Two area dogs 'Best in Breed' at prestigious Westminster Dog Show

TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) - It's top dog times two. A pair of Lafayette-area canines were judged best in their breeds this week at the prestigious Westminster Dog Show.

While it doesn't bring any money, just a ribbon, for Janet Ekstrom, it means so much more.

Her dog Sam was judged the best Bullmastiff in the 137th edition of the Westminster Dog Show.

"It's the cream of the crop in the dog world," Ekstrom said.

Sam, all 145 pounds of him, fits right in.

Ekstrom said it was a little bit of an upset. At the show, everyone was saying another Bullmastiff was the shoo-in.

"I just started crying, because it was a dream come true. It's just the best feeling, it really is, that your dog, is the best," she said.

But it was also a bittersweet moment.    

Ekstrom shares ownership of Sam with Jean Robinson, a respected Frankfort-based breeder of Bullmastiffs. Ekstrom said it was Jean's dream for one of her dogs to win Westminster. But she died of cancer last summer before that could happen.

"Sam was Jean's heart dog, he was pretty special to her," said Ekstrom. "The only way it could have been better if Jean could have been there with us. But she was with us. She was riding on Sam's shoulders. I think that helped us."

Ekstrom said showing dogs has been a passion of hers since she was a girl, but she only got to start doing her passion about 10 years ago. And while accomplished, she's not done.

She also owns JR, Sam's son who gets his name from the initials of, who else, Jean Robinson, the woman who started out as a mentor and became a best friend.

"Hopefully he'll turn out to be as nice as Sam, that's my hope," said Ekstrom. "I'm ready to go back for more."

Sam, who had been living with Janet, has moved back in with Jean's family. She said it has only been recently that Sam wasn't a painful reminder of the loss of their loved one.

But that's not all.

A second dog from the area won best of breed this week at Westminster.

Pink is the winner of the Kerry Blue Terrier breed. Owner Elaine Randall runs the True Blue Kerry Blue Terrier kennel in the area. She spoke to News 18 over the phone while out of state for a medical conference.

"Well I'm absolutely thrilled," said Randall. "I'm on cloud nine about it, just because I feel like I have a really great dog and I want her to get out there and be seen and be appreciated by other people for her beauty and the win is sweet."

It's the second big win for Pink who also won best in breed in October at Nationals, the most important dog show in the country.