NEW YORK, New York – It only seems fitting that a cardiac surgeon will be the one getting all those hearts pumping at the 131st annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show next month when he announces the Best In Show winner.

Dr Robert A. Indeglia, the senior surgeon and chief of cardiac surgery at The Miriam Hospital, a teaching hospital at Brown University, has been selected to judge Best In Show at the show on February 12 and 13 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Dr Indeglia has been involved in the sport of purebred dogs for many years, showing his family’s cocker spaniels as he was growing up and, in 1960, becoming involved with Norwegian Elkhounds. Dr Indeglia has bred or owned 50 champions and has served as president for the Norwegian Elkhound Association of America.

He began judging in 1971 and has judged seven times previously at Westminster, including the Hound Group in 1996 and the Non-Sporting Group in 2003.

There will be 35 judges from 14 states, Canada and England. The Group judges will be Jeannette McGinnis of Upland, California (Sporting); Michael J. Dougherty, of La Mesa, California (Hound); Jean Fournier of Calhoun, Georgia (Working); James Edward Clark of Greenwood, Delaware (Terrier); R. William Taylor of Havelock, Quebec, Canada (Toy); Richard L. Bauer of Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Non-Sporting); and Eric J. Ringle of Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Herding).

Nicholas P. Urbanek of Glenshaw, Peensylvania will judge the Junior Showmanship Finals.

There are 165 breeds and varieties eligible for competition.

Breed judges will be –

Sporting

Mary Ann Alston, Ocean Pines, Maryland – Pointers, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers, English Setters, Gordon Setters, Irish Setters.

Valerie Foss, Cheshire, England – Curly Coated Retrievers, Flat Coated Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Field Spaniels, Irish Water Spaniels, Sussex Spaniels, Welsh Springer Spaniels.

Elaine Mathis, Temple Terrace, Florida – American Water Spaniels, Clumber Spaniels, Cocker Spaniels (all varieties), English Cocker Spaniels, English Springer Spaniels.

Dr Bernard E. McGivern, Jr., Staten Island, New York – German Shorthaired Pointers, German Wirehaired Pointers, Spinoni Italiani, Vizslas.

Jeffrey G. Pepper, Salinas, California – Brittanys, Golden Retrievers, Weimaraners, Wirehaired Pointing Griffons.

Hound

Mary Ann Alston, Ocean Pines, Maryland – Beagles (both varieties).

Randy Garren, Apex, North Carolina – Greyhounds, Norwegian Elkhounds, Whippets.

Judy A. Harrington, Monson, Massachusetts – Afghan Hounds, Rhodesian Ridgebacks.

Peter C.J. Martin, Barrington, Illinois – Basset Hounds, Dachshunds (all varieties).

Elaine Mathis, Temple Terrace, Florida – Basenjis, Black & Tan Coonhounds.

Jeffrey G. Pepper, Salinas, California – Petit Basset Griffons Vendeen.

Dr John Reeve-Newson, Toronto, Canada – Bloodhounds, Borzoi, American Foxhound, English Foxhound, Harriers, Ibizan Hounds, Irish Wolfhounds, Otterhounds, Pharaoh Hounds, Salukis, Scottish Deerhounds.

Working

Donald M. Booxbaum, Jensen Beach, Florida – Bernese Mountain Dogs, Boxers, Great Danes, Great Pyrenees, Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, Neapolitan Mastiffs, Newfoundlands, St. Bernards.

Dorothy N. Collier, Wellington, Florida – Doberman Pinschers, German Pinschers, Portuguese Water Dogs.

Judy A. Harrington, Monson, Massachusetts – Black Russian Terriers, Rottweilers.

Lester R. Mapes, Monson, Massachusetts – Giant Schnauzers, Standard Schnauzers.

Helma N. Weeks, Philadelphia, Peensylvania – Bullmastiffs, Mastiffs.

Wendy G. Willhauck, Mansfield, Massachusetts – Akita, Alskan Malamutes, Anatolian Shepherd Dogs, Komondorok, Kuvaszok, Samoyeds, Siberian Huskies.

Terrier

Ronald Irving, Oxfordshire, England – Border Terriers, Cairn Terriers, Norfolk Terriers, Norwich Terriers, Scottish Terriers, West Highland White Terriers.

David J. Kirkland, Sanford, North Carolina – Australian Terriers, Bedlington Terriers, Glen of Imaal Terriers, Lakeland Terriers, Standard Manchester Terriers, Miniature Schnauzers, Sealyham Terriers, Skye Terriers, Soft-Coated Wheaten Terriers.

Dr Robert W.T. Myall, Portland, Oregon – American Staffordshire Terriers, Bull Terriers (both varieties), Miniature Bull Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers.

Betty-Anne Stenmark, Woodside, California – Airedale Terriers, Dandie Dinmont Terriers, Smooth Fox Terriers, Wire Fox Terriers, Irish Terriers, Parson Russell Terriers, Kerry Blue Terriers, Welsh Terriers.

Toy

Randy E. Garren, Apex, North Carolina – Miniature Pinschers, Toy Fox Terriers, Silky Terriers, Yorkshire Terriers.

Gilbert S. Kahn, Newport, Rhode Island – Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Italian Greyhounds, Japanese Chins, Maltese, Toy Manchester Terriers, Shih Tzu.

Leonard S. Reppond, San Leandro, California – Affenpinschers, Brussels Griffons, Chihuahua (both varieties), Chinese Cresteds, English Toy Spaniels (both varieties), Havanese.

Frank T. Sabella, Wellington, Florida – Papillons, Pekingese, Pomeranians, Toy Poodles, Pugs.

Non-Sporting

Loraine Boutwell, Kansas City, Missouri – American Eskimo Dogs, Bichons Frise, Boston Terriers, Chinese Shar-Peis, Chow Chows, Dalmatians, Finnish Spitz.

Dorothy A. Dalton, Stuart, Florida – Keeshonden, Lhasa Apsos, Lowchen, Schipperkes, Shiba Inu, Tibetan Spaniels, Tibetan Terriers.

Dr Bernard E. McGivern, Jr., Staten Island, New York – Bulldogs, French Bulldogs.

Frank T. Sabella, Wellington, Florida – Miniature Poodles, Standard Poodles.

Herding

Dorothy N. Collier, Wellington, Florida – Cardigan Welsh Corgis, Pembroke Welsh Corgis.

Joseph E. Gregory, Vero Beach, Florida – Bearded Collies, Canaan Dogs, German Shepherd Dogs, Old English Sheepdogs, Polish Lowland Sheepdogs, Pulik, Shetland Sheepdogs.

Lester R. Mapes, Monson, Massachusetts – Australian Shepherds, Bouviers des Flandres, Briards.

Robert Stein, Henderson, Nevada – Australian Cattle Dogs, Belgian Malinois, Belgian Sheepdogs, Belgian Tervuren, Border Collies, Collies (both varieties).

Junior Pre-lims

Peter C.J. Martin, Barrington, Illinois and Dr Robert W.T. Myall, Portland, Oregon.