National Dog Show: American Foxhound wins Best in Show

Oaks/Valley Forge, Pa. – Jewel, a dominant American Foxhound on the dog show circuit all year, won The National Dog Show Presented by Purina during the annual Kennel Club of Philadelphia cluster at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center. GCH Kiarry’s Pandora’s Box (aka Jewel) was selected by Best in Show Judge Randy E. Garren from among the seven canines emerging from the judging of over 1,500 dogs at the tradition-rich, all-breed show.

The three year-old bitch is also the first winner in the 12-year history of The National Dog Show to come from the Hound Group. Every other group has had at least one winner over the years that consist of five Terrier, two Sporting, and one each from the Working, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding Groups.

After successfully defending her 2012 Hound Group win at the show, Jewel edged out a Bearded Collie, a Pekingese, a Norfolk Terrier, a Standard Schnauzer, a Bichon Frise and an Irish Water Spaniel on the Best in Show stage. Jewel also won the Hound Group at the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show this past February.

Handler Lisa Miller of Mechanicsville, Md. said of her champion, “Jewel flies around on a loose lead, then she stops and free stacks with a look that says, ‘Beat me.’ She is probably the best American Foxhound I’ve ever bred.”
Jewel is fueled by Purina® Pro Plan® and is the third consecutive Best in Show champion at the National Dog Show to be fed Purina Pro Plan. In fact, six of the seven group winners in this year’s show – including the American Foxhound (Jewel), Bearded Collie, Pekingese, Norfolk Terrier, Standard Schnauzer, and Bichon Frise – all are fed Purina Pro Plan.

Coverage of the show and Jewel’s triumphant moments were broadcast to a holiday audience totaling some 18 million on NBC Thanksgiving Day. NBC will air an encore presentation of the two-hour special Saturday night (Nov. 30) in primetime from 8-10 p.m.ET/PT in all time zones. The show was taped on Saturday, Nov. 16.

“I never have seen one that good [as Jewel] and may never see one better,” said Judge Randy E. Garren. “Not only does she look good but it is clear that she would be great in the field also,” he added in reference to the breed’s function as a hunter of foxes since the 1600s.
Jewel entered the show as the top-ranked American Foxhound , the number-one dog in the Hound Group, and the sixth-ranked dog of all breeds in 2013. She is the winningest American Foxhound in the history of the breed, her grandfather having held the record previously.
The following are the 2013 National Dog Show Group Winners:

• Hound Group – The American Foxhound, “Jewel” of Mechanicsville, Md.
• Herding Group – a Bearded Collie named “Fawny,” of Ridgefield, N.J.
• Toy Group – a Pekingese named “Rodger,” of East Berlin, Pa.
• Terrier – a Norfolk Terrier named “Ryder,” of Boston, Mass.
• Sporting – an Irish Water Spaniel named “Riley,” of Seattle, Wash.
• Non-Sporting – a Bichon Frise named “Honor” from Washington, D.C.
• Working Group – a Standard Schnauzer named “Schweitzer,” of Baltimore, Md.

-- The Associated Press