Westminster Kennel Club & American Kennel Club Set To Take Over NYC With Meet & Compete

NEW YORK, Nov. 16, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Westminster Kennel Club and American Kennel Club (AKC^®) present Meet & Compete, featuring the 5^th Annual Masters Agility Championship at Westminster and AKC Meet the Breeds^®, brought to you by Purina^® Pro Plan^®.  The joint event returns to New York City on Saturday, February 10^th at Piers 92 and 94.  After a successful return to AKC Meet the Breeds^® last year, The International Cat Association^® (TICA^®) brings cats back to the 2018 event, giving animal lovers the unique opportunity to meet and play with hundreds of adorable dogs and cats while learning about responsible pet ownership.  Attendees also get the chance to see the nation's top canine competitors race against the clock over an obstacle course at the 5^thAnnual Masters Agility Championship.

"We're always excited to bring AKC Meet the Breeds to the New York City public as part of Meet & Compete," said AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo.  "We're thrilled that TICA is joining us again, bringing attendees a fantastic lineup of dog and cat breeds to meet while learning about responsible pet ownership and what breed fits their family and lifestyle."  

"The Masters Agility Championship at Westminster and AKC Meet the Breeds^® have proven to be a great fit together, and we're pleased to again join forces with the American Kennel Club," said Seán W. McCarthy, President of the Westminster Kennel Club.  "Meet & Compete continues to be a successful event, and we're glad to bring it back to the public for the fourth year."

This AKC Meet the Breeds^® will be TICA's fifth time participating in the event, and they will have ongoing exciting cat agility demonstrations for the public.  TICA is the world's largest genetic registry of pedigreed cats and the largest registry of household pet cats and kittens.  The organization currently recognizes 71 cat breeds.

"AKC Meet the Breeds^® gives New Yorkers the chance to step into the jungle and play with a Bengal cat and see a Mastiff dog in a medieval castle," said TICA President Fate Mays.  "We're very happy to be a part of such a wonderful event that allows animal lovers to meet various dog and cat breeds up close, and learn about them straight from the experts."

The 2018 event marks the ninth AKC Meet the Breeds^®  and the fourth year that the event is part of the exciting Westminster Week roster.  One daytime ticket will grant event-goers access to both AKC Meet the Breeds^® and the Masters Agility Championship at Westminster.  Attendees will be able to interact with nearly 200 breeds of dogs and cats in elaborately decorated booths that depict fun elements from the breed's history and talk to experts about each breed, as well as see the exciting Agility competition taking place in Pier 94.

The agility competition takes place all day (Preliminary rounds 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. / Finals
7 p.m. - 9 p.m.) in Pier 94, with the finals being televised on FOX Sports 1 Sunday, February 11 from 8-10 p.m. ET.  AKC Meet the Breeds^®  will take place in Piers 92 & 94 from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.

In addition to Meet & Compete on Saturday, February 10^th, Westminster Week events include the iconic 142^nd Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on Monday and Tuesday, February 12-13 and the 3^rd Annual Masters Obedience Championship at Westminster on Monday, February 12.  All events are presented by Purina^® Pro Plan^®, which is dedicated to helping dogs of all activity levels excel through performance nutrition and expert resources.

To purchase tickets for Meet & Compete and find additional information about the event, visit www.westminsterkennelclub.org.

About Meet the Breeds:
From Afghan Hounds to the Turkish Van and everything in between, AKC Meet the Breeds® is brought to you by exclusive pet care sponsor Purina Pro Plan. The ninth annual event gives pet lovers the unique opportunity to meet and play with more than 150 different dog and cat breeds in booths individually decorated to depict each breed's country of origin, historical purpose/function, and attributes as a family pet, all while learning about responsible pet ownership and which breeds may be right for them.  Event sponsors include AKC Pet Insurance, Motel 6, AKC^SM Visa^® Card and Pet Brands, Inc.  For more information, visit www.akc.org/meetthebreeds.

About Westminster Kennel Club:
The Westminster Kennel Club is America's oldest organization dedicated to the sport of purebred dogs.  Established in 1877, Westminster's influence has been felt for more than a century through its famous all-breed, benched dog show held every year at New York City's Madison Square Garden. Today, America's dog show has expanded into Westminster Week which includes the Masters Agility Championship at Westminster and the Masters Obedience Championship at Westminster at Piers 92 /94. More than 3,000 dogs from the US and abroad makes Westminster Week like no other. Westminster. There's only one. Visit us at:  www.westminsterkennelclub.org, @WKCDogs

About Purina Pro Plan:
Purina Pro Plan is proud to be the food of choice for 10 of the past 11 Westminster Best in Show winners and 98 of the top 100 AKC All-Breed Champions.* With more than 400 on staff scientists, veterinarians and nutritionists, it is our goal to provide dogs with the nutrition they need to be their absolute best, to help keep them energetic and resilient, and to maintain an ideal body condition, healthy skin and a stunning coat. Because being the best he can be means something different for every dog, our wide range of dry and wet foods and snacks, sold exclusively at pet specialty stores, can be found in 80+ formulas across four specialized categories, formulated for a dog's unique needs. For more information, visit www.proplan.com or follow @ProPlan on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Vine or Google+. The brand is manufactured by Nestle Purina PetCare, which promotes responsible pet care, humane education, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. A premiere global manufacturer of pet products, Nestle Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestle S.A., a global leader in nutrition, health and wellness.

*The handler or owner of these champions may have received Pro Plan dog food as Purina ambassadors.

About TICA:
TICA^®, The International Cat Association^® is the world's largest genetic registry of pedigreed and household pet cats, the first and now the world's largest–registry to allow household cats of unknown ancestry to compete for the same titles and awards as pedigreed cats. The responsible breeding of pedigreed cats preserves the distinct characteristics of individual pedigreed breeds and ensures the continuation of predictable physical and behavioral traits for future generations. TICA is headquartered in Harlingen, TX, and administers the rules licensing and management of hundreds of cat shows annually across the globe in 104 countries. TICA and its members work together to promote the preservation of pedigreed cats and the health and welfare of ALL domestic cats through education, responsible cat ownership, and proper care to the owners of millions of cats worldwide. TICA currently recognizes 71 breeds of cats.
Wherever you are, you're in TICA's World. Fabulous felines, fun and friendships.
To learn about TICA  www.tica.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheInternationalCatAssociation

The American Kennel Club, founded in 1884, is a not-for-profit organization which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function.  Along with its more than 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 22,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Reunite and the AKC Museum of the Dog.  For more information, visit www.akc.org.

AKC, American Kennel Club, the American Kennel Club seal and design, and all associated marks and logos are trademarks, registered trademarks and service marks of The American Kennel Club, Inc.

To become a fan of the AKC on Facebook, go to http://www.facebook.com/americankennelclub. To follow the AKC on Twitter, go to http://www.twitter.com/akcdoglovers.

SOURCE American Kennel Club

Related Links

http://www.akc.org