The Westminster Kennel Club has crowned its 150th winner. After two days of competitive breed and group judging with over 2,500 entries, “Penny” the Doberman Pinscher has won 2026 Best in Show at Westminster. Penny, who is 4 years old, was named Best in Show during judging on Tuesday, February 3 at Madison Square Garden. Mr. David Fitzpatrick of East Berlin, PA, was the Best in Show judge.
Back at BIS After 37 Years
Penny GCHP CH Connquest Best Of Both Worlds, of Reseda, CA, was handled by Andy Linton, and is owned by Francis Sparagna, Diana Sparagna, Theresa Connors-Chan, and Gregory Chan.
Linton is no stranger to the Best in Show stage at Westminster: he also handled Doberman “Indy” Ch. Royal Tudor’s Wild As The Wind in 1989. Returning 37 years later, and then winning, was an incredible feeling.
“You can’t attribute it to one thing, but she is as great a Doberman as I’ve seen,” Linton said after Penny’s win. “As the judge said, this is maybe the best lineup I could ever imagine, so it’s truly a great honor to win under that judge, who is so renowned and well-thought-of.”
Linton was asked about his health issues, prompting tears of gratitude as well as happiness from those around him. “I had some goals,” he said, “and this was one of them.”
Two Days of Steep Competition
After two days of benched breed judging to determine Best in Breed at the Jacob K. Javits Center, those winning dogs moved on to represent their breeds in Group Judging at Madison Square Garden on Monday and Tuesday night. From there, the seven Group Winners were judged to determine Best in Show.
On Monday night, the Hound Group winner was crowned first: Afghan Hound “Zaida” GCHG CH Zaida Bint Muti Von Haussman, handled by Wilmer Santiago. The Toy Group was judged next, crowning Maltese “Cookie” GCHB CH Ta-Jon’s Made From Scratch the winner.
The Non-Sporting Group winner, Lhasa Apso “JJ” GCHP CH Ta Sen Westgate Jingle Juice, won Best in Show at the 2025 AKC National Championship. The final group of the night was the Herding Group. Old English Sheepdog “Graham” GCHB CH Bugaboo’s Give Me Smore’ was the winner.
On Tuesday night, the Sporting Group kicked off by crowning Chesapeake Bay Retriever “Cota” GCHP CH Next Generation’s Accelerate its winner. Doberman Pinscher “Penny” GCHP CH Connquest Best Of Both Worlds won the Working Group. Finally, the Terrier Group closed out Group Judging, crowning Smooth Fox Terrier “Wager” GCHB CH Aimhi Side Bet its winner.
Smaller Than a One-in-Seven Chance
Many of the stunning dogs competing on the Best in Show judging floor on Tuesday night were familiar to those of the dog world. Mr. Fitzpatrick judged Best in Show, choosing one winner and one Reserve Best in Show winner from the seven group winners.
“It’s very exciting just to be a part of the 150th anniversary show, but to judge Best in Show really makes it a full circle moment,” Mr. Fitzpatrick says. Fitzpatrick has won Best in Show at Westminster himself twice. “I know what the Best in Show winner is going to feel, and it’s going to change their life.”
After his group win, Linton joked that he his chances of winning were one-in-seven. But actually, after competing against 2,600 dogs over two days, the chance of any specific dog winning was incredibly small. The Working Group was judged by Mrs. Sioux Forsyth-Green of Pinehurst, NC.
Making Best in Show History
The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is the second-longest, continuously-held sporting event in America, second only to the Kentucky Derby. Westminster has held their show since 1877, and the original shows were also held in Madison Square Garden. This is the second year since the COVID-19 pandemic that the show has returned to the famous arena.
Penny joins the 150 other Best in Show winners in Westminster history, including her predecessor, “Monty” the Giant Schnauzer who won in 2025. This is the second year in a row that a member of the Working Group has taken home the Best in Show at Westminster win. The Doberman has won Best in Show at Westminster a total of five time: in 1939, back-to-back in 1952 and 1953, in 1989 with Linton, and now in 2026 with Linton again.
Westminster Reserve Best in Show Winner
Along with Best in Show, Reserve Best in Show was also awarded. Chesapeake Bay Retriever “Cota” GCHP CH Next Generation’s Accelerate won Reserve Best in Show, handled by Devon Kipp Levy. Cota, who is 5 years old, is owned by Melissa Schumann, Dana Bleifer DVM, Dr. Katherine Scribnet, Adam Levy, and Dr. Trevor Gerardi-Miller. Cota won the Sporting Group on Tuesday night to represent their breed, beating out the other dogs in the group to make it to Best in Show judging on Tuesday.
The Chessie has never won Best in Show at Westminster, and Cota made history as the first Chesapeake Bay Retriever to ever win Reserve Best in Show at Westminster.
The 150th annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show has crowned its Best in Show winner! Catch reruns of the coverage on demand and learn more about one of the most famous dog shows in the United States at westminsterkennelclub.org.