Westminster Dog Show

Ray Stubblebine / Reuters
'Best in show' to beannounced tonight
Toy dogs dominate first dayat Westminster dog show
The Best of Breed for the toy poodles, Champion North Well Chako JP Platina King, is groomed on the ramp waiting to be called for the judging of the toy group of dogs at the Westminster Kennel Club show on Monday.
The Associated Press
Updated: 6:04 p.m. ET Feb. 15, 2005
NEW YORK - Asleep in her crate, Morgan hardly had a care in the world. Let the other dogs get cramped by the backstage crowds, this otterhound was taking a nap.
advertisementAnd certainly unaware of the pressure she faced Tuesday night at the Westminster Kennel Club show.
A win could bring much-needed attention to one of America’s rarest breeds. A loss and they might be a little closer to extinction. Yes, extinction.
Believe it or not, there were only 23 purebred otterhounds registered in the United States last year. That’s 23, compared to the 146,692 Labrador retrievers, the most popular dog.
Slide show


• Pooch pageantSee pictures of dogs competing in the 2005 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.“We don’t get a lot of exposure,” offered Morgan’s co-owner and breeder, Betsy Conway. “If she does something tonight, people will go, ’wow.”’
A sellout crowd at Madison Square Garden was to see Morgan, described by Conway as a bloodhound with a black-and-tan, woolly coat. Think of the shaggy dog in the Disney film “The Absent-Minded Professor” and that’s close, but bigger.
Best in show at the nation’s most prestigious canine event was to be chosen right around 11 p.m.
The best-in-show competition will be televised live on USA Network from 8-11 p.m. ET Tuesday. USA Network is owned by NBC, which is a partner in the joint venture that runs MSNBC.com.
Four of the final seven dogs were selected Monday night. A sprightly Norfolk terrier, a wobbling Pekingese, an elegant Great Pyrenees and a silky Tibetan terrier won their groups.
The hound, sporting, herding groups were to be picked before judge Lynette Saltzman awarded the coveted sterling silver bowl.
Otterhoundom, meanwhile, pinned its hopes on 4-year-old Morgan. History was against her: since first entering the Westminster show in 1909, her breed had never even won the hound group.
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Then again, this champion dog with the official name of Ch. Scentasia’s Hostile Takeover is quite a looker with tremendous stage presence.
“She’s a showing machine,” Conway said.
In fact, Morgan has entered about 225 shows and been chosen best of breed every time. A caveat, however: Many times, she’s been the only otterhound present. She faced just one rival in Tuesday afternoon’s breed competition on the Garden’s green carpet.
Rare dogs, indeed.
“There’s no such thing as an otterhound,” kidded Lab breeder Christine Tye. “I’ve never heard of them.”
Most people haven’t. There are fewer than 1,000 in the world, perhaps 350 scattered around America. The population steadily declined in the 20th century when otter hunting was outlawed in many places.
Also, Conway admitted, they’re not for everyone. Otterhounds have oily coats that can rub off on clothes and furniture, need room to roam and have a deep bay voice. At home in Sherman, Conn., Morgan loves to dig for moles and look for cats.
“But if you want a dog that will love you, they’re perfect,” she said.
Evan Berez came across the river from New Jersey just to see one.
“I was curious,” he said. “I’ve only seen it on the Internet. You type in ’golden retriever’ on the computer and you get a million Web pages. You put in ’otterhound’ and you really have to do some searching.”
Plenty of people in Central Park got to see Morgan this week. While lots of dogs stayed with their owners at the Hotel Pennsylvania right across from the Garden, her owners wanted her near a place she could explore.
The Plaza Hotel had a 10-pound limit on dogs, so 84-pound Morgan stayed with co-owner Mark Hawley at a hotel next to the park. Together, they romped around, playing with two dozen other dogs and people enjoying the massive Gates art exhibit.
Morgan already had won 20 best in show awards, and Westminster was to be her last event. Next month, she will be ready for breeding.
Last year, one of Conway’s otterhounds had a litter of 10. She currently owns or co-owns 10 of the 23 registered otterhounds, and this career insurance saleswoman intends to ensure the breed sticks around.
“They will not become extinct in my lifetime,” she said, “because I won’t let it.”