A petit basset griffon Vendéen named Buddy Holly has won the top prize at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
The winner beat six canine finalists and their handlers on Tuesday’s (9 May) competition.
“I never thought a PBGV would do this,” Buddy’s handler and co-owner Janice Hayes told CBS News. “Buddy Holly is the epitome of a show dog.”
The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is an all-breed conformation show. It was held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center this year.
It is one of a handful of benched shows in the US where dogs are required to be on display in their assigned locations during the entire show except when shown in the ring, groomed for showtime, or taken outside for elimination.
This type of presentation allows spectators and breeders alike to have an opportunity of seeing all of the entered dogs.
Other finalists competing against Buddy in the Best in Show category included Rummie the Pekingese, who was aiming for third place.
Winston the French bulldog was also gunning for the title after coming in second last year.
An Australian shepherd named Ribbon, an English setter called Cider, a giant schnauzer named Monty, and an American Staffordshire terrier called Trouble were in the pack of contenders for top dog.
Tim McGraw’s Bracco Italiano named Lepshi also won his breed’s debut at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show. Usually, each finalist first has to compete with other dogs of its breed, and then with its “group”, such as toy dogs or hounds.
“He’s a wonderful ambassador for the breed,” Lepshi’s handler Ryan Wolfe said after the 6-year-old’s win.
The dog aced the breed’s trademark ground-covering trot, Wolfe explained, and “he loves everybody”.
Additional reporting from agencies
