Of Banana Joe, his handler, Ernesto Lara said, “He’s won a lot of big shows, but not like this one. He’s a very tough little guy. He’s just a comedian, and doesn’t know his size. He thinks he’s Mr. America.”
Rottigirl Takes Westminster By (Despite) Storm.
~By Jillyn Sidlo. Edited by Steve Cooke. Photography by Mary Bloom, Westminster Kennel Club’s Staff Photographer.
O
n the Saturday morning of February ninth, Jillyn Sidlo was on her way to Tampa International Airport for a flight to New York while her friends were all placing bets the plane would not get off the ground due to a major northeastern snowstorm. Turns out, they lost those bets, as Jillyn (aka Rottigirl), on assignment to cover the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show for The New Barker, arrived without incident and soon after, toasted her fickle friends from the comfort of her Broadway Plaza Hotel room with a glass or two of the bubbly. New York City had escaped the brunt of the storm and it was business as usual. After grabbing her press credentials at AKC headquarters, Jill headed to the Affinia on 7th Avenue for a reception hosted by Westminster Dog Show co-host and spokesperson David Frei. Several past winners were showcased including Uno, winner of 33 Best In Shows and Westminster’s 2008 Best in Show winner. From there, it was on to the Hotel Penn for an on-air radio interview with Jon Patch from TalkinPets.com, followed by a short trip downstairs to the Green Room...Westminster’s expansive grooming salon, vendor avenue, exercise room and of course, potty room. This year, only evening events took place in Madison Square Garden with qualifications moved to The Piers. The Piers of Westminster is a venue change the AKC adopted in order to facilitate the creation of more rings (12), additional bench space and abundant space for exhibitors, spectators and
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vendors.The move also allowed Westminster to increase its entry limit to 3,200 dogs. Free shuttles were provided from three different hotels to run press, handlers, dogs, owners and spectators to and from Piers 92 and 94 on the West side of NYC. A new Press Room at The Piers is elevated for a better view of the competitions, with plenty of room for writers and computers.
Reserve Best In Show, Bugaboo’s Picture Perfect, an Old English Sheepdog, and handler Colton Johnson.
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