Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show's Tulsa Ties

By Craig Day, The News On 6

NEW YORK -- It started with 2,500 dogs from 173 breeds, and now the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show has a winner of best of show. 

The winner in the nation's most prestigious dog show is a Scottish terrier named Sadie.

Some of the top dogs in the competition have ties to Tulsa.

The dog show is like the Super Bowl for dog lovers, where the best of the best compete.

"Winning there is a huge honor. It's like an Olympic gold medal, you know," said Fred Bassett, a dog show judge.

Broken Arrow's Fred Bassett knows a thing or two about Westminster, competitions and dogs.

"I started showing dogs when I was a boy. I was 12-years-old," said Bassett.

From there, he was hooked. He has judged competitions since 1977, three times at Westminster, and currently judges shows nationwide half the weekends out of the year.

"There can be no dogs that aren't champions even there, so they are all already successful," said Bassett.

Bassett says that level of competition, seeing the different breeds and rooting for favorites are all reasons why the show is so popular.

"To be there, on the floor in person, it's just electric. The energy there, if you are at all interested in dogs," said Bassett.

This year, dogs with Oklahoma ties are doing well. 

A French bulldog named Robobull, led by professional handler Perry Payson of Bixby, became the first of its breed to win in the non-sporting category. 

And a Chinese Shar-Pei named Magnum won his breed, and got second in the non-sporting group. He's owned by Bonnie Berney and Helga Kamp of Sapulpa.

"For our local people that have been successful, it is just a terrific thing and I'm so happy for them," said Bassett.

And he's happy so many people worldwide enjoy what he enjoys -- the competition, the spectacle, but most of all the dogs.

Bassett has judged dog shows in every state except Alaska and North Dakota, with Alaska set for later this year. 

The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is the second longest running sporting event in the U.S. behind the Kentucky Derby.