Charlestown dog set to compete at Westminster Dog Show

With 2,800 from around the country flocking to New York this Monday for the 143rd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, the competition is looking stiff for a Charlestown Labrador retriever looking to snag the coveted best in show title.

Janet Huntley has been showing Labs since 2000 and has never had the chance to show in what’s considered the Super Bowl of dog shows.

“Westminster is kind of like the gold standard for dog shows,” Huntley said, who owns Dockside Labs. “I always wanted to show one of my dogs at Westminster.”

This year, Huntley will have that chance with her two-year-old female ‘Lucy’. Huntley said Lucy will be the ultimate underdog as she must beat out 47 other Labrador retrievers in order to take the stage at Madison Square Garden with the Sporting Group.

Lucy is what’s considered a ‘class dog’ and she will be trying to take the spot as best Lab in the competition from other dogs known as ‘champions’. The difference is that champions have gone through a rigorous set of qualifications that requires them to beat a certain number of other labs in different shows.

Lucy hasn’t received that title yet, which makes the trip to Westminster all the more impressive.

On top of that, Huntley will be handling Lucy herself.

“You’re up against professional handlers who do this every single week,” Huntley said. “That’s what they do for a living and they’re very, very good at what they do.”

But the experience is once in a lifetime. And for Huntley, Lucy is a special dog who has a good shot at upsetting the competition.

“You just hope that by the time February 11 and 12 comes around your dog is going to look good,” she said. “[It’s] almost surreal.”

No Labrador Retriever has ever won best in show at Westminster, but if Lucy were to take home the prize, it would be the biggest accomplishment for Huntley.

“I would probably cry if it happens. You’d see tears in my eyes and a big smile,” Huntley said. “It’s like the Patriots winning the Super Bowl.”

Westminster begins Monday, but Lucy will hit the show ring Tuesday at 2:15.