NEW YORK — They are champions in their field, demonstrating agility and grace as they leap, weave, and run. This weekend, the spotlight was on the agility dogs competing at the Westminster Kennel Club show, which commenced with an array of dog sports and competitions.
Often referred to as the Super Bowl of dog shows, this year’s Westminster event coincidentally shares its opening weekend with the major professional football championship featuring the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. This unique alignment comes after both events revised their schedules in recent years.
Dog expert David Frei humorously remarked that he wishes the Super Bowl could be dubbed “the Westminster of football,” highlighting that Westminster has been around for 90 years longer than the Super Bowl itself. There have also been interesting connections between football and Westminster; for instance, Los Angeles Chargers’ defensive end Morgan Fox is a co-owner of a French bulldog that nearly won the title at Westminster in 2022. Other NFL players, including Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes, also enjoy having dogs, whether for competitive or leisurely purposes.
A remarkable story emerged from the competition, marked by the journey of Guster, a rescue pug, and his owner, Steve Martin, who took up agility training after Guster showed excitement for the contest while watching it on television. “We never thought we’d be here. And now we’re here,” expressed Martin, who hails from Austin, Texas.
The agility crown was claimed by a border collie named Vanish, who excelled among 300 highly skilled canines. Her handler, Emily Klarman, expressed her deep admiration for Vanish, calling her “very intuitive, very natural—probably smarter than me.” Klarman appeared speechless after the win, while Vanish voiced her enthusiasm with barks of joy. Gable, a mixed-breed dog, received a special award for best performance among mixed breeds, showcased by Kayla Feeney from Lima, New York.
Westminster incorporated agility into its events in 2014, marking the first time mixed-breed competitors were allowed in the show since the 1800s. Last year’s partnership saw a mixed-breed winner—a border collie-papillon mix named Nimble—who was also competing again this year. The agility competition draws both purebreds and rescue dogs, including an energetic Australian cattle dog mix known as Sawyer, or Soy Sauce. His owner, Dr. Amy Ondeyka, a New Jersey emergency room doctor, made the effort to participate in agility training after discovering Sawyer’s knack for mischief.
“He’s always exciting—he does ridiculous things,” Ondeyka remarked, noting Sawyer’s playful demeanor even during downtime. While agility training often serves as an outlet for high-energy dogs, it also aids others in overcoming anxieties. Tully, a primarily Labradoodle mix, was once fearful of the world but now eagerly attends agility classes and competitions, as shared by his owner, Carla Rash.
The competitors ranged from a great dane to a petite 7-pound papillon, featuring lesser-known breeds like the large Munsterlander and Danish-Swedish farmdog. Dogs maneuvered through a series of jumps, tunnels, ramps, and other obstacles under their handler’s commands, aiming for both speed and accuracy. Spectators cheered for various participants—a bichon frise with a blue-dyed tail, a standard poodle taking its time across the A-frame ramp, and a curly-coated mix reconsidering its approach to the weave poles.
Traditional breed judging at Westminster is set for Monday and Tuesday, culminating in the highly coveted best in show announcement on Tuesday night. This portion of the competition only includes purebred dogs. However, mixed-breed dogs were eligible for Saturday’s obedience contest, which Westminster added in 2016; the top honor was awarded to Willie, an Australian shepherd handled by Kathleen Keller from Flemington, New Jersey, who also won the same title in 2022.
Among the attendees was Steve Wesler, proudly sporting a Philadelphia Eagles sweatshirt as he supported partner Jennifer Weinik and her Belgian Malinois, Cookie. The duo left with a ribbon, an achievement Wesler found even more thrilling than the Super Bowl—given his confidence in the Eagles’ success.
While there are no financial rewards at Westminster, agility and obedience winners have the honor of directing a $5,000 donation to a training club or the American Kennel Club Humane Fund in their name. The event also introduced a demonstration of flyball, a relay race for dogs that involves retrieving a ball.
“It’s a lot of organized chaos,” Hillary Brown remarked after competing with her Boston terrier, Paxil, alongside a standard poodle, border collie, and whippet-border collie mix from their York, Pennsylvania-based team called Clean Break. “It’s a blast. The dogs love it,” she added with enthusiasm.
Dubbed the Dog Bowl, canines shine during Westminster event on Super Bowl weekend
