2023 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show pooches from Long Island
There will be Long Island pooches aplenty to root for as the 147th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show promenades to its Best in Show finale May 8 and 9 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens.
Westminster press room assistant Joanne Anderson says that more than 40 Long Island dogs are competing in breed and group judging, including a Löwchen, a rare breed Westminster dubs a “hidden gem.”
“It's great to see the diversity of breeds entered in this year's Westminster from Long Island,” says Anderson, of Babylon.
Here are portraits of eight Long Island entrants among more than 3,000 top-ranked dogs representing 210 different breeds from 49 states and 14 nations.
CALL NAME: Morgan, an 8-year-old female cairn terrier
WEIGHT: 14 pounds
REGISTERED NAME: Champion Romany's Morgan Le Fey
LONG ISLAND CONNECTION: Breeder/owner Alicia Smilowitz of Mill Neck and handler Roz Mintz-Fosco of Hicksville
FIRST SHOWING: May 9, 1 p.m.
FAVORITE SNACK: Raspberries, strawberries or oyster crackers
FUN FACT: Morgan, named after a sorceress of King Arthur legends, has a great-grandfather who won Best of Breed in the late 1990s.
CALL NAME: Janis, 2 years, 9 months, female beagle
REGISTERED NAME: Grand Champion Bronze Janis Joplin (Quijano)
LI CONNECTION: Owner Kalena Phillips of Westbury
FIRST SHOWING: May 8, 11:15 a.m.
WEIGHT: 23.8 pounds
FAVORITE SNACK: Ice cream
FAVORITE ACTIVITY: Playing sock tug-of-war with other dogs.
FUN FACT: Ranked in The Canine Chronicle Top 20 Beagles in 2021.
CALL NAME: Carly, 3-year-old female beagle
REGISTERED NAME: Grand Champion Nor’easter Nobody Does It Better
LI CONNECTION: Co-breeders and co-owners Debra and Frank Cozzetto of Franklin Square and Jennifer Gonzalez and Anthony Saunders of Setauket
WEIGHT: 25 pounds
FIRST SHOWING: May 8, 10:30 a.m.
FAVORITE ACTIVITY: Napping on the couch.
FUN FACTS: Carly is named after pop singer Carly Simon and one of her hit songs.
CALL NAME: Marguerite, 5-year-old female English setter
REGISTERED NAME: GCH Birdhaven Bring On The Rebels
LI CONNECTION: Owner Maura Romer of Huntington
FIRST SHOWING: May 9, 8 a.m.
WEIGHT: 50 pounds
FAVORITE SNACK: Pasta, rotisserie chicken
FAVORITE ACTIVITY: Running in a field chasing game-birds.
FUN FACT: Her formal name is taken from an Oscar-nominated song in "La La Land" (2016).
CALL NAME: Flynn, an 8½-year-old male German shorthaired pointer
REGISTERED NAME: American Grand Champion Gold/Canadian Grand Champion Claddagh’s Etched In Silver RN (Rally Novice) JH (Junior Hunter) FDC (Farm Dog Certified) CGC (Canine Good Citizen) TKN (Trick Dog Novice)
LI CONNECTION: Owner Cathy Iacopelli of East Meadow
FIRST SHOWING: May 9, 1 p.m.
WEIGHT: 62 pounds
FAVORITE SNACK: Chicken nuggets
FUN FACT: He is named after Silver Screen icon Errol Flynn, and he’s sired 15 puppies.
CALL NAME: Balboa, 2 years, 8 months, male Rhodesian ridgeback
REGISTERED NAME: King of the Ring
LI CONNECTION: Owner-handler Lisa La Fata of East Meadow
FIRST SHOWING: May 8, 8 a.m.
WEIGHT: 105 pounds
FAVORITE SNACK: Italian cheese, dehydrated salmon.
FUN FACT: Balboa, who comes from a long line of dog show champions, hates rainy days and loves kids — often welcoming them a big kiss on the face.
CALL NAME: Eddy, a 3½-year-old male hairless Chinese crested.
REGISTERED NAME: Grand Champion Silver Gingery’s Ebony
LI CONNECTION: Handler Victor Helu of Bohemia
FIRST SHOWING: May 8, 9 a.m.
WEIGHT: 9 pounds
FAVORITE SNACK: Tenderloin
FUN FACT: Eddy lived in Puerto Rico as a puppy.
CALL NAME: Abba, a 2-year-old male Löwchen
REGISTERED NAME: Grand Champion Bumir Isodon
LI CONNECTION: Owner Arlene Butterklee of Ronkonkoma
FIRST SHOWING: May 8, 8 a.m.
WEIGHT: 13 pounds
FAVORITE ACTIVITY: Watching dog food commercials on TV.
FUN FACT: Abba is named for the famous band from her birthplace, Sweden.
The 147th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
WHEN | WHERE May 8 and 9, USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows—Corona Park, Queens; livestreamed both days, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at westminsterkennelclub.org.
