NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. – Penny the Doberman Pinscher made history Tuesday night, earning Best in Show honors at the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show after besting more than 2,500 entries and seven group winners at Madison Square Garden.
The four-year-old female Doberman, registered as GCHP CH (Platinum Grand Champion) Connquest Best Of Both Worlds, represented a significant milestone for both her breed and handler Andy Linton. The victory marks the Doberman Pinscher’s fifth Best in Show win in Westminster’s storied history and Linton’s second triumph with the breed at the prestigious competition.
Hailing from Reseda, California, Penny is co-owned by Francis Sparagna, Diana Sparagna, Theresa Connors-Chan, and Gregory Chan. Her path to victory began with two days of breed judging at Manhattan’s Jacob K. Javits Center before advancing to group competition at the iconic Madison Square Garden venue.
This year’s Best in Show winner was selected by judge David Fitzpatrick, himself a two-time Best in Show-winning breeder-owner-handler.
Penny’s victory extends a notable pattern at Westminster, with Working Group dogs claiming the top prize for consecutive years. The win follows Monty the Giant Schnauzer’s Best in Show triumph in 2025, underscoring the Working Group’s dominance at America’s most prestigious dog show.
The 150th anniversary of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show drew one of the largest fields in recent memory, with Penny emerging from the competition as the evening’s undisputed champion.
