'Wasabi' wins Best In Show at Westminster Dog Show, melts hearts on social media
Meet America's new top dog!
The 145th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is in the books, and a new Best in Show has been crowned.
On Sunday, Wasabi the Pekingese won it all at the 2021 Westminster Dog Show at Lyndhurst in Tarrytown, N.Y., while Bourbon the Whippet took home her second consecutive runner-up Reserve Best in Show title.
GCHG CH Pequest Wasabi – a.k.a. "Wasabi" – beat out 2,499 other dogs and 208 breeds (and 44 international entries!) – including the other six Group winners – for the highly coveted WKC ribbon and Best in Show title. It is the fifth overall win for the breed and 10th for the Toy Group.
On Saturday, the three-year-old Pekingese took home the win for the Toy Group – beating out 23 other entrants, including the Pomeranian, Havanese and Italian Greyhound for the top spot after winning Best in Breed on Friday.
At the Best in Show judging on Sunday, Wasabi competed against the six other Group winners – Bourbon the Whippet of the Hound Group, Mathew the French Bulldog of the Non-Sporting Group, Connor the Old English Sheepdog of the Herding Group, Jade the German Shorthaired Pointer of the Sporting Group, Striker the Samoyed of the Working Group and Boy the West Highland White Terrier of the Terrier Group.
The competition was tough, but in the end, Wasabi and handler David Fitzpatrick beat out the other top dogs to take home the victory.
Wasabi is no stranger to the spotlight. He is the grandson of Westminster's 2012 Best in Show winner, Malachy, and he recently won Best in Show at the American Kennel Club National Championship in 2019.
One thing is for sure – Wasabi will be celebrating in style.
"He can have a filet mignon, and I'll have champagne!" said Wasabi's handler, David Fitzpatrick, after the win.
And the Internet couldn't get enough of Wasabi's win. Here are the top moments.
For a comprehensive list of 2021 WKC winners, click here for Best in Show, Best of Breed, Best of Group, Junior Showmanship, Obedience and Agility Results.
