With thousands of keen competitors, this was a victory that required dogged determination.
And that must have made it all the more sweet for this champion, called Charmin, and his American owner.
The Sealyham Terrier won the Cruft’s crown last night, ending months of controversy for the world famous show.
With his owner, Marjery Good of Pennsylvania, USA, he fought his way from the Terrier category to victory in last night’s Best in Show final.
He beat off competition from six others, including a Hungarian vizsla, and a papillon and a pharaoh hound, to take the title.
His delighted owner said she was very excited to have won Crufts: ‘I’m feeling very excited and very pleased’, she said. It’s been a very exciting evening.”
Speaking about Charmin, she added: ‘He’s such a special dog. He is my best buddy. He proved himself tonight and made every step just right.’
The Sealyham Terrier is a Welsh breed named after Captain John Edwardes of the Sealyham Estate in Pembrokeshire, who created the breed in the 19th century.
It was initially popular in dog shows but has declined in recent decades and has been added to the Kennel Club’s list of vulnerable native breeds. Only 60 Sealyham puppies were registered in 2004.
A poodle called Donny took the reserve prize in the show at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre.
Despite months of controversy surrounding the dog show and allegations of cruel dog-breeding practices, a record 28,000 animals took part in this year’s extravaganza according to organisers The Kennel Club.
Thousands of spectators also attended the four-day event despite the RSPCA and major sponsor Pedigree Chum pulling out and the decision to drop long-standing BBC coverage of the show which has in previous years attracted 14 million viewers worldwide.
Visitor figures were down on last year, as 145,000 came through the doors compared to around 160,000 in 2008.
A cloud of controversy hung over this year’s Cruft’s after a damning documentary last year claimed the show allowed damaging breeding practices that caused disease and deformities.
At the time, the Kennel Club condemned many of the programme’s assertions as ‘far from accurate’.
But two months later it announced it would review each of the 209 pedigree breeds in the UK and introduce revised standards for the breeds.
Animal charities the RSPCA and the Dogs Trust had already severed links with the show in the aftermath of the August 2008 documentary, called Pedigree Dogs Exposed.
A spokeswoman from the Kennel Club said the club was pleased with the numbers who attended.
Thousands of dog-lovers cheered as Charmin was crowned Best in Show by judge Peter Green.
Mr Green then named five-year-old poodle Donny, owned by Jason Lynn from Preston, Lancashire, as reserve prize winner to rapturous applause.
Other dogs competing for the title were a Pharaoh Hound, Papillon, Hungarian Vizsla, boxer and an old English sheepdog.
The show was broadcast live on the internet for the first time this year. Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club secretary, said: “This has been the most wonderful event and we are so proud of all of the happy, healthy dogs that have taken part.
“We have become the most popular channel on You Tube for our Crufts coverage this year and we are so pleased that dog lovers have been tuning in all around the world to watch this wonderful event.
“Anyone watching this year’s show would have seen the wonderful diversity of dogs, the fact that they truly are fit for function and how dogs and people enrich each other’s lives.”
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