A very good dog named Siba has taken the top prize at the 144th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, winning the coveted 'Best in Show' title after defeating more than 2,600 dogs representing 204 breeds after three days of fierce competition at Madison Square Garden.
Siba, a 3-year-old standard poodle, beat out the competition and crowd favorite, a popular golden retriever named Daniel. Bourbon, a whippet, finished second. Bono, a Havanese, Wilma, a boxer, Conrad, a Shetland sheepdog, and Vinny, a wire-haired fox terrier (and the breed that won 'Best in Show' last year) rounded out the rest of the top finishers at the show.
Despite being one of the most popular dog breeds in America, a golden retriever has never won 'Best in Show' since the competition began in 1877. Poodles, which come in three sizes (miniatures, toys, and standard), have been crowned America's top dog ten times over the history of the show. The last time a standard poodle won was in 1991.
Judges score the pups by comparing them to their own breed and the group's standards.
"Dogs were originally bred to do specific jobs, whether hunting, guarding, tracking, or companionship," the Westminster Kennel Club explains on its website. "The standard describes how a dog should look in order to carry out its job."
There's no prize money associated with the prize, however the dog is awarded the coveted silver dish and the title gives dog owners bragging and the ability to sell lucrative breeding rights.
The canine competition's winners included:
- Sporting - Daniel, golden retriever
- Hound - Bourbon, whippet.
- Working - Wilma, boxer
- Terrier - Vinny, fox terrier
- Toy - Bono, Havanese
- Herding - Conrad, Shetland sheepdog
Photo: Getty Images