NEW YORK (AP) – This Buddy Holly no longer needs to sigh, “This will be the day.”
A Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen, named after the late rock ‘n’ roll legend, won as Best of the Show at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show Tuesday night, a first for his rabbit hunting breed.
Buddy Holly beat out six other finalists to take home the most prestigious dog show award in the United States. According to a recent ranking by the American Kennel Club, PBGVs, as they are known for short, are the 154th most common purebred dogs in the country.
“I never thought a PBGV would do something like this,” said handler and co-owner Janice Hayes. “Buddy Holly is the quintessential show dog.”
Among his competitors was Rummie, a Pekingese who was looking to take home the third trophy in 11 years for his small but mighty breed. Winston the French bulldog was fighting for the title after coming oh so close last year.
An Australian Shepherd named Ribbon, an English Setter named Cider, a Giant Schnauzer named Monty and an American Staffordshire Terrier named Trouble were also among the competitors.
Sarah Bull via Getty Images
If Buddy Holly felt the pressure, he didn’t show it before the finale. Instead, late Tuesday afternoon, he seemed more concerned with playing with his people and refusing the thought of napping in his crate.
“He just screams PBGV,” Hayes said. “You’re just very independent, but very charming and just plain goofy. Her goal is to make you laugh every day.”
Originally from France, the small hunting dogs were traditionally rabbit hunters. (Her name means “low-lying, wire-haired dog from the Vendée region” and is pronounced peh-TEE’ bah-SAY’ grihf-FAHN’ vahn-DAY’-ahn.)
Buddy Holly – so called because “he’s a pal,” explained breeder Gavin Robertson – has also lived and competed in his native UK, as well as in Ireland and Australia.
Ribbon is “like the funny girl at the party,” said handler Jessica Plourde. Rummie is “true to the Pekingese type, lots of attitude, presence – all rolled into one here,” said owner-breeder David Fitzpatrick, who has owned and managed Pekes Malachy Wasabi to Westminster wins in 2012 and 2021 respectively.
Winstoncame second last year at Westminster and last fall won the National Dog Show hosted by the Kennel Club of Philadelphia. Now he represents the most common dog breed in the United States according to rankings published in March.
He “just steals your heart,” said handler and co-owner Perry Payson after Winston’s spirited semi-final turn, which included an impromptu leap into a decorative box in the middle of the ring.
Each Westminster finalist has other dogs of his breed first and then his “group” such as B. defeated dwarf dogs or hunting dogs. Among the breeds lined up for Tuesday night’s semi-final group judging was the newly admitted Bracco Italiano, who was won by a dog Co-owner of country music star Tim McGraw.
In addition to the selected finalists, there were other fan favorites as well.
There was the Bloodhound bowing low to a judge, the Golden Retriever cheered on by the breed’s many fans, and the brave German Shorthaired Pointer making a few leaps before circling the ring. Viewers applauded 10-year-old handler Audra Maes and her Shiba Inu, and breeder/owner/handler Alexandria Mitchell and her Ibizan dog. They made the judge’s first cut, a feat at a show where many exhibitors treat other people’s dogs as a profession.
the westminster show, was held this year at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis CenterThis also includes obedience and agility competitions that mixed breed dogs can compete in.
About 2,500 dogs from 210 breeds and varieties competed for the trophy. Hundreds more competed in agility, obedience and other disciplines.
Associated Press writer Anna Furman contributed. New York-based AP journalist Jennifer Peltz has covered the Westminster dog show since 2013.
