New York - From toy-sized Brussels Griffons to 180-pound Irish Wolfhounds, hundreds of purebred dogs kicked off the Westminster Kennel Club dog show in New York on Monday, putting their best paws forward in hopes of advancing toward the gold.
About 2 700 dogs from more than a dozen countries have entered the two-day competition, one of the world's most prestigious events for pedigree breeders.
Now in its 140th year, the show is the second-longest continuously running sporting event in the US after the Kentucky Derby.
“To compete at Westminster is like a dream,” said handler Jason Lynn, who travelled from Blackpool, England, to show a four-year-old standard poodle named Ricky.
Ricky, who sprawled across a grooming table backstage as revellers took photographs, bested 20 000 dogs as winner of the 2014 Crufts show in Birmingham, the world's largest dog show.
“He's come here to see what his chances are in the US,” Lynn said.
Mara Flood, from Orange County, New York, said she wanted her one-year-old collie, named Gretel, to gain experience at her inaugural Westminster show.
“This is such a fragile time in a show dog's career,” said Flood.
“I just want her to have a good experience tonight.”
Westminster competitors are vying for the ultimate prize of Best in Show, to be announced on Tuesday evening at the competition's finale at Madison Square Garden.
This year will mark the last show co-hosted by David Frei, who is bowing out after a 27-year reign as the face of Westminster.
Nearly 200 breeds and varieties are eligible for this year's Westminster competition.
As usual, Labrador retrievers and golden retrievers have the most entries, with 51 and 50 contestants respectively.
The bat-eared French bulldog comes in third.
Seven breeds - the Bergamasco, Lagotto Romagnolo, Berger Picard, Miniature American Shepherd, Boerboel, Spanish Water Dog and Cirneco dell'Etna - will make their debuts this year, having just been added to the American Kennel Club's registry.
After judges select the best of each breed, the top dogs are narrowed down to best of each group: hound, toy, non-sporting, herding, sporting, working or terrier, which go on to compete for Best In Show.
Leading up to each show, Johnny Avello, director of race and sports operations for Wynn Las Vegas, releases his predictions for winning breeds.
His pick this year is a German shepherd.
Last February, a bouncy female beagle named Miss P was crowned the winner.
Reuters