A small poodle named Sage won the top prize on Tuesday night at the 148th Westminster Kennel Club dog show. This is the 11th time that poodles have won at this famous dog competition in New York City, with only wire fox terriers winning more times.
Kaz Hosaka is the handler for Sage. He expressed his happiness and excitement about Sage’s win, saying, “No words,” and adding, “So happy — exciting.” Hosaka had also been the handler for Spice, another miniature poodle who won the Westminster in 2002. However, he mentioned that this recent victory would be his last competition after 45 years.
Hosaka praised Sage’s performance, saying she “gave a great performance for me.” Sage, a black poodle, beat six other dogs to take the “best in show” title, with second place going to Mercedes, a German shepherd.
During Sage’s final round, a protester disrupted the event, carrying a sign urging people to “boycott breeders” and trying to enter the ring. Security guards quickly removed the activist, and three demonstrators were arrested according to the police and the animal rights group, PETA.
Rosalind Kramer, a judge at the event, described the final lineup as “excellent, glorious.” Katie Bernardin, Monty’s handler and co-owner, expressed her honor just to be in the ring with everyone else.
Dogs initially compete against others of their breed, and then the winners of each breed compete against others in their “group.” The seven group winners then compete in the final round for the “best in show” title.
The “best in show” winner receives a trophy and a place in dog-world history, but no monetary prize is awarded.
In addition to the winners, other dogs at the event also captured the crowd’s attention. For instance, a lagotto Romagnolo named Harry amused spectators by sitting up and begging for a treat from his handler. Similarly, a vizsla named Fletcher delighted the crowd by jumping up on his handler after completing a turn around the ring.
One of the notable big dogs at the event was Ralphie, a great Dane weighing 80 kilograms. His handler, Shane Jichetti, explained that showing such a large animal requires a lot of experience. However, she emphasized that having a strong bond with your dog and going with the flow makes everything work out.
The Westminster show, dating back to 1877, focuses on traditional purebred judging leading to the “best in show” prize. In recent years, the club has added agility and obedience events that are open to mixed-breed dogs. This year, a border collie-papillon mix named Nimble became the first non-purebred winner of the agility competition.
Kramer, the best in show judge, thanked “every dog, whether it’s a house dog or a show dog,” emphasizing that they make our lives complete.
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