1 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:06,960 Speaker 1: Welcome to brain Stuff production of iHeart Radio. Hey brain Stuff. 2 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:12,039 Speaker 1: Lauren vogebam here at the very first Westminster Kennel Club 3 00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:15,360 Speaker 1: Dog Show in eight seventy seven, held in an open 4 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:18,040 Speaker 1: air building in New York City that P. T. Barnum 5 00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:22,000 Speaker 1: built for his circus, Somewhere around one thousand, five hundred 6 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 1: canines were displayed for what The New York Times declared 7 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 1: a new fashionable amusement among members of the city's high society. 8 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:32,480 Speaker 1: The Times announced in advance of the show on March 9 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:36,479 Speaker 1: of that year, the attendance promises to be very select. 10 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 1: That hoity toity image for the world's most famous dog 11 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:44,479 Speaker 1: show may, for some lingered nearly a century and a 12 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:49,839 Speaker 1: half later bolstered by perfectly quite poodles performing for tuxedo judges, 13 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:53,480 Speaker 1: but the hundred and forty five running of the Westminster Show, 14 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 1: which begins on June eleven, is a good bit more 15 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 1: than a finally brushed out coat on a careful controlled 16 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:06,880 Speaker 1: pure bred. Certainly meticulously bred dogs, often outrageously groomed, are 17 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:11,160 Speaker 1: still the show's centerpiece. Beyond that, though, Westminster is an 18 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 1: unabashed lovin for all dogs from the prancing show dog 19 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 1: performing for a worldwide audience to that rescue mutt taking 20 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:22,959 Speaker 1: up residents on your living room sofa. For the article 21 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:25,319 Speaker 1: this episode is based on How's to Work. Spoke with 22 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:29,319 Speaker 1: Gayl Miller Bischer, the director of Communications for the Westminster 23 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:32,559 Speaker 1: Connel Club, the world's oldest group dedicated to the sport 24 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:36,760 Speaker 1: of showing pure bred dogs. She said, Westminster is a 25 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:40,320 Speaker 1: celebration of dogs, and it's a celebration of companionship, and 26 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:43,640 Speaker 1: that's something that we have always strived to promote. If 27 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:45,560 Speaker 1: you ever come to the dog show, where one of 28 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 1: the few benched shows still in existence, and that just 29 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:50,880 Speaker 1: means that all the dogs have to stay at the 30 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:55,120 Speaker 1: show all day. They're categorized alphabetically, so if you want 31 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:58,080 Speaker 1: to see all the Afghans, they're all together in one area. 32 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:01,320 Speaker 1: All the beagles are together. The whole purpose of that 33 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:04,800 Speaker 1: is because we are a public education event. It's about 34 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 1: educating the public and making sure they learn about the 35 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:11,920 Speaker 1: breed before you bring a dog into your home. And 36 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:14,640 Speaker 1: as we mentioned that show has been around for a while. 37 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 1: The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is the second longest 38 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:22,360 Speaker 1: continuously held sporting event in America, behind only the Kentucky Derby, 39 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 1: which started in eighteen seventy five. The Westminster show was 40 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,400 Speaker 1: around before the light bulb, which debuted in eighteen seventy nine, 41 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: and the first gasoline powered automobile from eighteen eighty five. 42 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:36,079 Speaker 1: It also predates both the invention of the game of 43 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:40,080 Speaker 1: basketball eighteen ninety one and the first World Series nineteen 44 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 1: o three. But the Westminster Show, as long running as 45 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 1: it is, will be vastly different this year due to 46 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 1: the remnants of the coronavirus pandemic. For the first time 47 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:54,400 Speaker 1: and it's a hundred and forty five year history, the 48 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 1: Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show will not be held in 49 00:02:57,560 --> 00:03:01,799 Speaker 1: Manhattan in twenty one. Because of the early planning needed 50 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:03,760 Speaker 1: to put on a show of this size and the 51 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 1: uncertainty of where the world would be pandemic wise, organizers 52 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:10,800 Speaker 1: months ago opted to move the show twenty five miles 53 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 1: or forty kilometers north of the city to Terrytown, New York. 54 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:20,639 Speaker 1: What's more, the show will be without any human spectators. Westminster. 55 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 1: The show has been through a lot in the century 56 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 1: plus of its existence. It was shortened to two days 57 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:30,400 Speaker 1: during World War Two, and in ninety six because of 58 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:32,440 Speaker 1: a tug boat strike in the city. The show was 59 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 1: completed in just one day. Last February, just before COVID struck, 60 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 1: the Westminster Conel Club held its hundredth straight show at 61 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 1: the Madison Square Garden Venue. Organizers discussed all sorts of 62 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 1: scenarios for the hundred forty showing, delay it until fall online, 63 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:54,760 Speaker 1: only cancel it for the first time ever, moving it 64 00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 1: north to the Lyndhurst Estate, a National Trust historic site 65 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:01,000 Speaker 1: on the Hudson River, in a control setting that would 66 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 1: still allow for television coverage one the day. It's the 67 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 1: first time, too, that the competition will be held in 68 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:11,680 Speaker 1: the month of June in non pandemic times. The show 69 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 1: normally takes place over a week one, it's an elongated 70 00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:19,440 Speaker 1: weekend and some two thousand, five hundred dogs are entered 71 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:23,119 Speaker 1: in the show this year. Festivities begin Friday, June eleven 72 00:04:23,279 --> 00:04:26,720 Speaker 1: with a fan favorite, the Master's Agility Championship, which is 73 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:30,040 Speaker 1: open to all dogs, including all American a k A. 74 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 1: Non purebred types. Some three fifty dogs will tackle an 75 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:37,840 Speaker 1: obstacle course in the timed event. Mixed breed dogs are 76 00:04:37,839 --> 00:04:43,159 Speaker 1: also welcome at the Master's Obedience Championship. The Westminster Kennel 77 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:45,960 Speaker 1: Club Dog show, though, is the judging of two hundred 78 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 1: nine breeds and several different varieties of certain breeds in 79 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:56,080 Speaker 1: seven distinct groups. Hound, toy, non sporting, sporting, hurting, working, 80 00:04:56,400 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 1: and terrier. Dogs are judged by how closely they conform 81 00:05:01,279 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 1: to their breeds standards, which are the features that the 82 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:08,120 Speaker 1: American Kennel Club or a KC defines as ideal features 83 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:11,440 Speaker 1: for that breed. The standards cover how the dogs should look, 84 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:15,520 Speaker 1: move and their temperament. Take, for example, a long haired 85 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 1: docks and a one of the three varieties of the 86 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 1: docks and breed, including smooth and wire haired in the 87 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 1: hound group. To be judged well, a long haired ducks 88 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 1: and must meet appearance criteria such as, to quote the 89 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:31,120 Speaker 1: a k C, the trunk is long and fully muscled 90 00:05:31,279 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 1: when viewed in profile, the back lies and the straightest 91 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:37,760 Speaker 1: possible line between the withers and the short very slightly 92 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:41,600 Speaker 1: arched loin. Short hair on the ear is not desirable 93 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 1: to profuse. A coat which masks type equally, long hair 94 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:49,000 Speaker 1: of the whole body, a curly coat, or a pronounced 95 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 1: parting on the back are faults. Movement is based on 96 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 1: criteria such as quote viewed from the front. The legs 97 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:00,480 Speaker 1: do not move in exact parallel planes, but incline slightly inward, 98 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:04,839 Speaker 1: and there are requirements for temperament as well, such as 99 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:08,320 Speaker 1: the docks in is clever, lively and courageous to the 100 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 1: point of rashness, persevering in above and below ground work 101 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:15,800 Speaker 1: with all the senses well developed. Any display of shyness 102 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:20,799 Speaker 1: is a serious fault. Each dog is judged first among 103 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:24,240 Speaker 1: others in the breed uh Docksins, against Docksins, and then 104 00:06:24,279 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 1: against members of its group. The hound group includes thirty 105 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:31,120 Speaker 1: five breeds and varieties from Afghans to Docksins, two Wimmen's. 106 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:35,279 Speaker 1: If judged best of breed, and then best of group, 107 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:38,240 Speaker 1: the dog competes against the winner of the six other 108 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:42,440 Speaker 1: groups for Best in Show, Westminster's top prize, and that's 109 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:47,040 Speaker 1: announced the final night. In the hundred and forty four 110 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:49,800 Speaker 1: years of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, a dog 111 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:52,200 Speaker 1: from the Terrier group has one Best in Show a 112 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 1: record forty seven times. The wire fox terrier has won 113 00:06:56,279 --> 00:06:59,239 Speaker 1: fifteen Best in Show awards, the most by any breed, 114 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:03,800 Speaker 1: but the show is clearly not a popularity contest. The 115 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:06,280 Speaker 1: most popular dog in America, according to The A k 116 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 1: C is the Labrador Retriever, a member of the Sporting group, 117 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 1: but a lab has never won Best in Show at Westminster. 118 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 1: Today's episode is based on the article Westminster Dog Show 119 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:24,480 Speaker 1: celebrates a hundred and forty five years, but one will 120 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:26,840 Speaker 1: be different on House to haworks dot com, written by 121 00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:29,720 Speaker 1: John Donovan. Brain Stuff is production of by Heart Radio 122 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 1: in partnership with hows tofworks dot Com and it is 123 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 1: produced by Tyler Clay. Four more podcasts my Heart Radio, 124 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 1: visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 125 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:39,200 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows.