Considering Banana Joe's victory at the 2013 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show (click here for an eyewitness account by our own Kate Gavino), I couldn't resist the urge to research the colorful names of past winners. Below are seven champions, their sparkling names, and some highlights from their resumés. Who needs a baby book when you have a list of Westminster winners?
1. Tickle Em Jock
Tickle Em Jock was the first Scottish terrier to win Best in Show in 1911. After accepting the prestigious award, Jock proceeded to bite a judge's wrists in a telling display of happiness.
2. Loteki Supernatural Being
Loteki Supernatural Being, the only dog to win all three international dog shows, was also the oldest winner, at eight years old — before Clussexx Three D Grinchy Glee stole the poor Papillon's title back in 2009 at a crippling ten years of age.
3. Kippax Fearnought
This famed bulldog was only the second of the breed to win Best in Show. The family legacy is undeniable, as he was the grandfather of Handsome Dan X, one of Yale's finest bulldog mascots, instrumental in their 9-0 winning season in 1960.
4. My Own Brucie
My Own Brucie was considered the most photographed dog in the world at the time of his death in 1943. Perhaps all the attention got to his head: it was reported that My Own Brucie was often stubborn and arrogant, leaving his trainer hopeless in changing the dog's mind on certain issues.
5. Rock Ridge Night Rocket
This Bedlington terrier won Westminster's Best in Show in 1948, having been owned by the Rockefellers. Its strange name is no surprise coming from a family with names like Bobo, Abra, and Blanchette.
6. Warland Protector of Shelterock
Warland, an Airedale terrier, was the first winner to be selected by a female judge at Westminster. He obviously had an advantage over his opponent, who had the even more unfortunate name of Covert Dazzle.
7. Rancho Dobe's Storm
Rancho Dobe was the kind of dog you'd write rap songs about, having sired over 300 puppies in his lifetime. This sleek Doberman obviously had a blinged-out lifestyle, living on the 12th floor of an apartment building overlooking Central Park and enjoying a rich diet of eggs, biscuits and canned beef.
written by Alta Swyers