Page 74 - Chow LIfe - 2019 Summer

by Vicki DeGruy

There’s something about the Westminster Kennel & Laura Matyas, Barbara McFee, Dan Strachan, and
Club dog show that keeps you coming back; it Tom Masog for their help!
has its own special atmosphere, an electricity, an On Sunday, the MB-F crews are readying the Piers
excitement, that you just can’t find anywhere else. for the conformation and obedience judging.
After you’ve been a couple times, it starts to feel like Monday exhibitors are allowed to set up between
coming home. It’s a hassle to get there, a hassle to 3 & 9 pm which I recommend as it takes a lot
get out, it’s noisy, the crowds are big and the lines are of the stress out of show day. It’s also a great day
long, but you love it anyway and can’t wait to come for sightseeing. Amy Young, Cindy Stone, Kurt
back next year. Williams, Kim and Judy McEwen used their Sunday
to take a 10 hour bus tour of Manhattan landmarks
with their dogs.

Dan Strachan and Tom Masog participated in Meet
The Breeds with their Chows Gretchen and Uma
and also attended the gala opening reception for
the AKC’s Museum Of The Dog which has moved
from St. Louis to a Manhattan location. They were
disappointed to find nothing on Chows or other
Nordic breeds, though. There were about 200 people
at the reception, and as Dan said, “lots of furs and big
hair”.

The La Quinta in Secaucus, NJ was the place to
stay for most of the Chowists this year. Much less
expensive than hotels in Manhattan and with grass!
The Sheraton Lincoln Harbor in Weehawken has
Meet The Breeds Booth with “Sparky” been my favorite place. Both hotels are a short drive
Westminster week starts off with the AKC Meet to the Piers via the Lincoln Tunnel. Parking was
a little more challenging this year since it was not
The Breeds (MTB) event on Saturday. From its allowed on the roof of Pier 92 this time. I used the
beginning 10 years ago at the Javits Center originally SpotHero cell phone app to reserve a space at the
as a two day event, Linda and Elaine Albert have put nearest parking garage a couple blocks away.
together a handsome booth for the CCCI featuring a
huge Chinese dragon named “Sparky”. Five years ago,
the event moved to Piers 92/94 and was combined This was a great year for Chows at Westminster.
with the Masters Agility Championship. 41 parent Thirteen champions entered and all were shown.
clubs took part in MTB this year. Booths are judged Our judge was Dr. Niksa Lemo from Croatia, kind
and the CCCI booth has been in the ribbons 7 times, of a wild card for all of us, I think, since no one had
winning three Group 1sts and a Best Booth In Show any prior experience with him. Even though Chows
last year. Linda credits AKC with some of the booth’s were his last breed of the day, he took his time, and
success as they have consistently provided an optimal was kind to the dogs and exhibitors.
location for them with a large space for display. In
return, the Chowists are always available to promote 2019 was Tara Banyai’s first trip to WKC; her first
Meet The Breeds with TV media like Good Day NY, impression was surprise at how little space was
Weekend NY, and Fox & Friends. Thanks go available for grooming. The benches for our breed
to Linda & Elaine, Victor Fernandez, Chris are 23” wide but the average grooming table is 24”

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