Where New York Takes the Leash: Westminster at 150

A Doberman Pinshcer named Penny won best of show, besting more then 2,500 other canines at the 150th annual Westminster Dog Show Jan. 31 to Feb. 3.

For Andy Lanton, Penny’s handler it was an emotional win on Feb. 3 at Madison Square Garden, beating out six other category champions to cap the four-day show. He was the handler the last time a Doberman won best of show in 1990. For the past three years, he has been battling Parkinson’s Disease, adding to the drama of this win 37 years later. He appeared to choke back tears. “He’s as great a Doberman as I have ever seen,” he said. Adding, “I have some goals and this is one of them.”

What’s Penny’s favorite command?” a reporter asked handler Linton just after Penny won Best of Show

The question landed with disarming simplicity at the very heart of Westminster’s grandeur. Linton’s answer arrived with a smile, relaxed, almost conspiratorial in its honesty. “Yea, it’s time to eat!”

In an arena charged with history, prestige, and expectation, the moment felt quintessentially New York. Effortlessly glamorous, warmly human, and delightfully grounded in the everyday joys that bind people to their dogs.

That exchange, playful yet revealing, captured the spirit of the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show more perfectly than any statistic or superlative. Westminster at 150 was not merely a competition. It was a citywide celebration, a reminder that beneath the polish and pageantry lives something universally recognizable. Affection, humor, and an enduring love of dogs. For one glittering week, New York once again became the epicenter of the canine world, blending spectacle and sentiment with the ease of a city long practiced in both.

Few sporting traditions are so inseparable from their surroundings. Westminster was born in New York in 1877, founded by a group of gentlemen who gathered at the now vanished Westminster Hotel in Manhattan. The first show unfolded at Gilmore’s Garden, the venue that would later become Madison Square Garden, making a connection between Westminster and New York that has only deepened with time. The city’s appetite for drama and excellence proved the ideal backdrop for a dog show that would grow into one of America’s most enduring institutions.

Dr. Donald Sturz, president of The Westminster Kennel Club, articulated the significance of the milestone with characteristic clarity. “The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is a celebration of the universal love of dogs, a sentiment that has woven its way through the fabric of our country’s history, in both good times and bad.” His words carried weight in New York, where tradition and reinvention coexist with remarkable ease.

Sturz has also been direct in reframing how Westminster is perceived. “For so long, people would refer to Westminster as an elitist event. I do not see it as an elitist event. I see it as an elite event, meaning it is the top dogs in the world. It is an all-champion event. It is dogs competing from everywhere. Everyone is welcome to participate in, and everyone is welcome to enjoy.”

The distinction is more than semantic. It speaks to Westminster’s evolving identity and its expanding audience, a balance of exclusivity in competition and inclusivity in spirit.

That sense of openness was visible throughout the week. While Madison Square Garden delivered Westminster’s most luminous moments, the Jacob K Javits Convention Center hummed with its own vibrant energy. Within its vast glass halls, thousands of dogs, handlers, and enthusiasts created a temporary metropolis fueled by anticipation and camaraderie. Grooming tables became social hubs. Ringside conversations carried the cadence of reunion. The scale was immense, yet the atmosphere remained unmistakably personal.

Watercolor artist Anne Watkins, painting quietly as the pageant moved around her, described the atmosphere with affectionate precision. “The Westminster represents part of what makes New York so distinctive. “The great meeting ground,” as Manahatta was known by the Lenape people continues to be a draw for all kinds of people. What especially delights me about the WKC show is the ease with which people from all over the country and world even, come trusting and laughing together, all feeling kindred because of their love of dogs. It’s special.” Her observation captured a defining truth of Westminster week. The event is as much about people as it is about dogs.

Competition unfolded with the drama and emotional intensity that Westminster reliably produces. Penny’s Best in Show victory stood as the centerpiece, yet the surrounding performances supplied an equally compelling narrative. Amber McCune’s triumph in the Masters Agility Championship with her Border Collie, Prove It, electrified spectators and fellow competitors alike. “Prove It winning is so very special to me and I could not be prouder of him. As an owner-handler and breeder, my heart is overflowing with gratitude. Prove It truly is a once in a lifetime dog and I am so so lucky to have him as my teammate and best friend.”

Flyball returned with exhilarating momentum, transforming the arena with speed, precision, and contagious enthusiasm. Cindy Henderson of the Wicked Runners Flyball Club articulated the sport’s appeal with clarity. “Flyball is a fast paced sport featuring two teams of four dogs each racing side by side against each other running over jumps, retrieving a ball, and then back over the jumps with the next dog on the team going in the relay race until all four dogs successfully complete the course with the fastest team to complete winning the heat.” The explanation conveyed structure, but the spectacle itself delivered pure adrenaline.

Henderson described the mental pivot required under Westminster’s glare. “There are nerves before the race starts but once we start I go into competition mode. My focus immediately shifts to my dog and to the other members of the team ensuring that we are all in sync and working together.” Westminster’s scale, she noted, alters the experience entirely. “Westminster is a world-renowned event and it is an incredible honor to compete. Typical tournaments are local. The biggest difference is the crowds. At Westminster we are so lucky to have huge crowds cheering on the dogs. They make it so much fun.”

Agility competitors spoke of similar electricity. Erin Hoverson reflected on Shadow’s response to the charged environment. “The crowds at Westminster this year were even more electric than last year. Shadow is usually noise sensitive, but he was thrilled to be at Westminster this year and really seemed to feed off the energy in the building. Running with him is always a joy.”

For Jeffrey Tripp, Westminster represented the fulfillment of a long-held dream. “My dream of making the finals at Westminster was reality now!!! I took Jack’s paw and waved at the crowd. And the crowd loved it and exploded with happiness.” The spontaneity of the gesture, and the audience’s reaction, underscored Westminster’s emotional immediacy.

Behind the scenes, New York State Police ensured the spectacle unfolded seamlessly. Vincent Florio summarized the responsibility with characteristic understatement. “It’s truly an honor to help keep this New York tradition safe for all.”

Perspective, amid triumph and celebration, remained essential. Patricia V. Trotter’s timeless observation lingered as both reminder and benediction. “Every pet may not be a show dog, but be assured, every show dog is a pet.” At Westminster, nowhere feels more true.