1972
The English Springer Spaniel Ch . Chinoe ’ s Adamant James captures his second consecutive Best in Show at Westminster , becoming the seventh dog with multiple BIS wins ( six dogs with two , one dog with three ). Through 2016 , no dog has done it since .
1987
The Westminster Kennel Foundation establishes an annual scholarship program for veterinary students .
1992
Westminster becomes the first champions-only dog show held under AKC rules . Awards of Merit are added to the awards , the exact number given to be a function of the number of entries in each breed or variety .
2002
Westminster salutes the Search and Rescue dogs that performed so heroically during the 9 / 11 tragedy . Dogs and their handlers take part in the moving ceremonies and Glenn Close sings “ God Bless America ” to a rousing response in the arena and seen by a national television audience .
2007
Chet Collier , longtime Westminster member , past show chairman and president , is the first recipient of the club ’ s Sensation Award . Named for the club ’ s symbolic Pointer , the award is given in recognition of a member ’ s contribution to the club , to purebred dogs , and the sport of showing dogs . Collier died later in the year .
2013
The move to Piers 92 / 94 for the daytime breed judging on Monday and Tuesday is a huge success , with enthusiastic crowds packing the Piers for the club ’ s largest entry ( 2,720 ) since 1998 . In the Best in Show ring the smallest finalist , an Affenpinscher named Banana Joe , takes home the biggest prize . Banana Joe performs the firstever Broadway theatre walkon for a Westminster winner in “ The Mystery of Edwin Drood .”
2017
Inaugural year for the Westminster Kennel Club Cup , an award offered to the winner of the AKC Gun Dog Championship . The trophy was awarded to Flapjack ’ s Twisted Sister , a 9-year-old , female German Shorthaired Pointer .
2021
See more history at westminsterkennelclub . org
For the first time in its 145-year-history , the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show was held outside of the borough of Manhattan . Due to the COVID-19 pandemic , the oldest continuously held dog show in the country took place on the beautiful park-like grounds at Lyndhurst , a property of the National Trust for Historic Preservation , in Tarrytown , New York .
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