Listen to this article
Average 2 minutes
The audio version of this article was created by AI-based technology. It can be mispronounced. We are working with our partners to continuously review and improve the results.
A Doberman pinscher named Penny won best in show Tuesday night at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, capturing the US dog show’s top prize. Penny defeated six other winners at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Each dog was judged on how closely it resembled the best of its breed. The winner gets a trophy, ribbons, bragging rights and, this year, the distinction of winning the milestone of Westminster’s 150th annual show.
Over the past two days, 2,500 dogs and more than 200 breeds competed. There are seven groups: hound, toy, non-sporting, herding, sporting, working and terrier. The winner of each group goes on to compete for best in show.
Although only one dog ended up with the grand prize, many others achieved memorable moments or lit up the crowd, even if they didn’t make it to the finals.
Over the two nights of the semi-finals, the spectators cheered for Xoloitzcuintli named Calaco, a hairless dog who walked around the ring as if he had no evidence.
A vizsla named Beamer wowed the crowd by jumping into his owner’s toolbox, then sitting there like he was at home.
Spectators cheered so loudly for a pet golden retriever named Oliver that they drowned out the stadium announcer.
And chants of “Lumpy! Lumpy!” shouted when Lumpy from Pekingese walked in front of the judge.
One dog that made history in the semifinals was Millie, a Danish-Swedish farm dog. The small, spry breed recently qualified for the Westminster show this year, and Millie beat about 10 other farm dogs on Tuesday afternoon to make it to the evening round.
“It’s been a very exciting journey” to establish the breed in the US, said Brita Lemmon, who competed with her farm dog, Coyote.
The owner of a plant nursery in Seal Beach, Calif., got his first garden dog from a Danish breeder in 2000, after looking through a breed encyclopedia.
Westminster wins often go to pooches and professional handlers or owners with decades or generations of experience. But just getting to the top, champion-only show is a major breakthrough in dogdom.
