More than 60 dogs from Illinois were selected to compete in this year’s Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, according to organizers.
This year’s edition of the second-longest, continuously held sporting event in the U.S. will be held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center through Tuesday.
The 61 Illinois dogs in this year’s competition are less than last year’s 73, and just one pooch from the state is competing in the obedience category, where four competed last year.
Contestants come from all 50 states and 12 countries, including Ukraine and Canada, with 2,500 dogs taking part.
A young dog handler from Illinois will also be among 103 in the 90th annual Junior Showmanship Competition. The contest evaluates dog training and care of trainers ages 9 to 18 who have won Best Junior Trainer at Westminster events at least seven times before. An Illinois resident has never won before.
Winners will be given a chance to direct a $5,000 Westminster donation to a training club or to the American Kennel Club Humane Fund.
Adam Stafford King, a suburban Chicago veterinarian and Havanese breeder who was set to judge some toy breeds at Westminster, was arrested in March on federal charges of distributing child pornography. He has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail.
Shortly after King’s arrest, the American Kennel Club, the governing body for Westminster and thousands of other U.S. dog competitions, revoked his judging privilege, and his Westminster appointment was scrapped.
Contributing: Associated Press
