Beagle wins best in show

[demnan]

When Dr. J. Donald Jones, the judge for the best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show Tuesday night, looked at the seven competitors for the title, he saw four breeds that had been denied the crown and three that had worn it.

It's Show Time Of course, there is no actual crown, but a lovely celebratory bowl that victorious toy dogs leap into for a little nap while their entourage kvells.

The four breeds that had been shut out were the beagle, the Weimaraner, the Australian shepherd and the Akita. There were two breeds that had captured best in show four times, the standard poodle and the Sealyham terrier, and a third, the toy poodle, that was twice a victor.

Jones watched each dog enter to the fanfare of dimmed house lights at Madison Square Garden and a double spotlight. The standard poodle trotted out first for a lap around the green-carpeted floor, followed by the Akita, the Weimaraner, the Australian shepherd, the beagle (to thunderous applause, as if Willis Reed had walked into the arena one last time), the Sealyham terrier and, finally, the toy poodle.

The judge could hear Uno, the 15-inch beagle, baying as he gave his once-over to the standard poodle. And when he completed his observations, he needed four minutes before he pointed to the winner: Uno, the beagle, or Ch. K-Run’s Park Me In First, who will turn 3 in May.

Snoopy would be pleased. His breed, long passed over for glory, had finally triumphed.

“He’s the most perfect beagle I’ve ever seen,” Jones said at a news conference, where Uno hopped on the judge’s legs trying to get at his water.

“If you saw him, you saw that perfectly smooth locomotion. Not one muscle went the wrong way. Look at his face, you melt right down."

He added: “That was a beautiful lineup of dogs. I’d give this dog a 10.”

More:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/13/sports/othersports/13westminster.html?ex=1218517200&en=f878341cbbdb948f&ei=5087&excamp=GGGNuno&WT.srch=1&WT.mc_ev=click&WT.mc_id=GN-S-E-GG-NA-S-uno

[sazemisery]

1. Snoopy finally gets his day.

What a delightful dog.

[livetohike]

2. Those eyes! They could cause a meltdown

:-)

[Longhorn]

3. Uno is from Austin!

I'm sure he's a Longhorn, too! :D What a beauty! We had a Beagle mix when I was growing up. They're so precious!

[BrklynLiberal]

4. Heswure is a cutie. Saw some of the highlights, and the people were cheering for Uno like crazy!!!

[Greylyn58]

5. In all the years I've watched Westminster

I've never seen the crowd react the way they did, giving a standing ovation when the judge pointed to Uno. It was so great. He was just so cute. He face and eyes could melt your heart.

It was so great to see a dog breed that has never been Best in Show finally win.

[TankLV]

6. That's our "Rover" when I was a kid!

My first dog...!