Agile power to navigate obstacle courses of jumps, tunnels and ramps in record time.
Ten years ago, when agility competitions were added to the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, it opened the door to the most elite of the American canine world: mixed breed dogs. variety For the first time since the late 1800s.
But purebreds have always won the championship every year, and on Saturday, a border collie-papion mix aptly named Nimble outsmarted 50 other finalists and took the trophy, spreading the word to mixed-breed dogs all over the country. I raised a flag.
“She just works hard and is a great person.” dog'' handler Cynthia Horner told The Associated Press this week.
Nimble, who stands 30.5cm tall, powered through an obstacle course of jumps, tunnels and ramps like a furry, black-and-white, well-aimed torpedo, drawing cheers from the crowd in the agility final.
The fastest dog wins, and the goofiest overcoming obstacles will be penalized. The handler runs alongside to let the dog know where to go. We aim to complete it within 30 seconds.
Nimble ran a perfect 28.76 seconds, beating his closest rival, a border collie called Vanish, by more than a second. Border collies have been dominant in the past few years; dog As small as Nimble has ever won.
“I didn't know if it was possible,” said Horner, an agility trainer from Ellicott City, Maryland. border collie Named Tranto. Although Tuant also competed this year, Horner was not jealous of Nimble's win and thinks “Tuant loves her.”
Nimble was intentionally bred from two breeds known for their agility. Fans of the sport sometimes refer to this combination as “border dad.”
Yet her victory further strengthens Westminster's pledge to celebrate all dog.
Club President Donald Staats said “we were thrilled” to see what the show world called an “All-American” winner.
Dating back to 1877, the Westminster Show included a few half-breeds in its early days, but soon became a purebred-only event.It mainly depends on the varietybreeding That leads to the coveted Best in Show award.
To increase agility in 2014, the club embraced the fast-growing sport. And it took steps to widen its tent, attract a wider audience of dog lovers, and provide some sort of rebuttal to long-standing criticism from animal rights activists who see Westminster as having the wrong ideas. Dog beauty contest for pedigree sets.Agility contest includes special content award Become a top mixed-race competitor.
As for Nimble, Horner said she may be a special speedster mix, but she's also a regular dog who loves swimming, hiking and just hanging out.
“She's a great dog to live with,” she said. “She's calm. Until she gets out.”