Meet the ultra-fluffy winner of Best in Show at The Sydney Royal Dog Show
The Sydney Royal Dog Show is an Australian institution and it has just named the winner for 2024.
Meet Bagatelle Moonlight Garden (Jasmine), who comes to Australia from Bagatelle OES in Canada and just won the Best In Show annual title.
READ MORE: What it takes to win Best in Show at The Sydney Royal Dog Show
Her owners, Maree & Daniel Aitchison, look after her and have a long history of training champions.
Bagatelle Moonlight Garden (Jasmine) and her owners celebrating after winning Best In Show. Supplied
Upon winning, Maree took to Facebook to say it was "one of those memories that last a lifetime."
Supreme Champion Montaires Beautiful Beastie, a miniature poodle owned by Paige and Mark Clarke, was the runner-up for Best in Show.
READ MORE: Billie Eilish responds to backlash after calling out 'wasteful' artists
At the pinnacle of our nation's dog competitions, thousands of breeders enter every year with the hopes of winning the highly coveted Best in Show award, introduced in 1931.
The runner up for Best in Show was Supreme Ch Montaires Beautiful Beastie. Supplied
Last year, an Italian greyhound called Piccino King of Bling, or affectionately just Bling, won this ultra-exclusive award.
His owner, Jackie Hardwicke, who has more than 10 years of experience in breeding, spoke with 9honey Pets about what it is like to raise a champion.
READ MORE: Laundry detergent mistake leaving clothes with 'oily' stains
"First of all, you have to breed a dog that's of exceptional quality," she began, explaining that it is no small feat for a greyhound to maintain a relaxed temperament in the "electric" atmosphere of the competition.
A challenge so tricky that before Bling, a greyhound hadn't won Best in Show for 200 years.
Bling, one of his relatives and his handler, Gabriel Valdez. Supplied
After raising, training, grooming and competing with your dog, you won't take home a prize. However, Hardwicke says that is not what the Sydney Royal Easter Show competition is about.
"I think Best in Show is more about the prestige, for every breeder it's probably their ultimate aim is to win the Best in Show at Sydney Royal," she says.
So what is it like to win this competition? She says it blew her away.
"I still can't believe it; I think I was in shock; just to win the Best in Group was one and then to go on and win the Best In Show, I didn't think it would happen, it was just surreal if you want to call it, it was a huge thrill."
Most viewed in Lifestyle
Meghan gives first look at Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet’s new UK life
The four-year experiment that created Australia’s best sausage roll
AFL star Josh Battle and wife Casey mourn the loss of their unborn child
World’s youngest king laid to rest as succession battle erupts amid claims of secret child
