A white, long-haired Maltese from Hastings-on-Hudson is making its mark at the 146th Westminster Dog Show in Tarrytown this week.
Hollywood, a 3-year-old female, won the top prize in the toy group after competing against more than 400 dogs in that category.
Hollywood is handled by Tim Lehman, owned by Dragica Hunter and Tammy Simon, and was bred by Diana Egnor and Tammy Simon.
Hollywood, along with Trumpet the bloodhound, Winston the French bulldog, and River the German shepherd were chosen to advance to the final round of the dog show. Three more finalists will be selected tonight, when all seven will face off for the coveted best in show prize.
“If this is how my parents felt watching my games all these years I apologize,” Fox tweeted after Winston’s win.
Athletes have found their way to Westminster in the past.
New York Yankees great Lou Gehrig brought his German shepherd to the competition in the 1930s and fellow Hall of Famer Mike Mussina had an Irish setter that competed. Big league catcher Ryan Hanigan owned a breed-winning Australian shepherd during his playing days and former Florida State linebacker Keith Carter showed a Rottweiler.
Trumpet, a bloodhound from a storied bloodline, loves for the crowds and energy of the big show, his handlers say. River took the ring in stride, but handler Lenny Brown said they’re taking the competition “one step at a time.”
And Hollywood has, well, star quality.
“She loves being in the ring. And she loves outside the ring, too,” handler Tim Lehman told the crowd in an in-ring interview.
“Small dog, but big personality,” owner and handler Jolanta Terrell of North Palm Beach, Florida, said before the competition.
Also new was the mudi, a Hungarian herding dog. A mudi named Guava took the breed’s first Westminster award.
On the other end of the spectrum, American Staffordshire terrier winner Louie goes into the semifinals Wednesday to try for his final best in show.
After winning the top prize at dozens of other shows, the 8 1/2-year-old Louie is retiring after Westminster, where he’s made the semifinals multiple times.
Whatever happens Wednesday night, all he had to do was look at his competitors to see his legacy. Two of his daughters and one of his sons won ribbons alongside him in their breed competition Tuesday.
And to owner Kim Rudzik of Westfield, Massachusetts, Louie has a bigger title than best in the show.
“The coolest dog ever,” she said.
AP wires were used in this report.
