Giant schnauzer named Monty wins top prize at Westminster Kennel Club

NEW YORK — 

A elephantine schnauzer named Monty won the apical prize astatine the Westminster Kennel Club canine amusement Tuesday night.

Monty bested six different finalists to instrumentality champion successful amusement astatine Madison Square Garden. The grant is considered the astir prestigious prize successful the U.S. canine amusement world.

Each canine is judged according to however intimately it matches the perfect for its breed.

Winners get a trophy, ribbons and bragging rights, but nary currency prize.

Other finalists included a bichon frisé called Neal, a Skye terrier named Archer, a whippet and repetition runner-up known arsenic Bourbon, a shih tzu called Comet who's been a finalist before, a German shepherd named Mercedes, who came successful 2nd past year, and an English springer spaniel called Freddie.

Monty made the finals for a 3rd twelvemonth successful a enactment and won the immense American Kennel Club's large amusement successful December.

A Westminster triumph is considered the astir prestigious grant successful the U.S. canine amusement world. Each canine is judged according to however intimately it matches the perfect for its breed.

Winners get a trophy, ribbons and bragging rights, but nary currency prize.

Every canine astatine Westminster is simply a titled champion, but they besides are household pets. Some besides bash therapy work, search-and-rescue oregon different canine jobs.

"A bully German shepherd is an all-purpose dog," said co-breeder and co-owner Sheree Moses Combs of Wardensville, West Virginia. Some of her pups person go work dogs for wounded veterans, she said.

"Dog shows are fun, but that is what our breed is each about," she said.

Big dogs had their time astatine Westminster connected Tuesday, erstwhile "working" breeds had their turns successful the ring. First-round rival Brina, for instance, is simply a 71.6 kilogram Neapolitan mastiff.

"I've been struck by this breed since I was 12. ... They're truthful unique," proprietor Yves Belmont, Ph.D., said arsenic Brina napped successful her crate, equipped with a 7.5-liter h2o bucket.

With their size, jowly heads and guard-dog history, the breed was developed to beryllium imposing. But Belmont, who presently has respective of them astatine his family's Atlanta-area home, said helium besides is impressed by their intelligence.

A travel to Westminster is simply a reminder of dogs' variety, adjacent conscionable among purebreds. The aforesaid time Brina competed, Tyra the miniature bull terrier besides strutted her stuff. Formally called GCH CH Rnr's Top Model, she's named aft manner exemplary Tyra Banks.

The hardy terrier breed is "a large canine successful a tiny package, but they ever support you smiling," said proprietor and co-breeder Jessica Harrison of Austin, Texas. Asked wherever the 2-year-old Tyra falls connected the mischief meter, Harrison smiled, "like a nine, for sure."

"You can't beryllium upset with them due to the fact that they're conscionable truthful cute," she said arsenic Tyra rolled connected her backmost to get a belly hitch from a passerby astatine the Javits Center, the normal venue that hosted the first-round judging of each breed.

Regardless which canine gets the trophy astatine Westminster, others besides person scored points with the crowd.

During 2 nights of semifinals, spectators shouted retired breeds and names of canine competitors arsenic if they played for 1 of the pro teams that telephone the Garden home, the NBA's New York Knicks and NHL's New York Rangers.

"Love you, Lumpy!" idiosyncratic yelled to a Pekingese named Lumpy, who earned laughs for his ambling gait.

The arena erupted with cheers for a aureate retriever named Tuffy, a typical of a fashionable breed that has ne'er won. Calaco, a Xoloitzcuintli, got immense applause for a assured show that besides earned him immoderate designation from the judge. Xoloitzcuintlis, are hairless dogs with heavy roots successful Mexico.

A Doberman pinscher called Penny got whoops of support from spectators, too. Despite her dignified, focused appearance, Penny tin beryllium "a mush," breeder and co-owner Theresa Connors-Chan of Ontario, Canada, said earlier successful the day.

Westminster besides featured agility and obedience championships, held Saturday. The agility prize went to a borderline collie named Vanish, and an Australian shepherd called Willie triumphed successful obedience.