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America’s biggest dog show moves to ABC under AKC-ESPN deal

WNEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 11: The Working Group competes during the annual Westminster Kennel Club dog show on February 11, 2020 in New York City. The 144th annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show brings more than 200 breeds and varieties of dog into New York City for the the competition which began Saturday and ends Tuesday night in Madison Square Garden with the naming of this year's Best in Show.(Photo by Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)

NEW YORK (AP) — The biggest dog show in the United States is about to bark at a much bigger audience.

The AKC National Championship will be presented on ABC for the next three years under an agreement between the American Kennel Club and ESPN announced Monday.


Nearly 5,300 dogs entered the AKC event that was won by Wasabi the Pekingese last year, almost twice as many pooches as usually take part in the prestigious Westminster dog show.

This year’s AKC National Championship will be held next weekend in Orlando, Florida.

The three-hour ABC broadcast of the competition will be shown on Jan. 17.