Get Ready for the Westminster Dog Show 2008 – Look Who’s Entered!

It is America's Dog Show, first held here in 1877, and as has been the case for so very many of those years since, The Westminster Kennel Club reached its entry limit quickly for its 132nd Annual All Breed Dog Show February 11-12 at Madison Square Garden.

Westminster's total entry of 2,627 for its show, America's second longest continuously held sporting event, comes from 48 states, the District of Columbia, and at least six foreign countries.

Leading the way with the most entries are California (287) and New York (244). Rounding out the top ten states are New Jersey (170), Pennsylvania (167), Texas (151), Florida (130), Connecticut (122), Massachusetts (103), Maryland (92) and Virginia (80). Foreign entries came from Canada (75), Germany, Brazil, Columbia, Spain, Thailand, and Uruguay. However, many foreign bred dogs are entered from U.S. addresses, and in the final compilation there will be a number of additional foreign countries represented.

As in recent years, the entry limit of 2,500 dogs was reached quickly after the general entry process began on December 7. The final total entry includes 127 dogs entered in Junior Showmanship.

Labrador Retrievers have the highest entry with 51; other large entries include German Shorthaired Pointers 40, Pugs 37, Golden Retrievers 36, Rhodesian Ridgebacks 35, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels 35, French Bulldogs 35, and Australian Shepherds 35.

All of the 169 breeds and varieties recognized by the American Kennel Club will be represented at the show. There are 36 entries in four newly-recognized breeds competing for the first time at Westminster in 2008: the Plott (7 entries, Hound Group), the Tibetan Mastiff (13 entries, Working Group), the Beauceron (7 entries, Herding Group) and the Swedish Vallhund (9 entries, Herding Group).

The evening competition will be televised live each night at 8 PM (ET) on USA Network. Westminster, televised since 1948, is and always has been America's most widely-watched live telecast of a dog show. It is the only dog show televised live in this country. In addition, streaming video of the individual breed judging highlights is posted on the Westminster Web site for viewing within two hours of the completion of judging.

There are changes in the judging schedule from previous years. Breeds and varieties in the Hound, Terrier, Non-Sporting and Herding Groups will be benched and judged during the day on Monday, with Group competition that evening. On Tuesday, breeds and varieties in the Sporting, Working and Toy Groups will be benched and judged, with judging of those Groups and Best In Show to be held Tuesday evening.

The breed judging schedule will be posted on www.westminsterkennelclub.org when finalized.

Dr. J. Donald Jones of Marietta, GA will judge Best In Show, heading a judging panel of 32 judges from 19 states and Australia.

ENTRIES FOR 2008 (subject to final audit):

ENTRIES BY STATE

Others:

The Show – MONDAY BREEDS:

The Show -TUESDAY BREEDS: