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The 150th edition of the Westminster Dog Show is underway.
The highly anticipated event took place at the Javits Center and will conclude on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden. “Prove-It,” the Border Collie, led by Amber McCune, won the Westminster Masters Agility Championship on Saturday.
The conformation portion of the show began Monday with best-in-breed judging at the Javits Center, and group judging continued Tuesday, on FS1, where Best in Show is awarded.
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FOX pit reporter Jamie Little smiles on pit road before the NASCAR Cup Series Ambetter Health 400 race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia on February 23, 2025. (David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Field reporter for FS1’s primetime coverage, Jamie Little, spoke with PK Press Club Digital about what it’s like to cover the event.
“It’s such an honor to be here covering the Westminster Kennel Club dog show. It’s the largest dog show in the world. It’s the most prestigious. And then you add the fact that it’s the 150th. You have to let that sink in. It’s the second longest running sporting event after the Kentucky Derby,” Little told PK Press Club Digital.
Little interviewed the first four winners on Monday, and the 47-year-old said you could feel the intensity and emotions of those participating.
“You meet these families that come here generation after generation with show dogs. We have so many stories. And that’s what makes this year special. We tell these stories, the history of the breeds that were here in the first year of the show in 1877 is pretty interesting,” Little said.
“It’s always intense behind the scenes, in the staging area, with the dogs, you always feel the energy. But last night, you know, interviewing the first four winners that we saw on Monday night, we saw tears. I saw tears two or three times because it means so much more.”
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FOX Sports reporter Jamie Little during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link 500 race at Talladega Superspeedway in Eastaboga, Alabama on April 26, 2025. (David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Winning the Westminster Dog Show is always an honor, but there’s something different about being lucky enough to win the 150th edition.
“I mean the fact that you have a chance to win the 150th, I mean it’s just something for the record books that you’ll never forget,” Little said.
Little has covered the show for eight years and said he feels like the event has only gotten bigger and the dogs have gotten better. She said even for those who don’t have a dog, the show is for everyone and it’s something everyone loves.
Last year was the first time in four years that the Westminster Dog Show returned to Madison Square Garden, returning for the first time since COVID-19. Little has been said about the significance of the event taking place in the world’s most famous arena.
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A dog participates in the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show (Dog, Toy, Non-Sporting, Breeding) and Westminster Legends Showcase at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York on February 2, 2026. (Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Westminster Kennel Club)
“My first year covering this show, we were at Madison Square Garden. It was like, ‘Oh my God.’ For example, it’s that show or movie you see “Best in Show.” It’s like the bright lights, the cameras, the energy. And then with COVID-19, we had to leave town and we went to a few other places,” Little said.
“Coming back to Madison Square Garden, that’s what everyone wants. They want that big venue. I mean, the amount of events this place has and then they turn it into a dog ring – like a dog show – it’s amazing. But the energy and the lights, it’s just something special for the people watching, the sound of the crowd, the dogs feed off it.”
Little’s favorite part of the show is getting the opportunity to interview the winners.
“I think my favorite thing is just telling the stories of the dogs. I think these winners that come in are emotional because they’ve been trying it for 20 years, and then their parents before them, their grandparents before that. And they work so hard every day to create these perfect specimens. And to have them as a show winner, it means everything to them. So, I think whatever it is, no matter what I’m covering, interviewing a winner is the best. And it’s still the best. better because then I have a dog that I can pet during the interview.”
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Joey Logano (22 Team Penske AAA Insurance Ford, left) talks with FOX Sports reporter Jamie Little after winning the Wurth 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas on May 4, 2025. (Austin McAfee/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
After covering the Westminster dog show, Little will shift gears and head to the Daytona 500. She said the dog show is intense, but it’s different compared to the intensity that comes from NASCAR.
“I always joke with people that I’m covering four paws, then I’m going to shift gears and go four-wheeling at Daytona. And it’s so different. I mean, you have the intensity of the dog show, but everyone’s happy. They’re having fun. The dogs love their job. These dogs are treated better than most people. I mean, they live a life. They’re house pets or therapy dogs. They do amazing things,” said Little.
“And then you move it to Daytona where people are happy, but it’s intense. I mean, we’re going to see some crazy wrecks. It’s going to be intense. So, completely different worlds. It’s so fun. My hair will be in a ponytail again, with a helmet. For the dog show, I’m wearing a fancy evening dress like I’m going, you know, to a wedding. It’s amazing. It’s fun to be able to do both.”
