Day 2 At The Garden

Excitement is high at Madison Square Garden as Day 2 begins. Much of talk on the floor and in the benching area concerns whether or not we saw the 2010 Best In Show winner in one of last night’s groups, or will the winner emerge from one of tonight’s group competitions. Many people seem to think the winner of the Toy Group, the Toy Poodle Ch. Smash JP Moon Walk, is the dog to beat. However, the Scottish Terrier, Ch. Roundtown Mercedes of Maryscot, appears to be the prohibitive favorite in the Terrier Group tonight, and should she make it into the Best in Show Ring, she will be a formidable entry.

Today’s breed judging includes all of the breeds from the Sporting, Working and Terrier groups. The ring formations have been modified slightly, creating more spacious rings for many of these larger breeds to stretch their legs in. The crowd of spectators does seem to be less than yesterday, perhaps because of the Presidents Day holiday that Day 1 fell on. The Monday crowds made crossing the Garden floor nearly impossible.

I will be making updates throughout the evening’s group competition. Stay tuned as we prepare to crown a new Best In Show winner!

Tagged as: Westminster, Westminster Dog Show

About the author: Matt Stelter owns and operates Wyndlair Collies, breeding AKC Rough & Smooth champion Collies in Northern Wisconsin. Matt and his wife, Anita, have both been active in the sport of purebred dogs for over 20 years. Matt was a multiple Best in Show and National Specialty-winning handler before becoming an AKC-licensed dog judge in 2008. He's also an internet specialist at Drs. Foster and Smith, where he's worked in various positions since 1993. Matt earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay. See more articles by Matt Stelter.