FILER - Anyone who has seen and liked the movie "Best in Show" may want to go to the Filer fairgrounds today and witness the real thing.

From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday, The Snake River Canyon Kennel Club of Idaho held a show comprised of 589 dogs. Today, at the same time, 604 dogs will compete in the second day of the American Kennel Club sanctioned All Breed and Obedience Dog Shows.

The fairgrounds were packed Tuesday with dogs and RVs - one of which had a sign in the front window proclaiming "Pug Territory." Another displayed a bumper sticker that read: "It's hard to be humble when you're a corgi terrier."

But the terriers were humbled, because a boxer named Jasmine won Best in Show.

Judge Raymond Bay, who is from Colorado and judges shows all over the nation, said, "I don't usually judge shows this small, but I've watched a couple of groups that are as strong as any in the country. In fact, the quality surpassed some of the largest shows in America."

He said that the largest shows include up to 3,000 dogs per day.

"Another judge told me that he's seen worse dogs at Westminster," Bay said, referring to the prominent dog show held at Madison Square Garden in New York.

It's not as through the dogs were from Filer, though. Entrants came from states as far away as New Jersey and Hawaii.

Superintendent Michele Goosen, from Portland, said, "Pick a state - you'll find it here ... this is the jumping-off point for the Montana circuit. These people are traveling everywhere this summer."

While the winning dog didn't look unusual in any conspicuous manner, at least not to untrained eyes, many of the dogs, due to their size or lack thereof, looked more cartoonish than like real-life creatures.

All, of course, were immaculately groomed. The entrants take their dogs seriously - so seriously that many of them apply special hairspray for dogs to their pets. The dogs didn't seem to like it.

After winning, Jasmine's handler Kimberlie Steele-Gamero, from Riverside, Calif., said, "I think she's great - and obviously, I think the show went well."

Bay cited his judging criteria as: the type of dog within a breed, how well it balances out, and fluid movement.

But, regarding Jasmine, he said, "I particularly liked the head. It's the epitome of a boxer."

And she didn't even need hairspray.

Spectator Louise Utesch of Wendell effused, "I loved every minute of it. I love dogs. I loved everything about it."

Damon Hunzeker can be reached at (208) 420-4697 or hunzeker@aol.com.