Penny, a Doberman pinscher, was named Best in Show Tuesday night at the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, taking top honors at Madison Square Garden after two days of competition.
The milestone event featured about 2,500 dogs representing more than 200 breeds. Judges advance and evaluate dogs based on how closely each animal matches its breed’s ideal. Penny beat six other finalists to claim the prize: Zaida the Afghan hound; JJ the Lhasa apso; Cookie the Maltese; Graham the Old English sheepdog; Cota the Chesapeake Bay retriever; and Wager the smooth fox terrier. Penny received the traditional trophy, ribbons and the prestige that comes with Westminster’s most coveted award.
Beyond the winner, the show offered many memorable moments. Calaco, a Xoloitzcuintli — the hairless Mexican breed — drew enthusiastic cheers for a confident ring performance. Beamer, a vizsla, amused the crowd by hopping into a box set out for his handler’s equipment. Storm, a Newfoundland, got laughs by standing nearly as tall as his handler. Spectators cheered loudly for a golden retriever named Oliver, briefly drowning out the announcer, and fans chanted “Lumpy! Lumpy!” as Lumpy the Pekingese paraded before a judge.
A notable semifinalist was Millie, a Danish-Swedish farmdog. The breed became eligible for Westminster this year, and Millie advanced to the evening round after besting roughly 10 other farmdogs. “It’s been a very exciting journey” to establish the breed in the U.S., said Brita Lemmon, who has campaigned farmdogs for years and competed with another farmdog, Coyote.
Westminster often rewards competitors with long experience, but simply reaching the champions-only show is a milestone for newcomers. Joseph Carrero of Indian Springs, Nevada, a heavy equipment operator, made a splash with Dezi, his Neapolitan mastiff. Carrero began showing Dezi at a breeder’s request and now breeds and handles his own Neapolitans while working full time. “It’s really hard for us to do this, but we enjoy it, and he enjoys it,” Carrero said as visitors gathered around the 190-pound dog.
Large guardian breeds also drew attention. Natalee Ridenhour brought Invictus, a 170-pound Boerboel from South Africa. Although Invictus did not advance past the first round, visitors lined up to meet him. “Honestly, the big win is: you’re about the 50th person who’s gotten down in his face and loved on him,” Ridenhour said.
The 150th Westminster combined competition, spectacle and breed milestones, underscoring both the sport’s deep traditions and its evolving roster of recognized breeds.