The Gossip Column: March 24, 2023
The numbers are in for the 147th annual WESTMINSTER KENNEL CLUB, and the numbers are good. This year’s show also celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Masters Agility Championship and the eighth anniversary of the Masters Obedience Championship competition. Spectators will once again be able to attend and will have an opportunity to see 210 out 212 breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club compete for the top prize. Leading the pack, entry wise, is Golden Retrievers, with 51 entered, followed by 43 Labrador Retrievers, 41 Rhodesian Ridgebacks, 38 French Bulldogs and 35 Whippets. They will be joined with first-time-eligible Bracchi Italiani with 10 in competition. ...
The American Kennel Club just published their top-10 breeds by registration, and for the first time in 31 years the Labrador Retriever has lost its number-one ranking to the very popular, smaller in size and larger in purchase price French Bulldog. You can’t walk down a New York City street without tripping over one. Coming from a breed that is so low on the popularity and registration scales, being number one or two is unthinkable; we are just happy to be listed near the bottom in the 200s. We don’t want all that recognition — just a little more to get us out of the danger zone of extinction. ...
With WESTMINSTER back in New York City proper, the weekend is starting to get back to the big draw of Manhattan. People are asking about which Broadway shows they should attend. The New York-based DOG MUSEUM is having a celebration, there are several private parties happening on Saturday, and of course there is the black-tie PURINA® PRO PLAN® SHOW DOGS OF THE YEAR AWARDS DINNER in partnership with DOG NEWS on Sunday evening. Those invitations are in the mail. Don’t forget to vote for your favorite judge, professional handler, breeder, owner-handler and show. The nominees appear in this issue of DOG NEWS and online. To vote, go to www.dognews.com For those who haven't made their plane reservations, LaGuardia Airport is in walking distance of the show venue, but you will have to weave and duck the highway traffic. ...
Celebrating Birthdays … GABRIEL RANGEL, SUSAN DEPEW, REGINA KEITER, MERRY FITZGERALD, PLUIS DAVERN, GEORGIE COVEY, TIFFANY SAXON, NICK LOMBARDI, JACKIE HARRINGTON, NICOLE FISHER, DORIS COZART, CINDY SMITH, MARJORIE MARTORELLA, SHANNON STONE, CINDY COOKE, MEAGAN ULFERS, ALLISON ALEXANDER, LISA STUMPF, DENISE FLAIM, MIKE PITTS and TERRI MEYERS.