Westminster Dog Show 2016: German Pointer CJ Is the 'Best'

The Westminster Dog Show judged a 3-year-old German shorthaired pointer named C.J. to be the best of the best at the 140th event on Tuesday.

C.J. beat out six other competitors in a final best-of-show competition after two days of showing off at Madison Square Garden, said The New York Times.

"I just couldn't believe it," said Valerie Nunes-Atkinson, C.J.'s handler from Temecula, California. "For us in the sport, this is the pinnacle. This is what we strive for, what we shed tears over. The best dogs come here. This is the show to win."

"You couldn't go wrong with any of them. But I believe in my dog 100 percent. He's a great German shorthaired pointer."

C.J., which stands for California Journey, had plenty of competition with more than 2,700 dogs from around the world taking part, said The Associated Press.

Richard Meen, who selected the winner, told USA Today that C.J., though, had something special.

"He oozed that pointer style," said Meen. "It was clear he wasn't a sight hound. He exhibited all the qualities you want in a pointer. And the other thing is that he was light and fluid on his feet. Those two qualities were very important to me."

C.J. was selected from among seven contestants in the hound, toy, non-sporting, herding, sporting, working and terrier groups.

The AP said C.J.'s grandmother, Carlee, was one of two German shorthaired pointers to win Westminster, capturing the crown in 2005.

According to Forbes, the Westminster Dog Show is the second longest continuously running sporting event in the United States and the largest dog competition on the world. By 1908, the dog show entries topped 2,000, and in 1937, more than 3,100 dogs participated.

Related Stories:

• Westminster Adding Mongrels, But Forget About Best-in-Show Mutt
  
• Miss P, Westminster's Surprise Top Dog, 'Trumps' Rest of Pack