Pekingese named Wasabi is top dog at Westminster
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TARRYTOWN, N.Y. — The flavor of the year at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show: Wasabi.
A Pekingese named Wasabi won best in show Sunday night, notching a fifth-ever win for the unmistakable toy breed. A whippet named Bourbon repeated as runner-up.
Waddling through a small-but-mighty turn in the ring, Wasabi nabbed U.S. dogdom’s most prestigious prize after winning the big American Kennel Club National Championship in 2019.
AP Photo/Kathy Willens
A Pekingese named Wasabi walks with its handler at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show Sunday in Tarrytown, N.Y. The dog was named best in show.
“He has showmanship. He fits the breed standard. He has that little extra something, that sparkle, that sets a dog apart,” said Wasabi’s handler and breeder, David Fitzpatrick, who guided the Peke’s grandfather Malachy to the Westminster title in 2012.
How will Wasabi celebrate?
“He can have a filet mignon. And I’ll have Champagne,” Fitzpatrick, of East Berlin, Pennsylvania, said with a laugh.
Wasabi came out on top of a finalist pack that also included Mathew the French bulldog, Connor the old English sheepdog, Jade the German shorthaired pointer, Striker the Samoyed, and a West Highland white terrier named Boy. Altogether, 2,500 champion dogs entered the show.
It underwent big changes this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, moving out of New York City for the first time since the show’s 1877 founding. This year’s show was held outdoors at an estate in suburban Tarrytown, about 25 miles north of where the top ribbon is usually presented at Madison Square Garden, and it happened in June instead of February.
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Kathy Willens
A Dogue de Bordeaux is presented to a judge in the working group category at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Kathy WillensA Dogue de Bordeaux is presented to a judge in the working group category at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
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Kathy Willens
The handler of a Samoyed runs with her dog before the judges in the working group category at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. The dog won best in catgegory. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Kathy WillensThe handler of a Samoyed runs with her dog before the judges in the working group category at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. The dog won best in catgegory. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
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Kathy Willens
A Tibetan Mastif wears a bib as it waits its turn before the judges in the working group category at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Kathy WillensA Tibetan Mastif wears a bib as it waits its turn before the judges in the working group category at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
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Kathy Willens
A handler trots his Komondor for judges in the working group category at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Kathy WillensA handler trots his Komondor for judges in the working group category at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
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John Minchillo
Mathew, a French bulldog, wins the top prize in his breed group at the 145th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Saturday, June 12, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
John MinchilloMathew, a French bulldog, wins the top prize in his breed group at the 145th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Saturday, June 12, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
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Kathy Willens
A handler runs with a Bernese Mountain dog in the working group category at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Kathy WillensA handler runs with a Bernese Mountain dog in the working group category at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
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Kathy Willens
A handler presents a Schnauzer in the working group category at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Kathy WillensA handler presents a Schnauzer in the working group category at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
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Kathy Willens
A handler gives her German short-haired pointer a treat after winning the sporting category at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Kathy WillensA handler gives her German short-haired pointer a treat after winning the sporting category at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
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Kathy Willens
A handler runs with her German short-haired pointer in the sporting category at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. The dog won best in the category. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Kathy WillensA handler runs with her German short-haired pointer in the sporting category at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. The dog won best in the category. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
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Kathy Willens
A boxer awaits a treat from it's handler before running for the judge in the working group category at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Kathy WillensA boxer awaits a treat from it's handler before running for the judge in the working group category at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
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Jennifer Peltz
A boxer competes at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show on Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. Competition wraps up at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, held this year outside New York City due to the pandemic. (AP Photo/Jennifer Peltz)
Jennifer PeltzA boxer competes at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show on Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. Competition wraps up at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, held this year outside New York City due to the pandemic. (AP Photo/Jennifer Peltz)
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Kathy Willens
The handler of a Nederlandse Kooijerhonde runs her dog for judges in the sporting group category at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Kathy WillensThe handler of a Nederlandse Kooijerhonde runs her dog for judges in the sporting group category at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
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Kathy Willens
Handlers bring the sporting group entrants at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show into the ring for judging, Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Kathy WillensHandlers bring the sporting group entrants at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show into the ring for judging, Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
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John Minchillo
Matty Pugdashian, a pug, rests following breed judging at the 145th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Saturday, June 12, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
John MinchilloMatty Pugdashian, a pug, rests following breed judging at the 145th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Saturday, June 12, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
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John Minchillo
A Biewer terrier dog participates in breed judging outside at the 145th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Saturday, June 12, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
John MinchilloA Biewer terrier dog participates in breed judging outside at the 145th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Saturday, June 12, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
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John Minchillo
A bichon frise is groomed in the staging area in the tented judging area at the 145th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Saturday, June 12, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
John MinchilloA bichon frise is groomed in the staging area in the tented judging area at the 145th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Saturday, June 12, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
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John Minchillo
Venom, a Chinese crested dog, participates in breed judging at the 145th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Saturday, June 12, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
John MinchilloVenom, a Chinese crested dog, participates in breed judging at the 145th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Saturday, June 12, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
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John Minchillo
Pilate, a Belgian laekenois that is a new breed to enter competition this year, stands beside the judging area at the 145th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Saturday, June 12, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
John MinchilloPilate, a Belgian laekenois that is a new breed to enter competition this year, stands beside the judging area at the 145th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Saturday, June 12, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
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John Minchillo
Captain, a French bulldog, is pet by his handler while participating in breed judging at the 145th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Saturday, June 12, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
John MinchilloCaptain, a French bulldog, is pet by his handler while participating in breed judging at the 145th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Saturday, June 12, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
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John Minchillo
Princess Aurora, a kesan, stands beside her ribbon near the Lyndhurst Mansion after competing in her breed group at the 145th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Saturday, June 12, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
John MinchilloPrincess Aurora, a kesan, stands beside her ribbon near the Lyndhurst Mansion after competing in her breed group at the 145th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Saturday, June 12, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
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Kathy Willens
A West Highland white terrier named Boy trots with its handler during judging in the terrier group at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. The dog won best in group. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Kathy WillensA West Highland white terrier named Boy trots with its handler during judging in the terrier group at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Tarrytown, N.Y. The dog won best in group. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
