They91裸聊视频檙e at the top of their sport. They run, weave and go airborne. And they91裸聊视频檙e going all out to win the championship this weekend.
Sorry 91裸聊视频� no, they91裸聊视频檙e not the Chiefs or the Eagles. They91裸聊视频檙e the agility dogs at the , which began Saturday by showcasing various dog sports.
Dog folk often call Westminster the Super Bowl of dog shows, and the comparison might be especially fitting this year. The United States91裸聊视频� most prestigious canine competition opened on the same weekend as pro football91裸聊视频檚 , which features on Sunday. The rare coincidence comes after both competitions91裸聊视频� dates shifted in recent years.
91裸聊视频淚 always said I wanted people to call the Super Bowl 91裸聊视频榯he Westminster of football,91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� quipped dog expert David Frei, who has a foot in both worlds: He used to work in publicity for the Denver Broncos and the San Francisco 49ers.
The Westminster of football? Well, Westminster is 90 years older than the Super Bowl, after all.
And there have been some other connections between the gridiron and Westminster91裸聊视频檚 green carpet. co-owns a French bulldog who came within a smushy-nose length of winning at and was . (Many other NFL players also have dogs for fun, if not for show, including .)
However you want to analogize it, being at Westminster is a triumph for Guster the rescue pug. Owner Steve Martin never did the sport before Guster signaled he was interested: He started wagging his tail and tilting his head while they watched the Westminster agility contest on TV several years ago.
91裸聊视频淲e never thought we91裸聊视频檇 be here. And now we91裸聊视频檙e here,91裸聊视频� Martin, of Austin, Texas, said as they readied to compete Saturday.
Saturday91裸聊视频檚 contest featured about 350 hopefuls that already have reached a championship level in agility, one of dogdom91裸聊视频檚 most popular sports. Westminster , marking the first time any part of the event had since the 1800s. Last year saw , a border collie-papillion mix named, appropriately, Nimble, who is competing again this year.
She91裸聊视频檚 an intentional blend of two breeds that do well in the sport. But it also draws rescue dogs such as an Australian cattle dog mix named Sawyer, or Soy Sauce for short.
His owner, Dr. Amy Ondeyka, has a complicated work schedule as a New Jersey emergency room doctor and EMS medical director. But she made time for agility after realizing she91裸聊视频檇 adopted a super-energetic dog who opens cabinets, unzips things and otherwise causes domestic mayhem when bored.
91裸聊视频淗e91裸聊视频檚 always exciting 91裸聊视频� he does ridiculous things,91裸聊视频� she said as he intermittently leaped into her arms during what was ostensibly down time between agility runs Saturday. 91裸聊视频淲e have fun, regardless what happens.91裸聊视频�
While some dogs do agility to burn off energy, the sport helps others come out of their shell. Tully, a lanky, shaggy, mostly-Labradoodle mix, used to be 91裸聊视频渁fraid of the world91裸聊视频� but now is excited to go to agility classes and competitions, owner Carla Rash said.
Saturday91裸聊视频檚 canine competitors were a spectrum of dogdom, from a great Dane to a seven-pound (0.9-kg) papillion. They navigated an obstacle course of jumps, tunnels, ramps and other features as handlers gave hand and voice signals. The object is to be the fastest, without making mistakes.
The agility winner will emerge from a final round Saturday evening.
Westminster91裸聊视频檚 traditional, breed-by-breed judging happens Monday and Tuesday, capped by the coveted best in show prize Tuesday night.
That91裸聊视频檚 for purebreds only, but mixed-breed dogs also were eligible for Saturday91裸聊视频檚 obedience competition, an event that Westminster .
Steve Wesler sported a Philadelphia Eagles sweatshirt as he cheered on partner Jennifer Weinik and Cookie, her Belgian Malinois. They came away with a ribbon, which Wesler deemed more exciting than the Super Bowl 91裸聊视频� because he was confident the Eagles would prevail.
The dog show also featured Westminster91裸聊视频檚 first demonstration of flyball, a canine relay race. Dogs run down a line of jumps, grab a tennis ball and speed back to the starting line, where a teammate then takes off.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a lot of organized chaos,91裸聊视频� Hillary Brown said with a chuckle after competing with her Boston terrier, Paxil, and his teammates: a standard poodle, a border collie and a whippet-border collie mix. Their squad, Clean Break, is based in York, Pennsylvania.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a blast. The dogs love it,91裸聊视频� Brown said.
