It's mid-February, which for dog people means just one thing -- the Westminster Kennel Club dog show. Canine competitors from all corners of the United States migrate to New York for the nation's most prestigious dog show. Westminster celebrates its 136th year in 2012, and is the second-longest continuously held sporting event in American history, just one year behind the Kentucky Derby.
Westminster is a Champions-only show, with a limited entry of 2,000 dogs. The top five dogs in each breed receive an invitation to Westminster and are guaranteed a spot if they enter. All other contenders are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis; entries are typically filled up within an hour.
This year, only 10 Boxers are entered at Westminster, each hoping for a chance at the coveted Best in Show win. The five Boxers who received invitations are, in alphabetical order:
GCH CH Carillon's M V P – “Jake”
(Ch Capri's Woods End Spellcaster, SOM x Ch Carillon Ellie's Grand Finale, DOM)
Dog. Whelped 6/2/2008
Breeder: Cindy Suarez; Owners: Ann & Steve Anderson; Handler: Rick Justice
- #7 Boxer 2011 - Canine Chronicle
- #8 Boxer 2011 - Dog News
- #5 Boxer 2011 - Show Sight
- 2011 American Boxer Club Top Twenty
- 2011 American Boxer Club National Specialty Award of Merit
GCH CH R And G's Mystical Dancer – “Danny”
(Ch Capri's Woods End Spellcaster, SOM x Ein-Von's Kiss N' Tell, DOM)
Dog. Whelped 2/21/2008
Breeder: Gayann Jones/Kimberlie Steele-Gamero; Owners: Roberto Bezerra/Barbara Bachman/Richard Servetnick/Gary Steele; Handler: Kimberlie Steele-Gamero
- #2 Boxer 2011 - Canine Chronicle
- #2 Boxer 2011 - Dog News
- #1 Boxer 2011 - Show Sight
- 2009 American Boxer Club National Specialty Award of Merit
- 2009 AKC/Eukanuba Invitational Best Bred-By Exhibitor in Breed/Bred-By Exhibitor Group First
- 2009 AKC/Eukanuba Invitational Award of Merit
- 2010 American Boxer Club Top Twenty
- 2010 American Boxer Club National Specialty Award of Merit
- 2011 American Boxer Club Top Twenty Winner
GCH CH Sapphires Violet Sky In Vegas Of Streamline – “Zoey”
(Ch Brookwood's Place of Dreams x Ch Sapphire's Wild Pitch of Burlwood)
Bitch. Whelped 4/21/2009
Breeder: Shelly Williams; Owners: Donald M Young/Joleena Young/Gina Freer/Chuck Freer; Handler: Christa Cook
- #5 Boxer 2011 - Canine Chronicle
- #6 Boxer 2011 - Dog News
- #4 Boxer 2011 - Show Sight
- 2010 American Boxer Club National Specialty Grand Prize Futurity Winner
- 2010 American Boxer Club Regional Specialty Best of Winners
GCH CH Winfall Brookwood Styled Dream – “Scarlett”
(Ch Brookwood's Place of Dreams x Winfall's I've Got Style, DOM)
Bitch. Whelped 5/28/2007
Breeders: Tina Porter/Lee Stanton; Owners: Deb McCarroll/Mark Fagan/Pat Billhardt/Sergio Tenenbaum; Handler: Diego Garcia
- #1 Boxer 2011 - Canine Chronicle
- #1 Boxer 2011 - Dog News
- #2 Boxer 2011 - Show Sight
- 2009 Westminster Kennel Club Best of Breed, Group Second
- 2009 American Boxer Club National Specialty Best of Breed
- 2010 AKC/Eukanuba Invitational Best of Breed
- 2010 Westminster Kennel Club Best of Breed, Group Second
- 2010 American Boxer Club Top Twenty Winner
- 2010 American Boxer Club National Specialty Best of Breed
- 2011 Westminster Kennel Club Best of Breed, Group Second
- 2011 American Boxer Club Top Twenty (Exhibition Only)
- 2011 American Boxer Club National Specialty Best of Breed
- 2011 American Boxer Club Regional Specialty Best of Breed
- 2011 AKC/Eukanuba Invitational Best of Breed, Group First
GCH CH Winfall I Dream Of Style – “Macey”
(Ch Brookwood's Place of Dreams x Winfall's I've Got Style, DOM)
Bitch. Whelped 5/28/2007
Breeders: Tina Porter/Lee Stanton; Owners: Keith & Cheryl Robbins/George & Barbara Adkins/Tina Porter/Lee Stanton/Jorge Pinzon; Handler : Michael Shepherd
- #3 Boxer 2011 - Canine Chronicle
- #3 Boxer 2011 - Dog News
- #3 Boxer 2011 - Show Sight
- 2010 American Boxer Club Top Twenty
- 2010 American Boxer Club Top Twenty People's Choice Winner
- 2010 American Boxer Club National Specialty Award of Merit
- 2011 American Boxer Club Top Twenty
- 2011 American Boxer Club Top Twenty People's Choice Winner
Invitations this year read like a family reunion -- the bitches all share the same sire (Scarlet and Macey are littermates), and the dogs also share a sire.
Westminster Kennel Club will once again share live streaming video of breed judging. Boxers will show at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 15. Follow Westminster Kennel Club on Facebook or Twitter for real-time announcements and updates.
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