Plenty of state dogs going to the big show

Six dozen dogs from Washington state are entered in the 131st annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. This is the 11th-largest state contingent and the second-biggest from the West, behind California, said David Frei, the club's director of communications and longtime analyst and co-host of the televised show.

For some Northwest dogs, such as Burton, a Rottweiler who will be shown by handler Tony Carter, of Kent, the trip will be a first to the big show. For others, such as 7-year-old Juneau — the winningest American Eskimo dog of all time — it will be his last hurrah before retiring to the sofa.

The show, held annually at Madison Square Garden, is steeped in tradition: It's the second-longest continuously held U.S. sporting event, behind only the Kentucky Derby.

Westminster also is the most splashy gala in dogdom.

"It is where the best of the best appear, and hopefully the best of the best wins," said Don Rodgers, a handler from Shelton, Mason County, who will be showing California-owned Ruger, the No. 1 Rhodesian ridgeback of all time. (A ranking is based on the number of dogs defeated in the show ring.)

Juneau, owned by Ruth Sampson of Ridgefield, Clark County, and Ruger aren't the only solid contenders with ties to the region. Among the others: Jake, a Mukilteo bichon frisé that's the No. 2 nonsporting dog for 2006 and 20th in all-breed standings; Forrest, a standard Manchester terrier from Chehalis; Cysco, a Marysville schipperke that's the No. 7 nonsporting dog; and Boomer, an American Staffordshire terrier from Ridgefield, Clark County.

Some are accomplished dogs, such as Woody, a Bothell Irish water spaniel that is a champion in the U.S., Great Britain, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark.

Others are family pets first. Debra Ferguson-Jones and daughter Kaitlyn Jones own Marlo, a standard poodle that's No. 8 for 2006. When not showing, Marlo herds deer on Ferguson-Jones' 500 acres in the Renton area.

Only American Kennel Club (AKC) champions — dogs that have won 15 points in AKC shows — can compete in Westminster. Competition is limited to 2,500 dogs, with the top five ranked dogs in each breed and variety invited to pre-enter.

In all, 165 breeds and varieties will compete in the benched show, in which dogs are required to remain on assigned benches when not in the ring for the day they are showing.

Westminster isn't a beauty pageant. Every step of the way through breed, group and best-in-show competition, the animals are judged on how closely they mirror their breed's standard as established by the AKC and its parent club. A bloodhound, for example, was bred to track and should be different from a border collie that was bred to herd livestock or a pug that was bred to be a companion.

"I like to think that all of the dogs that I am showing are competitive, but Westminster is very difficult to win," said Andy Linton, a Vancouver, Wash., handler who won best in show in 1989. He will be showing seven dogs this year. One — Nico, from Rochester, Thurston County — is the country's No. 4 vizsla.

"It's our big showcase," said Carter, the Kent man who will show Burton the Rottweiler as well as Axl, his No. 5-ranked Chinese shar-pei, and Beau, an Issaquah Bouvier des Flandres ranked No. 6.

But only one dog can win best in show. And that will depend on how well judge Robert Indeglia of Providence, R.I., thinks the dog conforms to its breed's standard and whether it exudes enough charisma. Charm and showmanship sometimes are the deciding factors.

For some owners, winning the show is not the end-all. Some are in it for the ride, wherever it takes them.

"Our goal is to see how far we can go," said Issaquah resident Feris Taylor, who with her husband, Bill, owns Beau the Bouvier.

"I'm familiar with subjective judging," said Taylor, who spent a decade as a competitive skater. "If you don't take it [dog showing] too seriously, it is a wonderful thing to participate in."

Neena Pellegrini: 206-464-3114 or npelligrini@seattletimes.com.