If you鈥檝e never heard of the Westminster dog show, well, it鈥檚 like catnip for the canine crowd. It鈥檚 America鈥檚 most famous and prestigious pageant for the pooch.
Every year it鈥檚 broadcast around the world to millions. Who wouldn鈥檛 want to watch four-legged perfectly-groomed and perfectly-behaved dogs strut their stuff on the green carpet in Madison Square Garden?
They鈥檙e also watching the one 鈥渉uman鈥� in the ring who matters most: The Judge. The person who determines who wins the coveted silver-plated trophy bowl.
In 2014, that honour went to a Canadian, the pride of Salmon Cove, N.L.: Betty Regina Leininger.
And it is indeed an honour to be chosen.
For Betty, it was 鈥渓ike the Super Bowl鈥� she says. Judging the top dogs is a once-in-a-lifetime event.
W5 caught up with Betty in Nashville, Tenn., in a dog show ring quite different from the razzle dazzle of New York City. In an agricultural auditorium with nothing more than a dirt floor there was Betty, who was greeted just like a movie star.
After all she had just judged Westminster and earned her 鈥淥scar.鈥� The ring in Nashville might sound small town for big time Judge, but Betty doesn鈥檛 do this for the glamour, quite simply she loves dogs.
Early days
What began as just a hobby the dog鈥檚 life has taken her around the world. Not bad for a gal from the Rock who has beaten breast cancer twice and never missed a dog show during a career that has spanned more than three decades.
She did not grow up in a dog show family. It wasn鈥檛 until her 20s, when she was gifted a purebred German shepherd, that Betty discovered the world of dog shows.
鈥淚 got a taste of winning,鈥� Betty says, and she was hooked. And though she鈥檚 suffered a dog bite or two, married twice and now has an adult son, Betty admits that when it comes to our furry friends she has a 鈥減assion for the pooch鈥very dog that I judge I can look into its eyes and sometimes I can see right to their little souls, I can, I really can.鈥�
As the first Canadian woman to judge the Best in Show category, she had to keep it secret for months. She didn鈥檛 even tell her own son.
The only person who knew before it was made public was her best friend who is not the four legged kind. It was Betty鈥檚 95-year-old mother Bertha, who still lives in St. John鈥檚. They speak to one another every single day, no matter where in the world Betty may be.
Friends say Betty brings elegance to the dog ring. And you can see that. Not a hair out of place. At Westminster, dressed in a purple gown designed by the same person who outfits Royalty like Kate Middleton and Actress Helen Mirren, Betty did not disappoint.
She even wore rare yellow-tinged canary diamonds, another 鈥渞oyal鈥� connection 鈥� but she refused to divulge the lender of her bling. Gown, heels, makeup and hair, Betty was ready for Prime Time.
No easy feat
There is a lot of pressure judging Best in Show: it鈥檚 very competitive and much is at stake. There is no cash prize but the owners can make a lot of money breeding the champion.
So how does she choose the champion? What does it take to be a winner?
It鈥檚 tough.
Out of 2,900 dogs, only seven group winners at Westminster are considered 鈥渂est in breed.鈥� From top to tail, teeth and coat Betty says she looks for something she calls the 鈥淴鈥� factor.
She can鈥檛 explain it -- she says it just sort of happens. Even when the crowd at Westminster roared and applauded for Nathan the Bloodhound or Matisse, the Canadian-born Portuguese Water Dog , Betty would not be swayed. One dog locked eyes with Betty that said 鈥淭his is my night.鈥�
Her choice for Best in Show was Skye, the Wire Fox Terrier. She even asked to give her top dog a kiss , planting a smooch on her favorite pooch.
鈥淚t was just the way she looked at me and I looked at her little eyes. We locked for a moment. That special moment that鈥檚 very difficult to define.鈥� She got to Betty鈥檚 heart. Dogs can do that to anyone.
Westminster changed Betty鈥檚 world, she鈥檚 very much in demand now. From speaking engagements, teaching, book offers, there was even an offer to star in a reality television show. But her salt-of-the-earth work ethic hasn鈥檛 changed, and don鈥檛 be surprised if you see Betty in the ring at a dog show in a town near you.
W5 airs Saturday @ 7 pm on CTV and @ 10 pm on CTV 2.
