Yes, it is not uncommon for breeders of rarer breeds to enter multiple dogs from their own kennel to help create majors. And sometimes, breeders with a good working relationship even collaborate on that strategy - “Well, I’ve got two bitches that aren’t in coat right now, but I can bring them to build the entry so your girl can get that major she needs to finish. And then you can return the favor at the Big City show next month so I can finish Fido.”
And so many terriers, especially WFT. I sort of understand in a way - when all the group winners are spectacular representatives of their standards, it often comes down to the finest of nuances to pick a winner. And considering the intensive work that goes into maintaining a terrier show coat, I don’t really blame a judge for wanting to reward that effort as long as the terrier in question is a magnificent specimen in its own right.
That said, don’t forget that the Bloodhound was BIS last year. I was tickled pink about that win, and I would love to see an “off-breed” win this year. But a Peke and a French Bulldog won their groups yesterday - the other group winners are going to have tough company.
Hah, just saw this list of recent BIS winners. Two Pekinese and two Wire Fox Terriers in the past 15 years, but lots of off-breeds, too - including an Affenpinscher, a Scottish Deerhound (yeah!), and a Sussex Spaniel!
2022 - Bloodhound
2021 - Pekinese
2020 - Standard Poodle
2019 - Wire Fox Terrier
2018 - Bichon Frise
2017 - German Shepherd Dog
2016 - German Shorthaired Pointer
2015 - Beagle (15 inch Beagle)
2014 - Wire Fox Terrier
2013 - Affenpinscher
2012 - Pekinese
2011 - Scottish Deerhound
2010 - Scottish Terrier
2009 - Sussex Spaniel
2008 - Beagle (15 inch)
2007 - English Springer Spaniel
2006 - Bull Terrier
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Yes, the “filler dog!” My friend’s “filler” dalmation ended up winning both shows one weekend and finishing her championship! Not everyone was best pleased!
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Well, it’s been 70 years since a Doberman won BIS. Wicked just won best of breed, she’s got a chance.
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I take that back, a Dobie won in 1989.
For super hairy breeds like the Pekingese, I can’t imagine how the judges are able to assess the dogs’ gait.
Or maybe movement isn’t a big part of the scoring for the breed?
Thanks very much for those links – it was fun to watch the replay of the breed of my young dog, then research the competition results.
Found out that she’s related to the Best of Breed winner (his dam is her grandam) and an Award of Merit winner (same sire). Yay for them!
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I loved the year when the German Shorthaired Pointer stacked itself during the Best In Show. After looking over all of the dog, the judge then told the handlers to take their dogs down one at a time but NOT touch/stack the dogs when they came back. The GSP stopped, perfectly stacked itself, and gazed off into the distance, ASKING for the win, which he did. (I don’t think this was the 2016 winning GSP dog.) I wish that I knew its name and could find ‘that moment’ on YouTube…
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Shhh! MY pet peeve? The overlong cropped ears that flop and/or tip over in some of the show Dobermans. My really thick book of Dobermans show some whose ears seem almost short—I like a moderate length to the ears. (LOVE the traditional cropped ears, but as I have told people, “I take 'em as I get 'em.” (Two totally natural, eight natural/docked, and one cropped/docked.)
It was a bitch who went by the name of Carly, but I don’t recall the year or the kennel name.
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The rolling gait is considered a distinctive feature of the breed. The standard mentions a “slight roll over the shoulders,” but IMHO modern Pekes have quite a pronounced roll.
From the breed standard:
Coat & Presentation: Coat - It is a long, coarse-textured, straight, stand-off outer coat, with thick, soft undercoat. The coat forms a noticeable mane on the neck and shoulder area with the coat on the remainder of the body somewhat shorter in length. A long and profuse coat is desirable providing it does not obscure the shape of the body. Long feathering is found on toes, backs of the thighs and forelegs, with longer fringing on the ears and tail. Presentation - Presentation should accentuate the natural outline of the Pekingese. Any obvious trimming or sculpting of the coat, detracting from its natural appearance, should be severely penalized.
Gait: It is unhurried, dignified, free and strong, with a slight roll over the shoulders. This motion is smooth and effortless and is as free as possible from bouncing, prancing or jarring. The rolling gait results from a combination of the bowed forelegs, well laid back shoulders, full broad chest and narrow light rear, all of which produce adequate reach and moderate drive.
I was rather dismayed to see the Peke named as Reserve BIS last night but at least it wasn’t BIS! I am delighted that an off breed won - I was so afraid it was going to be the French Bulldog. Don’t get me wrong, he is super nice, but that breed is already so popular I would hate to see a huge uptick in demand that results in increased backyard and puppy mill breeding.
I was personally rooting for the Giant Schnauzer and the English Setter. That GS was my pick when I was watching the Working Group - now there is a REAL dog. 
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2005 Mrs. Lynette Saltzman German Shorthaired Pointer
Ch. Kan-Point’s VJK Autumn Roses L. & R. Stark & C. Cronk & V. Nunes-Atkinson
There is probably video somewhere but I don’t think on the WKC site.
”Buddy Holly”~ 
~
YouTube has a lot of them but not that one. I found 2003 and 2004 but 2005 was apparently never loaded.
Good Morning America had the winner on this morning PB-GB!! sooo cute. Michael Strahan asked his handler ‘Did you ever think one day you’d be in this position?’ ‘Yes’ she said matter of factly. She’d been working for this all her life. I thought it was a rather silly question.
Anyway, it was nice seeing the dog.
Buddy Holly is precious. Saw video of him this morning.
The GS was 
but I’m so glad it didn’t win as the breed would rise in popularity. The GS is one breed most people don’t need to own.
She’s a pro handler. I think most of them hope to be BIS at Westminster, and many of them have good chances each year. If you watch closely you’ll see the same faces again and again in the group rings. The top handlers have several dogs entered, and almost any of them could win.
I remember watching a “local” show (at the Big E) in MA - just the week before the Oaks show in Philadelphia (the one you see televised on Thanksgiving) - and it was 2 weeks before our breed national - so we called it the “mini national” because a lot of the big names in our breed were doing that circuit. The BIS winner was my breed, and the Reserve BIS was handled by the same pro team, who were husband and wife. So…they pretty much plan on getting into the BIS ring one way or another. I don’t remember how they did at Westminster that year, but pretty sure they were pulled in several of the groups.
Thanks for this thread! I’ll on-demand as much as is provided by my cable provider. What I know about showing dogs is mostly based on the Laurien Berensen books plus just watching whatever is televised. I keep thinking I might want to do a starter dog (owner-handled) at some point and then I laugh and tell myself what a good joke as the one I want would be bloodhound. But show dogs are intact, so hella no.
Then, I think I want to do scent work with spayed/neutered bloodhound. Like, city stuff dementia or lost kids. But, then I laugh because I am not so naive to think that this is not YEARS of prep, plus a demanding breed. Yes, I have experience with “pet” bloodhounds (family members) and know the foibles that are included with the breed and how they are not a dog to bring into the family lightly. Plus, hubby is in the “no more dogs” camp, which is where I was when he brought home our (very good dog!) pit-lab from the rescue.
So, it’s filed under the category of bucket list items that will NEVER happen!
Re: televised dog shows. If we had/have ANY power to get anything televised, can we put our collective power together for equestrian vaulting? And add it to the Olympics while we’re at it? There is such potential for general viewing! (Freestyle, that is. No one wants needs to see compulsories, lol!) We seem so powerless to get it on TV … that whole profit motive by networks stands in the way, sigh.
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