A giant schnauzer named Monty is America’s top canine after earning the title of best in show on Tuesday night at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show.
Judge Paula Nykiel chose the five-year-old black schnauzer over a stacked field of six other group winners, among them a whippet named Bourbon (awarded reserve best in show), a German shepherd named Mercedes, and English springer spaniel named Freddie, a bichon frisé named Neal, a Skye terrier named Archer and Comet, a sassy, crowd-pleasing shih tzu who won the toy group for a second consecutive year only to again be pipped at the final hurdle.
Monty, whose official champion’s name is Hearthmore’s Wintergreen Mountain, was the last dog standing after a winnowing-down process that began on Monday morning with more than 2,500 canines in 213 breeds and varieties hailing from all 50 states and 12 other countries, including Canada, Japan and South Korea.
The victory marked a historic first. No giant schnauzer had every won America’s most prestigious dog show the breed was first entered in 1930.
Full report to follow.
