On February 10 and 11, the 113rd annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show will be held at Madison Square Garden in NYC, and you can bet your kibble that owners and pups are gearing up high gear as they approach the big day.
The truth is that competitors all invest an incredible amount of time and cash in the intention of walking away with the glorious Best in Show ribbon. But how much does the winner carry home, exactly? You must have been shocked. Throughout the years, the National Dog Show hosts share their most fascinating recollections.
How much does the winner of the Westminster Dog Show earn?
The Westminster Dog Show’s first-place winner wins a whopping $0. The respected pooch crowned Best in Show receives an assortment of glittering medals and ribbons instead of a juicy cash reward that its owner can proudly display. They are as follows, according to the official website of the Westminster Kennel Club:
The James Mortimer Memorial Cup, granted if the dog is American-Bred, is a Sterling Silver Trophy. An 8 x 10 Pewter Picture Frame will be given to commemorate every win of the permanent trophy, “for permanent possession to be won five times by the same ownership,” the sit says.
The Legend Trophy from Westminster, which is a hand-engraved Steuben Crystal Bowl
A Perpetual Sterling Silver Challenge Cup Gives The Leash (if American-Bred). The site notes, “To commemorate this award, a Polished Pewter Trophy will be given.”
A trophy is excellent and there is great pride in taking home the title of Best in Show, but winning first place at the Westminster Dog Show also ushers in ample opportunities for bank-making.
The winning pooch, for example, enjoys sponsorships and ambassadorships and can also collect cash for appearances, CNN Money notes. Because many want in on those award-winning genes, the winning pup also becomes extremely desirable for breeding purposes.
While it is difficult to estimate the money-making potential of each champion, a Salon.com article points to the case of Peter the Regular Poodle, who won Westminster’s Best in Show in 1991, several winners keep mum on the topic.
In 2010, his frozen semen was mistakenly lost and in the court case, the owners were compensated nearly $200,000. Ultimately, the owners sued for the value of the samples versus the value of the dogs, which Salon speculates may have been worth more than $1 million.
Speaking of winning dog names in Westminster, you’re going to get a kick out of the funniest dog names that have joined the competition over the years.
Raising a Westminster winner is not cheap,
It is also important to remember how easily costs add up for dog show entrants, while there is money to be made.
Second, if you’re sourcing from those award-winning genes we described above, there’s the expense of actually buying the dog, which can be very pricey.
For instance, according to dogbreedslist.info, a purebred wire fox terrier, which has won more than any other breed at Westminster, costs an average of $ 1,000 to $ 1,500. (Technically, there are dogs that cost much more, however.
From there, other expenses, such as training, daily grooming, accommodation, hotel and travel costs, entry fees for competition, and even publicity and lobbying expenses, must be taken into account.
CNBC reports that over the cost of the lifespan of the competing dog, these costs will exceed more than $250,000.
Just looking at the numbers, it’s pretty clear that for the sheer pleasure and satisfaction of it all, many Westminster competitors are ultimately in this game. Sort of like the fulfilment a parent might have when their children take a test or score big at the game.
