History

1876 (or earlier) - A group of sporting gentlemen meet regularly in the bar of a Manhattan hotel to trade stories about their shooting accomplishments and the talents of their dogs. Eventually they form a club and name it after their favorite hotel: The Westminster Breeding Association. Early on, the club owns a kennel and raises Pointers for hunting and field trials.

1876 - The Westminster Breeding Association helps stage a dog show in Philadelphia in celebration of America's centennial. The show is such a success that the members decide to hold their own dog show to allow them to compare their dogs in a setting away from the field. The members change the name of their organization to the Westminster Kennel Club.

1877 - The First Annual New York Bench Show of Dogs, given under the auspices of the Westminster Kennel Club, is held in the Hippodrome at Gilmore's Garden in New York City, drawing an entry of 1,201 dogs.

The club pays rent of $1,500 for three days, adding a fourth day during the show to accommodate the overwhelming public interest. The proceeds from that fourth day are donated to the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Dogs are listed in the catalog as "not for sale" or for sale at prices which range from $50 to $10,000.

1878 - The entry fee is $2, which includes feed and care of the dog.

1879 - This year's Premium List contains show rules and regulations, adopted together by Westminster and the Philadelphia Kennel Club. A Board of Appeals at the show is made up of three members of each club. It was an early step in the search for a set of rules under which the shows all across the country might be held. There would be no national governing body until the founding of AKC in 1884.

1884 - The Westminster Kennel Club is elected by the American Kennel Club as the AKC's first member club. The American Fox Terrier Club becomes the next member in 1886. Westminster is the only all breed club to be a member until the Rhode Island Kennel Club joins in 1897.

1888 - In accordance with new rules adopted by the American Kennel Club, every dog entered at Westminster must be registered with the American Kennel Club. And in those cases where a potential entrant was not registered with the AKC, the Westminster Show Secretary accepted a registration application and fee (50 cents) and forwarded it to the AKC.

1888 - With her assignment of 117 St. Bernards at Westminster, Anna Whitney becomes the first woman to judge a dog show in America. She judges every year for the next seven years, but it would be 1901 before another woman judges any dog show in the U.S.

1889 - "The Czar of Russia" is listed as the breeder of a Siberian Wolfhound entered at this year's show.

1890 - W.M. Bangs, M.D., writing in Cosmopolitan magazine: "These shows have been very popular and they have had great effect in forming and developing the taste of lovers of the dog; (Westminster Kennel Club) has had great effect in improving the quality of the dogs owned for use and companionship. Of this there can be no doubt ..."

One of the entries at this year's show is a Russian Wolfhound with a listed owner of "The Emperor of Germany."

1892 - The entry fee for Westminster is raised from $3 to $5, where it will remain until 1947.

1893 - Philanthropist J. P. Morgan makes the first of his many appearances at Westminster with his Collies.

1894 - Famous American journalist Nellie Bly enters her Maltese at Westminster, some four years after she made a record-breaking trip around the world in 72 days, 6 hours and 11 minutes, racing the record of Phineas Fogg in Jules Verne's Around the World in Eighty Days.

1904 - For the first time, handlers wear arm bands with the catalog number of their dog.

1905 - With 1,752 dogs on hand, Westminster becomes the largest dog show ever held anywhere in the world, surpassing the last show held at the Crystal Palace in London.

1907 - The award of Best In Show is given for the first time at Westminster. A panel of 10 judges makes the decision, although their names were not recorded. (In fact, the names making up the panel of Best In Show judges were not recorded until 1912).

1908 - The number of dogs entered reaches 2,000 for the first time.

1909 - Ch. Warren Remedy, a Smooth Fox Terrier, is awarded Best In Show for the third consecutive year, a feat never since duplicated at Westminster.

1910 - A class is offered for the first time for Fire Department Dalmatians, won by Mike of Engine Company 8 of 51st Street.

1916 - One of the entries in the Miscellaneous Class this year is listed as a "Truffles Hunter." Later, nearly 30 dogs of different breeds compete in the Best In Show ring. A panel of five judges selects Ch. Matford Vic for her second consecutive BIS at Westminster

1917 - A special hero of World War I, a German Shepherd named Filax of Lewanno who had brought 54 wounded soldiers to safety, was exhibited at Westminster.

1918 - The profits of this show were donated to the American Red Cross in support of the war effort.

1918 - Amongst the donors of special trophies this year: Mrs. Payne (Helen Hay) Whitney, who was the first president of the Cairn Terrier Club of America. Her father, John Hay, was personal secretary to President Lincoln, Ambassador to the UK, and Secretary of State). Also making donations: Mrs. John Philip Sousa, wife of the band leader and composer; Mrs. Rodman Wanamaker, wife of the department-store owner and patron of the arts from Philadelphia; and Mrs. F.W. Vanderbilt.

1919 - Once again, profits were donated to the American Red Cross. While the war was over, Westminster offered special "Service Classes" for those who were serving or had served in the Armed Forces.

1923 - No Best In Show prize is awarded because of ongoing changes in American Kennel Club rules.

History page 2