather in your cap. The world views it as a prestige show."

Votava will be at the Garden this week to cheer on her Belgian sheepdog, Ch. Sans Brancos Uppin the Ante. The 3-year-old female, who goes by the call name "Bets," is currently ranked 12th in the nation in her breed, based on the number of shows she won last year.

This is Votava's second trip to Westminster; she showed Bets' mother there in 2003.

"It's expensive to go to the Garden, so people only bring their top dogs," she said.

Entry into the show costs $75. But on top of that, dog owners must pay for their own hotel rooms, food and transportation to and around New York.

Unlike with most shows, a dog must have already won its championship in order to be eligible for Westminster.

It's also one of the last "benched" shows in the country, meaning that all the entered dogs must remain on view to the public until 8 p.m.

"The crowds are unbelievable. There's a continuous stream of people all day," Votava said.

This rule allows people to see and learn about the different dog breeds. All 169 varieties recognized by the AKC will be on display, including four that just recently achieved AKC status: the Plott hound, Tibetan mastiff, Beauceron and Swedish Vallhund.

But a benched show can be exhausting for exhibitors, according to Stephens County resident Jennifer Wehking. She'll be showing her Cavalier King Charles spaniel, Ch. St. Jon Jailhouse Rock (call name: "Jake").

"Unless you make it to the finals, you can't actually see the (group and Best in Show judging), because you have to stay in the bench area with your dog," she said. "And there's hardly even any room to sit down."

This is tough on Wehking, because she suffers from health

problems. But she wouldn’t dream of missing Westminster. She showed there in 2005 and again in 2007.
On the latter occasion, she was showing Jake’s father, and things did not go well.

“Last year was terrible,” she said. “We had to show at 8 a.m., which gives you hardly any time to get set up and get the dog groomed. Then out of nowhere, the P.A. came on and blared ‘The Star-Spangled Banner.’ Everybody freaked out, and my dog’s attitude was shot for the rest of the day.”

And at Westminster, attitude is crucial if you want to win the top prize. All the dogs are, by definition, good specimens of their breed. During the 169 preliminary competitions, each judge picks the dog that best represents the written standard for its breed.

Those Best of Breed winners then compete in one of seven groups. The Hound, Terrier, Non-Sporting and Herding groups will be judged Monday night, with Sporting, Working and Toy groups Tuesday evening.

Then those seven group winners compete for Best in Show, starting at about 10 p.m. Tuesday.

This year’s Best in Show judge is a native Georgian, Don Jones of Marietta. He has been judging dogs since 1966.

For the Best in Show category, Jones won’t be evaluating the dogs so much by the breed standard, since all seven are likely to be of similar quality. Instead, he’ll be looking for that special something: a sparkle in the eye, a look of confidence.

Explaining their choice afterward, Best in Show judges usually say the dog “asked for the win.”
Wehking said that enthusiasm is what makes an ideal show dog. And it’s why she has high hopes for Jake this year.

“Jake has personality,” she said. “He has the finesse in the show ring that his father lacked.”
But the emphasis on being “showy” puts the less flashy breeds at a disadvantage. Historically, more than half of Westminster winners have been terrier breeds, followed by toy breeds and others that typically have long, attractive coats.

Blairsville residents Gene and Denise Windham know the odds are against their breed, the Kuvasz, ever winning Westminster. It’s a large white dog that was used in Hungary to guard livestock, but like many breeds in the Working group, it has a rather reserved personality and doesn’t tend to attract the judge’s attention.

But the Windhams don’t care about winning Best in Show. They’ll be at Westminster with their 2-year-old female, Ch. WindRidge Renpochi (call name: “Ren”).

“We’ve co-owned a dog that took Best of Breed at Westminster three years in a row,” said Gene Windham. “But Ren is the first one to go there that we’ve bred ourselves.”

Ren is currently the No. 3 Kuvasz in national rankings. Like most top dogs, she will be shown in the ring by a professional handler. This allows her owners to just enjoy the show — and they said they love the atmosphere.

“First-level seat tickets have been sold out since last July,” Windham said, adding that he doesn’t mind the dogs being on view to the public during the show.

“The dogs are in their crates, so they feel safe,” he said. “We get so many people coming up and asking us questions. And this girl loves the attention. That’s what makes her a great show dog.”

The logistics of getting to Westminster can be daunting. The show is always held the second week of February, when New York is often hit by snowstorms. Most people drive there because shipping a dog by airline is too risky.

Votava is making the trip in a 15-passenger van with the seats removed. In addition to her own Belgian sheepdog, she’ll be transporting a Newfoundland, a German short-haired pointer and a Brittany. Some of those dogs are owned by friends who are flying to New York.

Like most exhibitors, Votava is staying at the Hotel Pennsylvania, right across the street from Madison Square Garden. During Westminster week, she said, the place is like a big family reunion for dog folks.

“It’s a social event,” she said. “We’re competing against each other in the ring. But whichever Belgian wins Best of Breed, we’ll all be there cheering for it, hoping to win the Herding Group.”

The reality is that competing in dog shows is expensive — competitors have to pay for out-of-town lodging, as well as meals and transportation. Plus, travel hassles can be nightmarish and most people who enter don’t win. So why go through the trouble?

“It’s definitely an ego booster if you do win,” Wehking  said. “But the main reason people get involved is their love for their breed.”