Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

I attended Westminster for the first time in the 70s while still in high school. I've been a dog nut since elementary school - I think I consciously redirected my horse-craziness into something more attainable. I joined a dog 4-H club in high school and finally had like-minded friends. With them I ventured via bus or train to New York from suburban New Jersey to Madison Square Garden. We had tickets so humble that I don't even think they came with seats. They definitely didn't have re-entry privileges. When it came time for the groups, we sat on the floor close to the ropes (which you can't do any more).

"Back in the day", as they say, Westminster was a different show. There were less people and you could actually walk around on the floor between the rings. TV didn't dominate the event and the dogs were actually on the benches for the viewing. They had "benching chains" to fasten the dogs to the benches without crates.

The show's really outgrown the venue. I don't know what's so prestigious about Madison Square Garden. If the show weren't so TV driven they could move it to a bigger venue, make it more days, increase the entry, have more vendors, and sell more tickets (I think).

The benching area is mostly a joke - exhibitors spend their time trying to avoid leaving their dogs there. It's scary crowded past the point of safety. Exhibitors can't easily move between the grooming, benching and exercise areas. Shopping is almost impossible because of the crowds and there are less and less vendors every year.

I attended Crufts, the other massively prestigious dog show (in England) a few years back, and they have a completely different formula. It's held in a giant exhibition facility and takes up three or four halls. There is no entry limit, the dog needs one championship certificate to qualify (roughly equivalent to a major in American terms) and they have something like 25,000 dogs. The number of vendors is massive - halls and halls of them - and it's a much more visitor-friendly show.

I've been very fortunate to have a friend in the poodle club who shares her Westminster tickets with me. She has the kind of tickets you can't buy - someone has to die before you can get them. They are reputedly Mrs. Putnam's former tickets. They are in the front row for poodle viewing although a little off center for watching the Groups and Best in Show. I go most years - I stayed home to care for Eva and ultimately have her put to sleep on the day of the show. This year I was supposed to go but because of the snowstorm our flight was cancelled, rescheduled, and cancelled. So I'm watching from the couch. No crowds, anyway.