Westminster Dog Show 2015: Competition Preview, Viewing Information
The 139th annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show commences Monday evening at Madison Square Garden in New York City. As long as the competition has been going on, organizers are still finding ways to make it fresh, and this year, they are introducing two new breeds to the action.
New to the canine carnival of sorts are the Coton de Tulears and the Wirehaired Vizsla, per Reuters' Laila Kearney. The additions will only add to the quality, depth and diversity of the 2015 showcase.
Tex, a five-year-old border collie, won the Masters Agility Championship on Saturday. That event is only in its second year, but as the Chicago Tribune points out, the field was more than 45 percent larger than 2014's inaugural outing.
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Now, the main events are about to start, and while they can be seen on television, there are several live stream options as well. WKCLive.com, UStream.tv and the WKC Dog Show app all offer streaming access.
Read on for TV information along with a preview of the forthcoming Westminster Dog Show competitions.
Note: Show and viewing information courtesy of WestminsterKennelClub.org unless otherwise indicated.
| Monday, Feb. 16 | 8-11 p.m.; 11 p.m. - 2 a.m. | Night 1 live; Night 1 re-air | CNBC |
| Tuesday, Feb. 17 | 8-11 a.m.; 8-11 p.m. | Night 1 re-air; Night 2 live | USA Network |
| Wednesday, Feb. 18 | 8-11 a.m. | Night 2 re-air | USA Network |
| Sunday, Feb. 22 | 8-11 p.m.; 11 p.m. - 2 a.m. | Night 2 re-broadcast | CNBC |
| Tuesday, Feb. 24 | 8-11 p.m. | Night 1 re-broadcast | Universal HD |
| Wednesday, Feb. 25 | 8-11 p.m. | Night 2 re-broadcast | Universal HD |
2015 Westminster Dog Show Preview
The two-day schedule is packed with over 2,711 dogs representing 14 foreign countries and all but two U.S. states. New York leads the way with 242 stateside entries, followed by California (204), Pennsylvania (185), New Jersey (182), Florida (145) and Virginia (132) to round out the top participants.
Evening sessions are reserved for the marquee competitions. Monday's slate to be judged includes the hound, non-sporting, toy and herding groups.
Then the sporting, working and terrier groups take over on Tuesday, which also features Junior Showmanship and is headlined by Best In Show—the most prestigious prize of all.
ESPN's Keith Olbermann hinted that he plans to reward the champion canine:
But despite the massive platform of the Westminster Dog Show, the Best In Show winner hasn't tended to have an impact on overall popularity of a particular breed or the preferences of dog owners in the U.S.
Bloomberg VisualData provides an interesting graphic on this phenomenon as tastes have changed over the years of numerous breeds accepting the top award in the Big Apple:
The Best In Show judge will be The Hon. David Merriam. A competition-high 58 golden retrievers will be a part of the 139th annual field while Labrador retrievers have a large presence as well with 56 entrants.
However, one favorite to watch to take home the hardware is Matisse. Co-owner Milan Lint explained what makes Matisse so special, per The Associated Press' Ben Walker, via ABC News:
"He's a real dog. He likes to play, he likes to get dirty. He just cleans up really well. ... There are certainly characteristics of the individual exhibit that have driven him to this degree of winning. ... It doesn't defy the imagination or explanation, but those are very impressive totals.
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Matisse is a Portuguese water dog who has won Best in Show 238 of the prior 399 competitions he's entered. No dog of Matisse's breed has ever won the competition, so it'd be a history-making triumph if he were to pull it off.
Many owners have to be feeling confident entering the Westminster Dog Show because it's taken a ton of work just to get to this point. There is no denying Matisse's rate of winning is quite special, though.
The spectacle at Madison Square Garden only seems to become grander every year. This 2015 edition comes on the heels of the renowned sporting venue hosting the NBA All-Star Game, creating a unique set of circumstances that should keep the buzz going throughout the dog show.
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