German Shepherd wins the Westminster – 2017!
This is the second time in the Westminster’s 141 years a german shepherd wins the whole show!!!
According to The Westminster Kennel Club website (not West-min-I-ster – which easily be mispronounced), the show held in 2017 is the dog club’s 141st show. The judge was Mr. Thomas H. Bradley, 3d. He picked the winner for the Best in Show class, called the show “The World’s Greatest Dog Show”. Mr. Bradley judged the seven Best in Group dogs to pick the final winner and bragging rights for a year as “Top Dog”, literally.
Kent Boyle’s showed Select CH Lockenhaus’ Rumor Has It v. Kenlyn to beat 2800 other competing dogs at the 2nd longest running sporting event in our history. As part of the German Shepherd dog show community, we congratulate Kent and Rumor for taking the whole show and handling the press frenzy afterward! So fun to see Kent and Rumor on all the talk shows. They were everywhere, in case you didn’t know. Rumor even has her own Twitter handle: @RumorHasItGSD. Very cute…
Here is one of pups watching the show rooting for Rumor:
German Shepherds at the Westminster
In 1987 Ch. Covy Tucker Hill’s Manhattan won Best in Show – the only other German Shepherd to win the big prize at Westminster. Merivern is also proud to brag about GV CH Wolf Creek Galaxy of Merivern ROM who won Best of Breed and took third place in the Herding Group at the 2014 Westminster show. Galaxy (AKA Fritz) is out of the same Dam Phoenix, Demi.
How the Dog Show Works
Briefly, each breed is judged within that breed, the winner goes on to compete against other breeds within its “Group” and then the winner of the Group goes on to compete for Best in Show.
How the classes and selection of winners works at this dog show. The various breeds are judged against on other dogs in their breeds in various classes. In The Westminster show the classes that are offered are only three (fewer than most other shows). These classes are separated by male and female categories and include:
- Bred by Exhibitor (the dog handler had to have been on the papers and official breeder of the dog)
- American-Bred (as it states, much be a dog bred in America)
- Open – (American Kennel Club registered dog)
- Winners – (The first place dog in each class goes in again to compete against the other first-place winners to receive the honor of Winners Dog and Winners Bitch. These winners also receive points towards their total points needed to become a “Champion”.)
- Specials – (Dogs who are already Champions will compete against the best male and female from this show – the previously mentioned Winners Dog and Winners Bitch. In this class, the judge will select the following awards:
- Best of Breed – the best one of the breed and this dog will go on to compete against the other breeds within the “Group”.
- Best of Winners – the judge’s pick for the best out of the male and female from the ‘classes’ awarding that dog the “Best of Winners” title.
- Best of Opposite Sex – this dog will be a champion or the Best of Winners, at the judge selection.
German Shepherds are in the Herding Group
Along with 30+ other breeds, german shepherds and in the herding group. Even though the german shepherd is used for a variety of utilities, herding is in its name! The shepherd used to be in the Working group, however, in 1983, the American Kennel Club changed the name to Herding. As we are all very well aware, german shepherds are great family dogs, working dogs for police and army, rescue dogs using their magnificent scent skills to find and track targets and they make a great best friend!
German Shepherds are highly intelligent. Maybe this one is guiding this little one back to the flock.
