Over 2,500 dogs from all 50 US states have competed in the 2024 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, with seven semi-finalists now vying for the Best in Show trophy. The winner will be announced on Tuesday night in Flushing, New York.
The Westminster Kennel Club is America's oldest organisation dedicated to dog shows, and this year marks the 148th annual event. It is the second-longest continuously held sporting event in the US after the Kentucky Derby, and has been broadcast on television since 1948.
The breeds with the largest number of entries this year include chihuahuas, Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, vizslas, dachshunds, French bulldogs, Australian shepherds and Rhodesian ridgebacks. The most entries came from Florida, New York, California, Pennsylvania and Texas.
In preliminary rounds, dogs compete against others of the same breed before moving to group judging. The final round sees the winner of each of seven groups competing for Best in Show. Judges select winners based on how well a dog fits the ideal breed standard and its performance on the day.
Two semi-finalists from last year are competing again: Trouble, an American Staffordshire terrier, and Monty, a giant schnauzer, who won their respective groups in 2023. There are no cash prizes, but winners receive a trophy and bragging rights, while agility and obedience winners can direct a $5,000 donation to a training club or the American Kennel Club Humane Fund.
The remaining groups – Sporting, Working and Terrier – will be judged on Tuesday, leading to the evening's Best in Show finale.
