ChronoFive
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Setting the scene
Gilded Age New York elites formed the Westminster Kennel Club in 1877 to celebrate purebred dogs at Gilmore's Garden, later Madison Square Garden; the show followed British bench-show traditions imported with setters, spaniels, and terriers.
What happened
The first Westminster Dog Show was held in 1877, drawing more than twelve hundred dogs and curious crowds who paid fifty cents to see Best in Breed competitions.
Why it still matters
It remains America's premier canine competition, televised annually with the coveted Best in Show cup; Westminster's standards influenced AKC breed recognition and the cultural status of dogs as family members rather than mere hunters.
Background
It remains America's premier canine competition.