Westminster Dog Show 2024: Sage the Miniature Poodle wins Best in Show

Cydney Henderson and Lorenzo Reyes, USA TODAY
Updated ·10 min read

There's a new top dog in New York.

"Sage," the Miniature Poodle, won the Best in Show honor at the 148th annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on Tuesday, beating over 2,500 dogs of more than 200 different breeds for the ultimate prize. Sage, a three-year-old from Houston, Texas, was handled by Kaz Hosaka in the last show of his career.

Sage is the first poodle to win Best in Show since 2020. The winner was selected by Best in Show judge Rosalind Kramer, out of High Point, North Carolina.

"Mercedes," the German Shepherd, a 4-year-old from Bethesda, Maryland, was named the Reserve Best in Show, the runner up of the greatest dog in America.

Group winners from Westminster Dog Show 2024 

Who won Westminster Dog Show Terrier Group?

Last but not least, the Terrier Group.

“The terrier group is like the Kansas City Chiefs,” a Fox Sports broadcaster said, likening the group of dogs to the back-to-back Super Bowl champions. Why? Because the Terrier group has produced 47 Best in Show winners, the most out of the seven groups.

"Frankie," the Colored Bull Terrier, was named the best in the terrier group and will move on to Best in Show. A terrier last won the top honor in 2019 with a Wire Fox Terrier.

More coverage of Westminster: Which breeds have won Best in Show

Who won Westminster Dog Show Working Group?

"Monty," the Giant Schnauzer, is back on top of the Working Group. For the second year in a row, Monty was named the best in his group and will advance to Best in Show for another crack at the top title.

Can Monty make history? A Giant Schnauzer has never won Best in Show. The Working Group has won Best In Show 15 times before, most recently in 2004 with a Newfoundland.

Crowd buzzes over Rafa, the Tibetan Mastiff named after tennis icon

It might be clay court season in the tennis world, but New York is buzzing over Rafa…  Rafa the Tibetan Mastiff, that is.

Rafa the Tibetan Mastiff is named after none other than Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal, the 22-time Grand Slam winner. Tibetan Mastiffs are described as a “very stubborn” breed, which some would use to describe his namesake. Nadal has used that headstrong mentality to win four U.S. Open titles at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, where the 148th Westminster Dog Show is being held for the second year in a row.

Who won Westminster Dog Show Sporting Group?

"Micah," the Black Cocker Spaniel, is the winner of the Sporting Group and will advance to Best in Show. Autumn "Sonnet" the German Shorthaired Pinter finished in second place, followed by "Accelerate" the Chesapeake Bay Retriever and "Cutter" the Labrador retriever.

A Black Cocker Spaniel has won Best in Show two times in Westminster history when "My Own Brucie" won the honor back-to-back in 1940 and 1941.

Martha Stewart: Westminster Dog Show superfan

Martha Stewart is quite the animal lover.

Less than two weeks after giving the “Riders Up” call at the 150th Kentucky Derby in Louisville, the legendary businesswoman dropped by the 148th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York. (Fun Fact: The Westminster Dog Show is the second longest continuously held sporting event behind only the Kentucky Derby.)

Back to Martha ... The mother to five canines said she loves coming to the dog show “to see the best of the best.” And she has past experience. In 2012, her late Chow Chow Genghis Khan won “Best in Breed” at the Westminster Dog Show that year.

“I try to make it an annual event because I really do love beautiful dogs… I see breeds I’ve never seen before,” she said. “My dogs are at home. I have two Chow Chows… and I have three (French Bulldogs). I  think I have a ‘Best in Show’ at home right now, Luna Moona, my newest Frenchie. She’s coming. Watch out.“

How to watch Westminster Dog Show 2024

The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show concludes Tuesday night and will run from 7:30 p.m. ET until 11 p.m. The event will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 1.

Westminster Dog Show live stream

Streaming for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show will be available on FS1 Live and the Fox Sports app. Streaming is also available on Fubo (regional restrictions apply).

Westminster Dog Show schedule 

Prior to Best in Show judging, which will take place at the end of the event, the Sporting, Working and Terrier Groups will judged.

Westminster Dog Show groups 

Dogs are divided into seven different groups: Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding.

How does the Westminster Dog Show work? 

Essentially, dog shows evaluate what is known as conformation, or a particular purebred dog’s adherence to its breed standard. There are 212 breeds of dog currently recognized by the American Kennel Club; those are divided into seven different groups: Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting, Herding.

Dogs first compete among their own breed to select a Best of Breed or Best of Variety champion. The judges select the winner that most closely adheres to its breed standard, which is written and maintained by the national breed club, and then later approved by the AKC.

Once all the Best of Breed champions are crowned, those then compete against the other dog breeds in their respective groups. The group judge will then assess all the different Best of Breed champions to come up with four placements, with only the group winner advancing to Best in Show judging.

All seven group winners advance, and the Best in Show judge will assess the group winners to come up with Reserve Best in Show — or the runner-up recognition — and Best in Show, the top prize.

The 2024 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is taking place at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, N.Y.

Best of Show at Westminster in 2023 

At the 147th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, “Buddy Holly” made history. A six-year-old Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen (PBGV), he became the first of his breed to ever win the coveted Best in Show recognition in Westminster.

To get to Best in Show, “Buddy Holly” had to top 402 other dogs across 34 different breeds to win the Hound Group. Prior to his triumph, PBGVs had only one Hound Group win in Westminster, back in 2007.

“Buddy Holly” is from Palm Springs, California, and is owned by Janice Hayes. The American Kennel Club recognized PBGVs in 1991. They are shaggy-coated rabbit hunters originating from Vendée, France, on the country’s western coast.

Reserve Best in Show, or the runner-up award, at the 2023 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show went to “Rummie” the Pekingese.

Who won Westminster Dog Show Toy Group? 

A 3.5-year-old male Shih Tzu from Monclova, Ohio, named “Comet” topped the 24 other dogs entered in the Toy Group on Monday night.

Shih Tzus were first recognized in 1969 and were bred in China, crossing ancient Chinese and Tibetan breeds. Shih Tzus in the show ring are known for having long, flowing coats and “Comet” was no exception with his gold, white and silver coat.

Who won Westminster Dog Show Hound Group? 

A six-year-old Afghan Hound named “Louis,” hailing from Roseville, California, won the Hound Group Monday night, topping 34 other dogs in the process.

One of the oldest dog breeds on record, going back to around 4,000 B.C., Afghan Hounds were first recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1926. They are known for their long, flowing coat, but they served as hunting dogs in harsh, mountainous climates.

“Louis” wowed judges and fans with a silky, black coat, with a white tuft on his chest.

Who won Westminster Dog Show Herding Group? 

Continuing a recent run of success for German Shepherds in Westminster — with wins in the Herding Group in 2016, 2017, 2022 and now 2024 — “Mercedes” advanced Monday night.

A four-year-old female from Bethesda, Maryland, “Mercedes” beat out 32 other breeds in the group.

German Shepherds are one of the most popular dogs in the U.S., ranking fourth in popularity in 2023, according to the American Kennel Club, which first recognized the breed in 1908. They were originally bred as sheep herding dogs in Germany.

“Mercedes” is the cousin of “Rumor,” the German Shepherd who won Best in Show in 2017, also handled by Kent Boyle.

Who won the Westminster Dog Show Non-Sporting Group? 

“Sage,” a three-year-old miniature poodle from Houston prevailed over the 20 other dogs in the Non-Sporting Group Monday night.

Another well-known breed, ranking seventh in popularity according to the American Kennel Club, the miniature poodle was first recognized by the AKC in 1887. “Sage” is all black and sported a coiffed haircut complete with sculpted bracelets on her wrists.

Poodles come in three sizes (standard, miniature or toy) and are the national dog of France.

Westminster Dog Show agility 2024 results 

If there was ever a name that fit a dog, it was “Nimble.” The All-American dog became the first mixed-breed dog to win the agility championship the Annual Masters Agility Championship in Westminster.

“Nimble” completed the obstacle course in 28.76 seconds, which was the third-fastest time in the 11-year history of the event and only the fifth time that a dog has completed the course in fewer than 30 seconds. The obstacle course includes various ramps, agility poles and jumps that each contestant must work through, with the fastest time winning.

Cynthia Hornor of Ellicott City, Maryland is “Nimble’s” owner. And while it was “Nimble’s” first agility championship, this marked the second consecutive agility title for Hornor, whose border collie, “Truant,” won in 2023 with a time of 28.68 seconds.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Westminster Dog Show 2024: Sage the Miniature Poodle wins Best in Show