Competitors put their best paw forward on the final day of Crufts
<p>Over 19,000 dogs from across the globe made their way to the NEC in Birmingham for four days of competition, each hoping to go home with the Crufts Best In Show trophy tucked between their paws. </p>
<p>Over the course of the prestigious event - which began in 1891 - the dogs undergo intense grooming sessions, demonstrate their agility, show off their obedience skill, and more. </p>
<p>And this year, a four-year-old Orca made history, becoming the first dog of her breed to take the top honour. </p>
<p>Orca is a lagotta romagnolo, a breed that The Kennel Club describes as being “lively and affectionate”, as well as boasting an impressive and “unique talent” for hunting truffles with their heightened sense of smell. </p>
<p>Orca’s human handler, otherwise known as Javier Gonzalez Mendikote, had to drive for 25 hours to get the pair to the show, though it seems every minute of the trip was worth it - to both of them. </p>
<p>Of their reception back home, Javier felt strongly that they would be pleased, stating that he was “sure we will have a huge party.”</p>
<p>One that it seems Orca will be more than happy about - like, it seems, all things in her life - with the audience informed that she “never stops wagging” her tail. </p>
<p>As Ante Lucin, one of Orca’s owners, put it, “she is a little superstar, but this is beyond all expectations. I was crying too much watching from the seats, it was very emotional. </p>
<p>“Orca is everything you could ever want in a dog, she is happy and healthy.”</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">What a winner! Orca the Lagotto Romagnolo is your 2023 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Crufts?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Crufts</a> Best in Show!🐶🏆💚 <a href="https://t.co/oVldA3oR3Y">pic.twitter.com/oVldA3oR3Y</a></p>
<p>— Crufts (@Crufts) <a href="https://twitter.com/Crufts/status/1635022538312138753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p>Javier went on to stress his belief that Orca’s win is “really important” for her breed, especially as it increases in popularity across both the UK and the US. </p>
<p>Although Orca was crowned Best In Show, her success wasn’t limited to that one award. The curly-coated canine also won in the gundog group - one of seven categories in the 2023 competition, this one evaluating dogs that were originally trained in finding live game. </p>
<p>An honourable mention, of course, goes to the Channel 4 People’s Vote winner - an Irish wolfhound called Paris, whose owner is Chris Amoo, lead singer of The Real Thing. </p>
<p>The show’s manager, Vanessa McAlpine, was pleased with the year’s events, declaring it to be “triumphant”.</p>
<p>“Congratulations to Orca, who helped end this year’s competition on a real high, taking the coveted best in show award alongside her handler, Javier,” she said. “The pair were very deserving winners and it was clear to see their strong relationship together in the ring.” </p>
<p><em>Images: Getty </em></p>
