Fans cannot cheer for the best dogs in America, at least not live at this year’s 2021 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
The club announced on Monday that due to restrictions imposed because of the coronavirus, spectators and vendors will not be allowed in this year. Tickets will not be available for purchase for the show either.
This is the latest blow dealt by the coronavirus to the country’s most prestigious dog show series. Not only was the February date postponed to June 12-13, but the event was also moved from the piers of the Hudson River and Madison Square Garden to an outdoor setting in the suburb of Tarrytown, 40 km north of Manhattan.
For the first time in more than a century, the most prestigious show award will not be given out at Madison Square Garden, where thousands of dog lovers could admire their favorite breeds and competitors. Last year's show was held in mid-February 2020, about a month before virus-related shutdowns began.
The show usually also offers spectators the chance to interact with dogs and breeders as they exit the ring, which is a highlight event for many exhibitors.
This time, fans can only watch the final rounds from afar on Fox channels. Preliminary rounds – including the early stages of the agility competition on June 11 – and the obedience contest will be broadcast on the Westminster website.
The club plans to bring the show back to New York next year.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
