Monty the Giant Schnauzer triumphed at the 149th Westminster Dog Show held at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night, marking a significant milestone as he secured the title of Best in Show for the first time. This victory also marked Monty’s third consecutive win in the Working Group, a feat not achieved by the group since 2004.
Judge Paula Nykiel, in her ninth year officiating the event, faced the challenging task of selecting the Best in Show from seven outstanding competitors after the dogs were kept separate for the initial two days of the competition. Nykiel described her role as both “wonderful” and “difficult.”
Bourbon the Whippet, a notable contender and a previous Reserve Best in Show winner, made a remarkable return at the age of nine, earning Reserve Best in Show and winning the Hound Group.
The other group winners included Neal the Bichon Frisé in the Non-Sporting Group, Mercedes the German Shepherd in the Herding Group, Comet the Shih Tzu in the Toy Group, and Freddie the English Springer Spaniel in the Sporting Group.
