A miniature poodle named Sage has been crowned "Best in Show" at the 148th annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, fetching the grand prize in the most prestigious competition among pure-bred canines in the United States.
The finalist representing all breeds classified as non-sporting dogs, Sage emerged victorious from more than 2,500 top-ranked canines competing in a two-day contest, held in New York City.
Sage, a 4-year-old black-coloured female groomed in the fine, fluffy topiary style traditional for poodles, competed against the winners in six other groups — terriers, hounds, herding dogs, working dogs, sporting dogs and toy dogs.
She was the first female to win the top prize at Westminster since 2020, according to commentators on the Fox Sports channel, which broadcast the event live.
It was the 11th triumph for poodles of various sizes — only wire fox terriers have won more — and it was the second best-in-show win for handler Kaz Hosaka.
He led another miniature poodle, Spice, to the trophy in 2002 and said this year's Westminster would be his last.
"No words," he said in the ring to describe his reaction to Sage's win before supplying a few: "So happy — exciting."
Striding briskly and proudly around the ring, the inky-black poodle "gave a great performance for me," added Hosaka, who said he had been competing at Westminster for 45 years.
The Westminster Dog Show bills itself as the second-oldest US sporting event, behind only the Kentucky Derby thoroughbred horse race.
This year's competition drew a field of contenders representing 200 breeds from all 50 US states and 12 other countries.
Mercedes, a female 4-year-old German shepherd, was named runner-up for the overall contest, after first winning the top prize in the herding dog group.
Along with Sage and Mercedes, the two other finalists chosen on Monday were Comet the shih tzu, representing the toy group, and Louis, the Afghan hound leading the hound group.
Rounding out the finalists were three group winners chosen on Tuesday — Micah the black cocker spaniel, representing sporting dogs; Monty, the giant schnauzer, leading the working dogs; and Frankie, a coloured bull terrier from the terrier group.
The Westminster show, which dates from 1877, centres on the traditional purebred judging that leads to the best-in-show prize.
But over the last decade, the club has added agility and obedience events open to mixed-breed dogs.
And this year, the agility competition counted its first non-purebred winner, a border collie-papillon mix named Nimble.
Rosalind Kramer, the best-in-show judge, made a point of thanking "every dog, whether it's a house dog or a show dog".
"Because you make our lives whole."
AP/Reuters