BY PEPPER FISHER

Port Angeles – The 149th Westminster Dog Show is under way in New York, and Port Angeles is represented this year by a dog named Ki.

Ki is a Lancashire Heeler, and if that breed doesn’t sound familiar, it’s because her breed was only recently recognized officially by the American Kennel Club.

Picture a black and tan Corgi with legs a little longer and you won’t be too far off in describing a Lancashire Heeler. Ki’s co-owner, Linda Bell, tells us a little more, beginning with Ki’s full name.

“Champion Broken Wings Yippee-Ki-Yay of ThatlDu. There’s about 300 of them in the US. And they believe they are a cross between a Pembroke Corgi and a Manchester Terrier, and their job was to go bring in the cattle at night, and then kill the rats in the barn.”

Ki is in New York with her other owner, Chelsy Pendleton, and was scheduled to take part in the breed judging on Monday morning in the Herding Group. That event can be viewed online at westminsterkennelclub.org, and Ki can be seen in Ring 7.

We like Ki’s chances of doing well this week.

“At Westminster, you have to be in the top five at the end of the year in order to get an invitation. She was the number one Lancashire Heeler bitch in the US. She was number three overall. There’s two boys in front of her, but she’s the number one girl.”

Further events are being broadcast on television on Fox Sports channels on Monday and Tuesday. See your local listings for times, and help us cheer on Port Angeles’ own Broken Wings Yippee Ki Yay of Thatldu.