Bichon Frise Wins 142nd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
The 142nd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show happened on Feb. 12, and dog lovers are still talking about it.
Flynn, a 5-year-old bichon frise owned by Bill McFadden, won "Best in Show" as it stunned the judges with its powder-puff fur. McFadden has been competing his dogs since 1991.
Aside from Flynn, Ty was also a star of the event. The giant schnauzer owned by Sandra Nordstrom, Carol Mann, and Maryann Bisceglia held the No. 1 show dog last year but came in as the runner-up this year.
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Flynn also beat Biggle the pug, Bean the Sussex spaniel, Lucy the Borzoi, Slick the border collie, and Winston the Norfolk terrier. Meanwhile, border collie Fame won the "Masters Agility," and Labrador retriever Heart won the "Masters Obedience."
According to ABC News, this year's Westminster show had almost 3,000 dogs with 202 different breeds and varieties. First held in 1877 on May 8, the Westminster show is the second-longest annual sporting event in the US, following closely the Kentucky Derby horse race which was first held in 1875.
The Westminster show was originally a show for hunting dogs, and winners of the first few shows were rewarded pearl-handled pistols. Today, dogs are judged based on their breed standards. The closer the dogs are to their breed standard, the higher the score they garnered. Standards can refer to the looks, skills, and qualities of the specific breed.
The show lasts for over two days and nights. The days are allotted for dogs to compete against other dogs of the same breed. Winners of this competition are recognized as the Best of Breed winner (BOB).
During the evening, the BOBs proceed to compete against dogs in their same categories. These categories include sporting dogs, hound dogs, working dogs, terriers, toy dogs, non-sporting dogs, and herding dogs. The winning dog is hailed "America's Dog."
