“King,” a wire fox terrier, the 2019 Best in Show at the 143rd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York City on February 12, 2019
The most-coveted award in the dog show world, Best In Show (BIS) at Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show this year was awarded to King, the wire fox terrier. However, the first time the award was given in 1907, it went to a female terrier. That year, and for the next two years as well, it went to a smooth fox terrier bitch named Ch. Warren Remedy. Although terriers have won BIS at Westminster 47 times, she remains the only dog ever to win three times.
A few more breed BIS wins and celebrity tidbits:
- Beagles have won the BIS twice (Uno, a Male and Miss P., a Female or Bitch in dog terms)
- Philanthropist J.P. Morgan began entering his collies in 1893. A collie (not entered by him) won BIS in 1929.
- American journalist Nelly Bly entered her maltese at Westminster in 1894, four years after she made a record-breaking trip around the world in 72 days, 6 hours and 11 minutes, racing the record of Phineas Fogg in Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days. A maltese has never won BIS.
For historical photos, including one of Ch. Warren Remedy and to read more about Westminster history, click here.
For the complete list of BIS winners, click here.
For now, King rules! Congratulations!