At this year’s 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, the display of good sportsmanship was on view in every ring, on every bench, and throughout the crowds that spontaneously erupted in cheers throughout the day. Congratulations were openly extended to innumerable winners at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, and hugs of consolation were offered to those exhibitors whose dogs would not be advancing to the floor of Madison Square Garden. Positivity seemed to prevail at this year’s unforgettable show, though one particular moment seemed to capture the spirit of genuine sportsmanship that has always been part of Westminster and the sport of dogs in America.
On Tuesday night, as an unmistakable electricity filled the air in The Garden, Judge David Fitzpatrick delivered a wonderfully sincere speech before awarding Best in Show to the Doberman Pinscher “Penny,” GCHP Connquest Best Of Both Worlds, and her handler extraordinaire, Andy Linton. The victory acknowledged a truly sensational purebred and the undeniable partnership she shares with one of the sport’s greatest professionals. The moment was “Pennies from Heaven” for everyone watching, including the handlers of the other Group winners who will surely never forget that night in “The World’s Most Famous Arena.” And it is this group of handlers that provided an unexpected glimpse of what good sportsmanship truly looks like.
Following the praise bestowed upon Andy (and Devon Kipp Levy who handled the Chesapeake Bay Retriever “Cota,” GCHP Next Generation’s Accelerate, to Reserve Best in Show) by his competitors, five handlers and their dogs made their way from the floor towards the tunnel from which they’d entered the big ring, under the spotlight, a mere 15 minutes earlier. A couple of the handlers carried their dogs gently in their arms, while the others led their charges in the relaxed gait of a champion who has earned the right to rest. Surely each handler was feeling mixed emotions in that moment, since they had come so close to walking away with dogdom’s greatest crown jewel. But then… Westminster worked its usual magic.
Just as the handlers were about to disappear from the floor, they were met with a rousing chorus from spectators who had gathered en masse in the section of seating above the tunnel’s entrance. And that crowd, dog show devotees and regular New Yorkers alike, let those handlers know that they had been cheering for them; rooting for the Afghan Hound, and the Smooth Fox Terrier, and the Maltese, and the Lhasa Apso, and the Old English Sheepdog. Their support, delivered with the kind of passion usually reserved for fans of the New York Rangers, appeared to bolster the handlers who returned the encouragement with ardent expressions of their own. And as they did, one of the handlers raised an arm high in what might best be described as a moment of solidarity—an act of genuine connection between competitor and spectators. That gesture, I think, demonstrates what good sportsmanship can look like; how sportsmanship is really an agreement between all participants which states, win or lose, the game (and every player and every patron) is deserving of our mutual respect.
At every dog show, the exchanges that take place between handlers, exhibitors, owners, judges, ring stewards, photographers, superintendents, club members, parking attendants, cleanup crews, vendors, and yes, spectators are expressions of the values inherent to behaving in a sportsmanlike manner—or else they serve to undermine those common values. Accepting a second-place ribbon with grace is an expression of good sportsmanship; throwing it on the floor is not. Congratulating a sworn enemy in the ring, in front of everyone, after an especially hard-fought battle is lost is an even greater example of good sportsmanship. Taking to the keyboard afterwards to hurl accusations is not. That kind of behavior is bad form at best and could earn the typist a reputation as a sore loser or a belligerent bully. In either case, the only thing gained is another reason for onlookers to think the sport of dogs is not welcoming and supportive.
When the American Kennel Club updated its AKC Code of Sportsmanship and Civility in September 2025, it was likely due in part to the increase in interactions, both online and at dog shows, that any reasonable player would consider to be bullying. Those kinds of behaviors, intended to cause harm (though often presented as a defense), should be dealt with directly. They shouldn’t “make headlines” as often as they do. Instead, moments of good sportsmanship should be acknowledged with greater frequency, since they are far more common than many participants might think.
Good sportsmanship isn’t something that can be legislated—and it shouldn’t need to be. Behaving in ways that exemplify fairness, respect, equity, and inclusion should come easily to anyone who shares a passion for dogs and a desire to compete at the highest levels. Sportsmanship itself isn’t dependent on a winning result or a particularly notable venue; it is something that can be expressed daily—no matter the circumstances and no matter the outcome. Everyone’s a winner in the sport of dogs when participation is leveraged with generosity, grace, and a general sense of camaraderie. Just ask those handlers who received adulation from their fans in NYC, and returned it with equal admiration. That’s certainly a moment worth remembering—and emulating.
