Tiffany Marie sits down with Gail Miller Bisher, Director of Communications and Dog Show Analyst for Fox Sports to talk about this coming Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
Gail talks about the 2,800 dogs that come to Manhattan for this event, all the different breeds, and gives us the schedule of events kicking off the 141st Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Saturday February 11th 2017.
With more than 35 years of experience in dog sports as a handler, trainer, spokesperson and now as the face of the Westminster Kennel Club, Gail Miller Bisher serves as analyst for the iconic Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on FS1.
DOG SPORT BACKGROUND
As with many in the sport of dogs, her experience started as a family affair. Bisher was a team with her parents – while they handled most of the breeding, Gail did the grooming, training, physical conditioning and handling. In addition to conformation, she has trained and handled dogs to their titles in obedience, rally, advanced CGC and earthdog.
Bisher began handling dogs in the show ring at the age of 10 and handled her first dog to its championship title when she was just 12 years old. From her Winners Dog win at the first Bearded Collie Club of America’s (BCCA) National Specialty in 1979, she continued to handle her dogs and clients’ dogs to National Specialty Best of Breed and Best of Opposite Sex wins as well as All-Breed Best in Show wins, numerous nationally top ranked positions and Junior Showmanship breed history. Gail was the first junior handler to qualify for the Westminster Kennel Club’s famed Junior Showmanship competition with a Bearded Collie and the first to place, capturing second place.
In 1988 she began her judging experience with regional specialties and supported entries and now is an AKC-licensed judge of Bearded Collies, Shetland Sheepdogs and Junior Showmanship competitions. In 2015 she judged the BCCA National Specialty. Although time does not allow for much other than a limited number of judging assignments while raising her daughter, Gail has stayed in the ring by earning four titles each on both of her miniature dachshunds, who are now retired.
Her volunteer dog club work includes serving the BCCA as a former breed columnist and club-approved breed mentor, Specialty Conformation Chairperson and club historian. Additionally, she is a member of the Dachshund Club of America, Morris & Essex Kennel Club, Greenwich Kennel Club and the Dog Writers Association of America.