A descendant of a legendary Westminster Kennel Club winner stole the spotlight last night at Madison Square Garden: Miss P., the 15-inch beagle, was named the 139th Best In Show. Her handler, Will Alexander, said, "She just never let me down, she didn't make any mistakes."
The new Queen (Getty Images)
The Canadian bitch, whose official name is Ch Tashtins Lookin For Trouble, is the grandniece of Uno, the beloved and adorable beagle who was the 2008 Best in Show. Uno had memorably howled during the Best in Show judging that year, and the NY Times seemed disappointed that Miss P was more stoic:
Miss P, who is retiring to motherhood, did not exhibit the palpable charm of Uno, who howled at strategic points when he was judged at Westminster. Miss P is adorable, of course, but lacks the almost overwhelming charisma of her more famous relative, who became the most famous of all Westminster Best in Show winners. She has not met Uno, who lives in retirement in Austin, Tex., and will soon turn 10.
Caroline Dowell, Uno’s owner, said she was delighted by Miss P’s victory.
“I didn’t expect it,” she said. “She’s really a nice dog. I don’t know her. I’ve only seen pictures until now.”
However, the crowd favorite was definitely Swagger, the English sheepdog who stole Gothamist's heart two years ago. I mean, look at him:
And here's video of Swagger winning Best Herding Dog:
Other also-rans who won "Best" in their respective groups: Patty Hearst's shih tzu Rocket and Matisse, a Portuguese water dog who is cousins with Sunny Obama.
