Stache, a proud and confident Sealyham Terrier, delivered a hometown victory on Thanksgiving Day, winning Best in Show at Philadelphia’s prestigious 22nd National Dog Show Presented by Purina.
Stache’s triumphant moment was broadcast to a massive holiday audience on NBC following the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Margery Good of Cochranville, Penn., a Philadelphia suburb, guided Stache to the title, impressing Best in Show judge Carrie Chase of Martinsburg, W.V.
The #2-ranked Terrier and #12-ranked All-Breed show dog in America, Stache is from a legendary line of dogs that includes his grandfather, Charmin, winner of the World Dog Show, the AKC National Championship and Crufts, the famed Birmingham, England competition where he bested 22,000 dogs in 2008.
“This dog’s condition, breed type and showmanship all come together to produce the epitome of an excellent dog,” said Chase, who selected the Terrier over a top-rated lineup that included a Shih Tzu (Toy Group), Great Dane (Working Group), Chesapeake Bay Retriever (Sporting Group), Dalmatian (Non-Sporting Group), German Shepherd (Herding Group) and Azawahk (Hound Group). “At the end of the day, it’s a dog show and you want them to display all of their great attributes.”
“It’s an exhilarating feeling to win,” said Good, a prominent and popular handler who won the nearby Montgomery County Kennel Club Terrier Show with Stache in October. “Stache deals easily with multiple things happening around him. He’s so well-balanced and he loves to show. I loved seeing him have his celebratory dinner (kibble on the silver-plated trophy tray).” Stache’s registered name is GCHP CH Goodspice Efbe Money Stache.
Reserve Best in Show (second place) went to a Dalmatian named Pumpkin and handler Michael Scott from East Brunswick, N.J. Winner of the Non-Sporting Group, Pumpkin’s registered name is GCHP Planett’s Pop Star.
The following are the other 2023 National Dog Show Group winners:
- Sporting – a Chesapeake Bay Retriever named M of Alexandria, Ohio
- Working – a Great Dane named Carson from Atlanta
- Hound – an Azawahk named Yaro of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla
- Herding – a German Shepherd Dog named Heathcliff of Jasper, Ga
- Toy – a Shih Tzu named Comet from Monclova, Ohio
This year marks the 22nd edition of the holiday special, which has become a family viewing tradition since its inception in 2002. NBC will air an encore presentation of the two-hour special on Nov. 25 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
