Hustling Westminster pros go from dog to dog
New York: Hailing from every corner of the United States and coming as far afield as Japan and Russia, some 2,800 dogs will square off starting Monday at the Westminster Dog Show.
The 142nd installment of the storied canine beauty contest, the oldest continuously run US sporting event after the Kentucky Derby, culminates on Tuesday night with the selection of Best in Show at Madison Square Garden.
But before that dramatic unveiling, the field will be winnowed in a series of preliminary faceoffs.
While the focus remains squarely on the canines, a species that includes Greyhounds and other four- legged speedsters, some of the most impressive hustle comes from the dogs’ human assistants, professional handlers who manage as many as 15 dogs apiece. “We took three separate flights and everything to get all the dogs in here,” said San Diego handler Bruce Schultz, whose cohort of eight dogs ranges in size from the petite Cavalier King Charles Spaniel to the Anatolian Shepherd and Bloodhound, both over 100 pounds.
“Tomorrow I’ll start at 6: 00 am,” Ohio- based Nina Fetter said on Sunday, who is also showing eight dogs this year. Fetter’s contestants run the gamut in size, shape and coiffure — ranging from the American Hairless Terrier to the Komondor, whose moplike, all- white coat is a reliable scene- stealer. “I do large to small, it’s pretty much whatever they pay me for,” said Fetter.
Professional handlers have long been a fixture of the dog show circuit, which runs year- round. Some handlers charge $ 500 per dog, plus expenses, to show at Westminster compared with $ 150 or $ 250 at smaller shows.
Many professionals in the business are secondand third- generation show dog people, while others grew up seeing dogs in functional roles, such as hunting or protecting cattle. Hiring a professional handler is a way to ensure that a dog is adequately groomed.