Another giant falls
The Boxer ring was abuzz today when the nation's number-three dog, Champion Bayview Some Like It Hot, better known as "Monroe," lost to the number-two boxer, Champion Ein-Von's Just A Rumor, whose friends call her "Jasmine."
Still-another fall from grace echoed in the Airedale ring, where the number-six dog last year, Champion Evermay’s High Performance, forfeited the Best of Breed ribbon to a girl named Champion Huntwood’s Waltzing Mahtilda.
Such tumbles from once-lofty heights are pretty much standard fare at the Garden, which one long-time judge affectionately calls "the day for losers."
To relive the torturous ups and downs, visit westminsterkennelclub.org, which is offering streaming video of the breed competitions. (Do it soon, though: It's free for now, but in a week you'll have to pay for the privilege.)
No kidding around
The youngest handler competing in the Juniors competition is a homegrown Long Islander: Jayme Baum, 9, of Huntington, made the rounds accompanied by her elkhound Royce, her mom Janet and beaming uncle Donald Sturz, an AKC judge who judged the Hound group at Westminster last year.
Juniors competition is intended encourage participation by youngsters in the sport of dogs; unlike the rest of dogs shows, in Juniors competitions, it is the handlers who are judged, not the dogs.
Jayme is a third-generation dog-show person: Her grandmother, who was also at the Garden today, started in golden retrievers. Jayme's arsenal for tempting 7-year-old Royce tomorrow night? Chicken, steak and hot dogs -- not necessarily in that order.
The legs have it
Westminster is a stage, and many attendees are happy to dress the part, from rhinestone-studdede jackets to breed-specific bling-bling. (Speaking of breed-specific, as in legislation, many of the bullie-breed owners were sporting purple ribbons, to protest New York City councilman Peter Vallone's recent proposal to ban pitbulls in the city.)
But the biggest satorial statement on the floor of the Garden today was made by Graham Mocklow of Bermuda, who wore -- what else? -- Bermuda shorts to show his Shipperke, "Nam." (For his part, "Nam" was the oldest dog entered in the show, at a sprightly 13 1/2.)
How do Bermuda shorts look with black socks and dress shoes? Just about how you would expect.
