Purina Pro Plan Launches Its $1 Million Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show Bracket Challenge
Fans at Home Could Win One Million Dollars by Predicting Winners
ST. LOUIS, Feb. 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Purina® Pro Plan® has fueled the last nine Westminster Kennel Club Best In Show winners* and knows what it takes to make a champion – do you? On Monday, February 15 and Tuesday, February 16 more than 2,800 elite dogs from across the country will gather in New York City to compete for top honors at the 140th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, presented by Purina Pro Plan. This year, the brand is hosting the Purina Pro Plan $1 Million Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show Bracket Challenge – the first-ever bracket challenge for a canine competition – giving dog-lovers and sporting enthusiasts alike a new way to get in on the Westminster action. Pick a perfect bracket – including all seven group winners and Best In Show – and you could win $1 Million.**
To enter, fans can visit www.DogShowBracket.com and choose one winner from the Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting, Herding, Sporting, Working, and Terrier groups, and from those winners, one overall competitor they believe will win "Best in Show." After completing the bracket, entrants can cross their paws and tune into the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, February 15th at 8 PM EST on CNBC and February 16th at 8 PM EST on USA Network to follow their bracket in real time. If their selections all match the actual winners, they could win $1 Million, with the prize being split evenly among all winning entries.
"Whether it's the Beagle or the Golden Retriever, we know that everyone has a favorite when it comes to Westminster," said Christi Maginn, Brand Director, Purina Pro Plan. "We're excited to give all the dog-lovers watching at home a new way to get in on the competition as they cheer on their favorite breeds alongside the 'champion' dog in their own lives."
To help guide fans in their selections, Purina Pro Plan has partnered with Joe Lunardi, expert in "Bracketology" – the "art and science" of predicting the teams in college basketball's most famous tournament – to complete his own bracket and provide an expert opinion on the top dogs to watch. Lunardi's picks will be announced in the days leading up to the Dog Show.
Fans can follow @ProPlan on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for live Westminster coverage and behind-the-scenes action and use #WKCDogShow to join the $1 Million Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show Bracket Challenge conversation.
Purina Pro Plan has a rich history in the sport of purebred dogs and has helped elevate some of the world's top dogs to great success through innovative products and exceptional nutrition. The "Best in Show" title has been held by a Purina Pro Plan fed dog for the last nine years*, and the brand aims to continue its legacy again this year.
Live coverage of the WKC Dog Show, featuring the Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding Groups, will be televised from 8 to 11 p.m. EST Monday, Feb. 15, on CNBC, live from Madison Square Garden. The show will culminate from 8 to 11 p.m. EST Tuesday, Feb. 16, on USA Network with judging of the Sporting, Working and Terrier Groups and Best in Show.
About Purina Pro Plan:
Purina Pro Plan is the food of choice for the past nine Westminster Best in Show winners*. Our goal is to give your dog the nutrition to be his absolute best, helping him to be energetic and resilient, and maintain an ideal body condition, healthy skin and a stunning coat. Because being the best he can be means something different for every dog, our wide range of dry and wet foods, snacks and supplement bars, sold exclusively at pet specialty stores, can be found in five specialized categories formulated for a dog's unique needs. For more information, visit www.proplan.com or follow @ProPlan on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Vine or Google+. The brand is manufactured by Nestle Purina PetCare, which promotes responsible pet care, humane education, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. A premiere global manufacturer of pet products, Nestle Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestle S.A., a global leader in nutrition, health and wellness.
About Westminster Kennel Club
The Westminster Kennel Club is America's oldest organization dedicated to the sport of purebred dogs. Established in 1877, Westminster's influence has been felt for more than a century through its famous all-breed, benched dog show held every year at New York City's Madison Square Garden. Today, America's dog show has expanded into Westminster Week which includes the Masters Agility Championship at Westminster and the Masters Obedience Championship at Westminster at Piers 92 /94. More than 3,000 dogs from the US and abroad makes Westminster Week like no other. Westminster. There's only one. Visit us at: www.westminsterkennelclub.org, @WKCDogs
*The handler or owners of these champions may have received Purina Pro Plan dog food as Purina ambassadors.
**$1 Million prize will be split evenly among all winning entries.
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SOURCE Purina Pro Plan
For further information: Lauren Flemming, WME | IMG, 212-774-6879, lflemming@img.com; Emily Goldkamp, Nestle Purina PetCare, 314-982-1698, emily.goldkamp@purina.nestle.com