A Doberman pinscher named Penny won best in show Tuesday night at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, netting US show dogs' most coveted prize, the AP reports. Penny bested six other finalists at New York's Madison Square Garden. Each dog is judged according to how closely it matches the ideal for its breed. Penny not only gets a trophy, ribbons, and bragging rights but, this year, the distinction of winning the milestone 150th annual Westminster show. The winner came out on top after two days, 2,500 dogs, and more than 200 breeds who strutted their stuff at the Westminster Kennel Club. It came down to just seven canines who vied for the prize.
Finalists included an Afghan hound named Zaida, a Lhasa apso called JJ, a Maltese named Cookie, and an old English sheepdog dubbed Graham. Also in the running were a Chesapeake Bay called Cota and a smooth fox terrier called Wager. Lots of others scored meme-able moments or lightened up the crowd, even if they didn't make the finals. Over two nights of semifinals, spectators cheered extra-loud for a Xoloitzcuintli named Calaco, a hairless dog who went around the ring like he had nothing to prove. A vizsla named Beamer charmed the crowd by hopping into a box set out for his handler's tools, and Storm the Newfoundland got laughs when he jumped up on his handler, standing almost as tall as she.
Spectators cheered so loud for a golden retriever named Oliver that they drowned out the arena's announcer, and chants of "Lumpy! Lumpy!" resounded as Lumpy the Pekingese strolled before a judge. One dog that made history in the semifinals was Millie, a Danish-Swedish farmdog. The small, spry breed just became eligible for the Westminster show this year, and Millie bested about 10 other farmdogs Tuesday afternoon to get to the evening round. "It's been a very exciting journey" to establish the breed in the US, said Brita Lemmon, who got her first farmdog in 2000 and competed Tuesday with one named Coyote.
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