Those are happy tears.
10-year-old Sussex spaniel wins Westminster show
By BEN WALKER – 10 hours ago
NEW YORK (AP) — An old Sussex spaniel taught dogdom a new trick.
At 10, Stump became the oldest best in show winner ever at the Westminster Kennel Club, coming out of retirement only last week and walking off with the top prize Tuesday night.
A nearly full crowd at Madison Square Garden cheered loudly when judge Sari Tietjen pointed to the new champion. Perhaps the fans knew Stump's backstory — he almost died in 2004 from a medical condition, saved by the vets at Texas A&M.
Or perhaps the people just liked rooting for the old guy. He's almost 70 in human years!
Never before had a Sussex spaniel won the nation's top pooch show. The previous oldest winner was 8.
With floppy ears and a slow gait, the golden-red Stump beat out a sparkling field. Expert handler Scott Sommer guided him past a giant schnauzer that was ranked the nation's No. 1 show dog, a favored Brussels griffon, a Scottish deerhound named Tiger Woods, a standard poodle with 94 best in show wins, a Scottish terrier and a puli.
I've rooted for this stubby old guy for years. What a beautiful day. ^-^
