Sage advice: Miniature poodle named best in show at Westminster Kennel Club dog show

Kaz Hosaka may be going out on top. He was the handler of this year’s best in show winner at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show.

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Hosaka said that Tuesday’s show would be his last after showing dogs for 45 years, The Associated Press reported.

A miniature poodle named Sage was the winner of the U.S.’s most prestigious dog show. The last time a miniature poodle took the top spot was in 2002. That dog’s name was Spice and was also shown by Hosaka.

Sage’s title is the 11th time a miniature poodle has won, with only wire fox terriers winning more, the AP reported.

Sage came from the non-sporting group and is the first female to win best in show since 2020, CNN reported.

The final round included:

• Mercedes, a German shepherd, herding group
• Comet, a Shih Tzu, toy group
• Monty, a giant schnauzer, working group
• Louis, an Afghan hound, hound group
• Michah, a black cocker spaniel, sporting group
• Frankie, a colored bull terrier, terrier group

The dog show also featured a mixed-breed dog taking a title.

Nimble beat purebred dogs for the first time since the agility competition was added 10 years ago, the AP reported.

The dog, a border collie-papillion mix measuring only about a foot tall, beat out 50 other dogs to win the trophy.

She commanded the “jumps, tunnels, ramps and other features like a furry, black-and-white, well-targeted torpedo,” the AP reported.

The dogs are judged on speed, with penalties issued for any misses or trips. Nimble’s run was perfect, with no penalties, in 28.76 seconds.

About 3,000 dogs and handlers compete in the Westminster Dog Show each year, CNN reported.

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Westminster Kennel Club NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 14: A handler celebrates with Best in Show winner, Miniature Poodle dog in the 148th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on May 14, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Andres Kudacki/Getty Images) (Andres Kudacki/Getty Images)

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