A milestone victory: Penny the Doberman takes Best in Show at Westminster’s 150th Anniversary

Historic win for handler battling Parkinson’s disease caps emotional evening at Madison Square Garden

The 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show delivered a moment that will be remembered for a long time to come. On Tuesday evening, 3 February 2026, Penny – a four-year-old Doberman Pinscher – claimed Best in Show at Madison Square Garden, but the real story unfolded in the partnership between dog and handler.

Penny’s handler, Andy Linton of Brush Prairie, Washington, has been publicly battling Parkinson’s disease. When asked how his diagnosis impacted his preparation for Westminster, Linton told reporters: “I had some goals, and this was one of them.” Winning at the milestone 150th show, he said, was “extra special.”

The crowd of 15,000 to 17,000 people at Madison Square Garden erupted as Penny was announced as the winner. Fox Sports commentator Jason Hoke captured the emotional undercurrent of the performance:

“We saw a dog that knew that it had to perform for Andy, and I think that’s the bond we get. The dog was giving it back to Andy because Andy has his own struggles, and that’s what dogs do – that unconditional love.”

A career coming full circle

For Linton, Tuesday’s win represented an extraordinary full-circle moment. In 1989, he handled another Doberman named Indy to Best in Show at Westminster – the last time the breed had claimed the top prize. Now, 37 years later and facing health challenges, he stood in the same arena with Penny, proving that dedication and the human-animal bond can overcome extraordinary obstacles.

“She is as great a Doberman as I have ever seen,” Linton said after the win.

As he prepares to wind down his career, the timing couldn’t have been more poignant. Westminster is widely regarded as the most prestigious dog show in the United States – the second-longest continuously held sporting event in the country, behind only the Kentucky Derby. To win at its 150th anniversary added another layer of significance to an already emotional achievement.

The competition

Penny, whose registered name is GCHP CH Connquest Best of Both Worlds, faced steep competition. The 150th anniversary show attracted over 3000 dogs from all 50 US states and 17 countries, representing 204 breeds, approximately 500 more dogs than competed in 2025.

The competition structure requires each dog to first win within its breed, then compete within one of seven groups (Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting, and Herding). Penny emerged victorious from the Working Group before facing the six other group winners in the final Best in Show round.

Judge David Fitzpatrick, himself a two-time Westminster Best in Show winner, surveyed the seven finalists and told the crowd: “They always say, ‘What a great lineup,’ but this is one that will go down in history.”

The finalists included:

• Cota, a Chesapeake Bay Retriever (Sporting Group) – awarded Reserve Best in Show
• Zaida, an Afghan Hound (Hound Group)
• Cookie, a Maltese (Toy Group)
• JJ, a Lhasa Apso (Non-Sporting Group)
• Graham, an Old English Sheepdog (Herding Group)
• Wager, a Smooth Fox Terrier (Terrier Group)

This marked the fifth time a Doberman has won Westminster’s top prize, with previous wins in 1939, 1952, 1953, 1989, and now 2026. Penny becomes the 42nd female to win the Best in Show award in Westminster’s history.

The breed

The Doberman Pinscher was developed in the late 19th century by Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann, a German tax collector who needed a loyal protection dog. The breed gained prominence in police and military service, most notably with the US Marine Corps in the Pacific theatre during World War Two.

Today, Dobermans are known for their intelligence, loyalty, and athletic ability. According to co-owner Greg Chan of Toronto, Penny embodies these qualities: “She’s very demanding and very smart, but she’s also a pleaser; she’ll do anything for food.” When asked about her favourite snack, Chan laughed: “Everything.”

After her Westminster triumph, Penny will return to Toronto to live with her owners, carrying with her the distinction of being part of one of the most emotional and historic moments in dog show history.

Controversy

Whilst the breed standard includes cosmetic alterations such as ear cropping and tail docking, these practices remain controversial within the broader dog-loving community, and this has been a point of discussion since Penny’s victory.

The show

The Westminster Kennel Club, founded in 1877, takes its name from the Westminster Hotel in Manhattan, where the club’s founders once gathered. The first show featured approximately 1200 dogs from a few dozen breeds and was held at Gilmore’s Garden, which would later be replaced by Madison Square Garden.

The Best in Show award wasn’t introduced until 1907, but it has since become one of the most coveted titles in the canine world. Unlike many competitions, there is no prize money – winners receive trophies, ribbons, and perhaps most importantly, prestige that can significantly enhance breeding programmes and the public profile of their breed.

Did you know?

This year’s show also marked a milestone for another breed. Millie, a Danish-Swedish Farmdog, competed at Westminster for the first time, as 2026 was the first year the breed became eligible. She won Best of Breed amongst approximately 12 competitors and advanced to the evening semifinals – a remarkable debut for the small, spry breed that only gained recognition in the United States relatively recently.

The power of partnership

For those watching Penny and Linton in the ring on Tuesday evening, the performance transcended technical merit. Here was a handler facing a challenging neurological condition, paired with a dog performing at the absolute peak of her abilities. The partnership demonstrated what those who work with dogs know intimately: the bond between human and canine can elevate both beyond what either could achieve alone.

As the crowd roared its approval and confetti fell at Madison Square Garden, Linton knelt to embrace Penny – a moment that captured not just athletic excellence, but resilience, partnership, and the profound connection that has defined the human-canine relationship for millennia.

Westminster’s 150th anniversary will be remembered for many things, but perhaps most of all for reminding us why we celebrate these remarkable animals: not just for their beauty or their conformity to a standard, but for their capacity to bring out the very best in us, even,or especially, when we need it most.

The 151st Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show will return to Madison Square Garden in February 2027.