Beating out Bourbon the whippet and Daniel the golden retriever, a standard poodle named Siba was crowned top dog at the Westminster Kennel Club’s annual show.
“She has effortless gait and it just shows her power and her beauty and her strength,” Westminster Kennel Club spokeswoman Gail Miller Bisher said on Good Morning America. “I think the judge just couldn’t deny her — she really is a muscular, strong, athletic standard poodle.”
Though she was the winner, Siba was not the crowd favorite, as that honor belonged to Daniel, a member of a breed that has never won at Westminster.
Available in three sizes — standard, miniature and toy — poodles have won best in show 10 times at Westminster, with the breed’s last win coming in 2002. Still, many can’t get past their haircuts.
“I always say, don’t let the haircut fool you. This is a smart, athletic, active dog that was originally developed in Germany as a water retrieving dog,” longtime dog expert David Frei told The Associated Press.
A big congrats to Siba! #WKCDogShow pic.twitter.com/AF7VYIO9eB
— Westminster Dog Show (@WKCDOGS) February 12, 2020
As the winner of Westminster’s annual event, three-year-old Siba will get to go to Sardi’s Restaurant in New York and get to pick from either chicken or steak for lunch.
But, as Siba only eats chicken and won’t even touch vegetables or turkey, her choice will be obvious. Prior to the show at MSG, someone got Siba grilled chicken from a nearby McDonald’s.
Though the Westminster winner receives no prize money, owners do receive a silver bowl and the opportunity to cash in on lucrative breeding rights.
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