WETHERSFIELD - Wethersfield residents Debbi Bordeau and Jim Koras and their pups will be heading to Westminster this month to try to get their paws on the top prize against more than 3,000 dogs in their respective competitions.

       Bordeau and her Grand Champion Papillon Jenni, whose show name is â€�"Draco Take it to the Limit at Bordeaux,” will compete in the 139th annual Westminster Kennel Club All Breed Dog Show in New York City Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 16-17.

       A lifetime dog lover, Bordeau first attended Westminster in 2010 as a spectator, â€�"where she fell head over heels in love with the number one Papillon at the time ‘BIS BISS GrCh Zelicaon Butch Cassidy at Draco,” known as â€�"Parker.”

       Ten years prior, she had become involved in conformation showing of Papillons and had bred and successfully two of her Papillons to AKC Champion Titles. When she was given the opportunity to love and own one of Parker’s daughters, Bordeau, a Hartford school teacher, named the 13-week-old puppy â€�"Jenni,” after a very special past student of hers.

       â€�"Jenni entered the show ring at 16 weeks old…and from the first weekend she hit the show ring, she was an instant success, finishing her Champion title with ease within six months of entering the show ring (at just after one year of age) and her Grand Champion title a mere four months later, at 16 months old.”

       Now 21 months old, Jenni is nearing the completing of her Bronze Grand Champion status.

       â€�"Bordeau is thrilled and honored to be showing Jenni on the same prestigious green carpet at Westminster, where she first laid eyes on Jenni’s magnificent sire.”

       In the second annual Masters Agility Champtionship at Westminster, held Saturday, Feb. 14, in New York City, Koras and his All-American dog, Cote, will be put to the test. The agility trial is limited to dogs competing at Master Level, which includes both purebred and mixed bred (All-American) dogs.

       â€�"Cote is originally from Tennessee, where he lived in a filthy chicken coop for the first four months of his life and had very little human contact,” said Koras. â€�"A rescue group learned about him and they were able to remove him and transport him to Connecticut to be placed in a foster home. We saw Cote’s photo on a rescue internet site. We went to see him and fell in love.”

       At first Cote was very shy, so Koras decided to start him in a family obedience class.

       â€�"He was still somewhat shy. We had heard that agility would help with his confidence.  Agility has been a wonderful experience for us and Cote,” he said. â€�"Our relationship with Cote has strengthened. Cote continues to build confidence and has made great strides”

       Koras and Cote have been training with Monique Plinck of Criterion Agility in Middlefield for the last three years and have been competing in trials the last two years throughout the northeast.

       And off the course, Cote keeps just as busy.

       â€�"When Cote is not running in agility trials, he is visiting seniors at centers, urban mushing, hiking with his three sisters and friends and lastly, but importantly, just relaxing,” said Koras.

       Breed competition in Westminster’s world-famous dog show will be held during the day at Piers 92/94. The evening finals (Groups and Best In Show) will be held at Madison Square Garden and televised live from 8-11 p.m. on CNBC, Monday, Feb. 16, and on USA Network Tuesday, Feb. 17.

       The Agility Trial finals will be televised nationally on FOX Sports 1, Sunday, Feb. 15, from 12-2 p.m.

       For the full Westminster week schedule, please visit www.westminsterkennelclub.org .