LIFE AFTER WESTMINSTER

Westminster, There’s Only One
By Trish Biddle

Now that the dogs have been fed and exercised, we can get our first cup of tea and attend to our Westminster hangover.  Just like it’s host city, the Westminster Kennel Club show is the biggest, most glamorous, & exciting show all year.  It’s also a colossal hassle surrounded by unsavory characters.  We hope you enjoyed our special coverage and were not too bothered by the few haters that made it on to these pages during the expanded coverage and relaxed comments.  We won’t bore you with the technical reasons that the special coverage comes with some exposure to the more unpleasant elements in our sport.  We just want you to know we loved doing it and we will be doing it again next year.

In the meantime, our show schedule continues.  This coming weekend brings us 23 all breed shows in nine locations.  Those of you with the leisure time to take a long weekend can head to Greenville SC for three shows with the Spartanburg Kennel Club, the Hendersonville Kennel Club, & the Greenville Kennel Club, or to Lakeland FL where the Lakeland Winter Haven Kennel Club & the Sara Bay Kennel Club will team for four or to Denver CO to take advantage of the Plum Creek Kennel Club Of Colorado and the Colorado Kennel Club four shows.  They even throw in the Peak To Peak Working Dog Association Of Colorado’s limited breed show as an appetizer.  If you really want to pamper yourself try the Orchid Island Dog Fancier Club’s trio of shows in Hilo HI.

Working stiffs can enjoy the standard weekend fare in Hartford CT with the Elm City Kennel Club & the First Company Governor's Foot Guard Athletic Association, in Des Moines IA with the Cyclone Country Kennel Club Of Ames, in Camden AR with the South Arkansas Kennel Club, in San Marcos TX with the Guadalupe Valley Dog Fanciers, or in San Jose CA with the Santa Clara Valley Kennel Club.  Toy enthusiasts in San Jose should take in the Nor-cal Toy Dog Fanciers two limited breed shows on Thursday & Friday.

So head to your local show this weekend and check out all the beautiful dogs that were at Westminster or will be next year!