But “you don’t want to be too precious about your outfit,” Ingram said, because “if you’re judging something like a Saint Bernard, you’re getting slobber on it.“Īlso sequestered in a hotel Monday was George Milutinovich of Fresno, California, who was judging 21 breeds and varieties in the nonsporting group Monday night. Most female handlers and judges wear formal blouses and skirts cut below the knees. At home, she has 12 dogs, including Labradors, affenpinschers, and a pack of Norfolk terriers that she said are “named after patriots” such as George Washington, Mamie Eisenhower, Sam Adams and Patrick Henry.ĭress style is typically conservative and sensible, since handlers and judges are bending over dogs in all manners. In previous years, she’s judged various terrier, toy and sporting groups. Though she doesn’t wear a uniform, experienced handlers and owners will likely recognize Sweigart from her more than 50 years in the dog world. for nearly 30 years, Sweigart points out that at Westminster, they’ve never won. Though they were the most popular breed in the U.S. They’re not fancy movers.” They’re bred to be duck hunters. But others, like Labrador retrievers, are what she called “a very utilitarian kind of dog. “Some breeds are more glamorous than others and catch the eye,” Sweigart said. So she’ll be holed up in her hotel room, staying clear of the rings until the premier competition. Some curly and coarse-coated breeds are brushed with baby powders while fine, silky-haired dogs are spritzed with various aerosol sprays.īehind the scenes Monday morning, handlers tended to sleepy-faced bracco Italianos, which are eligible for the first time to compete at Westminster this year.īeth Sweigart of Bowmansville, Pennsylvania, holds the honor of judging Best in Show this year. Popular TikTok accounts, the widespread use of QR codes and geotagged Instagram posts have raised the profiles of some competitors, who may go on to score lucrative kibble sponsorships.īefore dogs enter the ring, groomers blow-dry the bellies of Tibetan spaniels, unfurl curlers from the muzzles of snow-white Malteses and spritz the coiffed, cloudlike bobs of bichon frisés. But modern innovations have changed the game. GO BEHIND THE SCENES WITH SOME DOG DETAILSĪt nearly 150 years old, Westminster is the second-oldest continuously-running sporting competition in the United States, behind only the Kentucky Derby. But in the United States, both dogs are competitive. In European competitions, for example, cream-colored French bulldogs and white-colored Italian greyhounds are not recognized. Some details may be common, but standards are not universal. Some hairdressers, according to Ingram, pull poodles’ fluffy fur taut in order to make round eyes appear almond-shaped, which is the breed’s standard. When judging poodles, her scrupulous attention to detail goes beyond the grooming. “When you go through the coat, maybe you find that there’s no body or the elbows are hanging out a bit,” she said. ”It’s like, ‘You’re disturbing my vision - could you move?’”Ītop gold-skirted, purple-velvet tables, handlers position their dogs in preparation for Ingram’s scrutiny. Ingram says that when you approach an Afghan hound, “They actually look through you, rather than at you,“ because they’re bred to be far-seeing. Some dogs were bred to hunt lions (Rhodesian ridgebacks), while others are bred to be affectionate puffballs (Pekingese). A spirited trot or swishy, excited wag of the tail may signify an excellent performance for one breed, but subpar training for another.įor example, “any poodle that flies around the ring like a workhorse is not a poodle,” Ingram said. “With breeds like Frenchies and bulldogs, where there are health concerns with the breathing, you want to see them be able to move without any signs of distress,” Ingram said.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |