The National Dog Show BY DAN SAYERS continued
that remain (Golden Gate in San Fransisco, New York’s Westminster and the National Dog Show) it is the best venue for allowing dog lovers to get up close and personal with purebreds. “We still think [benching] is a draw,” Wayne insists. “People are interacting all day instead of rushing their dog out the door, into a motor home and down the road.” With so much exposure, the National Dog Show has
Club of Philaelphia responded by saying that he and his club could easily oblige. “So we worked out the details, and what you now see [on TV] is what we worked out at that first meeting,” notes Wayne.
Giving Thanks on Thankgiving Day
The details came to fruition when the National Dog Show first aired in 2001 on Thanksgiving Day. The show’s audience of dog-loving viewers has been growing ever since.
Thousands of dog lovers visit the benching area each day to meet the dogs and talk with exhibitors.
allowed the Kennel Club of Philadelphia to thrive in an era when many dog clubs are cutting corners or folding up their tents. “NBC is very generous to us and so is Purina,” notes Wayne. As a result of this generosity, his club has been able to give away $110,000 to various orga- nizations in just 27 months. And its members have plans for more philanthropy. “You’re going to be seeing some exciting things from the Kennel Club of Philadelphia as far as donations go,” he promises. Although the club’s historic show may never again reach its 1984 entry of 8,214, this year’s event is likely to bring more admirers to both the sport of dogs and the City of Brotherly Love. “This year we’ve extended our entry to 2,300,” Wayne announces. “We have another hall to accommodate [addi- tional entries] where we’ll have two rings and the bench- ing. It would be wonderful to get well over 2,000 plus entries and go back to the old Philadelphia days.” ■ Dan Sayers covers the dog sport with a particular interest in the people who’ve served to promote and preserve purebred dogs. His articles feature breeders and exhibitors of the past as well as those who work tirelessly on behalf of the fancy today. A self-taught artist, Dan’s artwork is represented in collections worldwide and his illustrations appear in the award-winning Encyclopedia of K-9 Terminology by Ed and Pat Gilbert. Since 1981, Dan has exhibited primarily Sporting breeds and Hounds. He’s bred both Irish Water Spaniels and Rhodesian Ridgebacks and has judged a variety of match shows and sweepstakes, including the Irish Water Spaniel Club of America National Specialty twice.
“We had 26 million people watching last year,” Wayne is pleased to report. “This year we’re looking for 28 [mil- lion].” Although the club’s actual dog show is held earlier in November, a tape-delayed presentation airs following the live broadcast of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. A televised dog show could not have a better lead-in audience. According to Wayne, his club’s associa- tion with NBC Sports, Carson International and Purina has been a positive experience for everyone involved. “We have a great team,” he asserts. Carson works on all the details to transform the Expo Center from an under- stated exhibition hall to a made-for-TV studio. “They set up the arena, bleachers, lights, carpeting and flowers,” notes Wayne. “It’s a very important part of what they do and it’s all set up for NBC to arrive and for us to arrive.” Many of the show’s producers have become so committed to the program that they’ve even become purebred dog owners as a result. Once the cameras have been placed and the sound checked, it’s time to open the doors for the dogs — and spectators. Since the televised dog show has increased visi- bility for the sport, it has also encouraged locals to come out and visit. According to Wayne, “We have between 15-18,000 [tickets sold] for the two days.” As a special treat, the people who come to the show have a chance to meet the dogs that will appear on TV and talk with their breeders thanks to the club’s commitment to a benched format. To some, a benched dog show is simply a relic of days gone by. But for the three
152 • S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , O CTOBER 2017
Powered by FlippingBook