Retired at 4, Wasabi Still Carries Himself Like a Champion (Published 2022) (2024)

Sports|Retired at 4, Wasabi Still Carries Himself Like a Champion

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/21/sports/wasabi-westminster-best-in-show.html

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Last year’s Westminster dog show winner was not in it for the money — there is no prize money — and he is very much a dog, even if it can be hard to tell from a distance.

Credit...Andrew Mangum for The New York Times

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EAST BERLIN, Pa. — For a brief, shining moment last summer, Wasabi the Pekingese was the most celebrated dog in America, all hair and hauteur as he posed next to his best in show trophy at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

But a new champion will be crowned on Wednesday, when the 2022 competition comes to a close at Lyndhurst, a mansion in Tarrytown, N.Y. Which raises the questions: What has happened to the old champion? Once a dog reaches the pinnacle of success, what does he do next?

A recent visit to rural Pennsylvania found GCHG CH Pequest Wasabi, as he is officially known (the letters represent his winning credentials), chilling at home, already semiretired at the age of 4. Bestirring himself to say hello, he did not exactly run, but moved with all deliberate speed, his luxuriant locks wafting like wheat blowing in a breeze.

Do not rush a Pekingese. If there’s one thing about Wasabi, it’s that you are not the boss of him. “If I throw a toy for him, he’ll go get it, but he won’t bring it back,” said David Fitzpatrick, Wasabi’s breeder, handler and co-owner. “He knows I’m going to get it for him.”

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Retired at 4, Wasabi Still Carries Himself Like a Champion (Published 2022) (3)

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Retired at 4, Wasabi Still Carries Himself Like a Champion (Published 2022) (2024)

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Retired at 4, Wasabi Still Carries Himself Like a Champion (Published 2022)? ›

Last year's Westminster dog show

Westminster dog show
Buddy Holly, a petit basset griffon Vendéen, wins best in show. Buddy Holly, a fetchingly bewhiskered petit basset griffon Vendéen, won best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on Tuesday night, beating back a field of fellow champions that included last year's runner-up, Winston the French bulldog.
https://www.nytimes.com › sports › westminster-dog-show
winner was not in it for the money — there is no prize money — and he is very much a dog, even if it can be hard to tell from a distance. EAST BERLIN, Pa.

How much do you get for winning the Westminster dog show? ›

What do winners get? Bragging rights and trophies. There are no cash prizes, though the agility and obedience winners each get to direct a $5,000 Westminster donation to a training club or to the American Kennel Club Humane Fund.

What type of dog is wasabi? ›

“I had no expectations,” admits Fitzpatrick, who in the last three-plus decades has become internationally known for his Pequest Pekingese. “Wasabi is a young dog that won one Best in Show before this and has been shown very little sparingly. Dogs like that do not win Best in Show in Orlando.”

Why do dog show handlers put treats in their mouths? ›

It isn't as weird as it seems, because the treats are things like hot dogs, cheese, cooked chicken, or steak. The theory is that by keeping treats (also called “bait”) in their mouth, the handler is focusing the dog's attention on their face.

How much do Westminster judges make? ›

As of Apr 13, 2024, the average annual pay for a Court Judge in Westminster is $91,717 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $44.09 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,763/week or $7,643/month.

Who is the owner of Pekingese wasabi? ›

Wasabi started showing promise from a young age. At only four months old, he would show his handler and owner, David Fitzpatrick, his talents.

How many times has a Pekingese won Westminster? ›

Each breed has won Best in Show at the Westminster Dog Show five times. Pekingese dogs earned two of those wins in the past 12 years.

Do winners of the Westminster Dog Show get paid? ›

Complete list of all of the Westminster best in show winners. While owners often spend thousands of dollars to prepare their dogs for the prestigious, there is no monetary compensation for being the top dog. But they certainly don't go home empty-handed, according to Westminster Kennel Club site.

How much money does Best in Show dog win National dog show? ›

The Best in Show winner earns a $20,000 prize after taking home the title at one of the most prestigious dog shows in the world. The National Dog Show, which has been going on for more than 125 years, is run by the Kennel Club of Philadelphia and authorized by the American Kennel Club.

What is the prize money for the AKC dog show? ›

The event offers over $150,000 in prize money, the largest of any U.S. show. The Best in Show winner wins $50,000. This show celebrates the heart and soul of the sport of purebred dogs by awarding the AKC Breeder of the Year Award.

How much money does the best in show at the National Dog Show win? ›

The top dog is quite literally that, with the best in show winner earning a $20,000 prize. Last year's winner was a 3-year-old French bulldog named Winston.

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