Jamie Little Covers 150th Westminster Dog Show at MSG

The Westminster Dog Show just hit a milestone that puts it in rare company, and the emotion behind the scenes is bringing reporters to tears.

FOX Sports' Jamie Little is covering the 150th edition of the world's most prestigious dog show, which wrapped up Tuesday at Madison Square Garden. Only the Kentucky Derby has been running longer as a sporting event in America.

"You have to let that sink in," Little told Fox News Digital. "This is the second longest sporting event to the Kentucky Derby."

The show kicked off with "Prove-It" the Border Collie winning the Masters Agility Championship on Saturday. Then the main event moved to Madison Square Garden for group judging and the coveted Best in Show award.

Little has covered the event for eight years, but this year feels different. She interviewed the first four winners on Monday night and saw something she doesn't usually see in her regular job covering NASCAR.

"We saw tears two or three times because it means that much more," she said. "You meet these families that have been coming here generation after generation with show dogs."

Sunny's Take

What makes this story shine is the pure joy these handlers bring to their craft. These aren't just competitions. They're family legacies playing out under the bright lights of the world's most famous arena.

Little gets to interview winners right after their big moment, and there's a bonus that beats any other sport she covers. "I have a dog I get to pet during the interview," she said with a laugh.

The dogs themselves are living their best lives. Little points out they're treated better than most people, serving as both show stars and therapy dogs or beloved pets at home.

After the show wrapped, Little headed straight to Daytona to cover the Daytona 500. She jokes about going from "four paws to four wheels," but says the dog show's intensity comes from a happier place.

"Everybody's happy. They're having fun. The dogs love their job," she said.

The return to Madison Square Garden after COVID forced the show to other venues has brought back the magic. The energy from the crowd, the bright lights, and the sound all create something the dogs can feel.

For a show that started in 1877, the 150th edition proves some traditions just keep getting better.