The World’s Ugliest Dog ® Contest declared a new winner for 2013--a four-year-old mutt mix, part beagle, basset and boxer--named Walle who stole the title with his huge head, short thick stature which includes a hump back and duck waddle from 29 other contenders at the 25th anniversary of the World’s Ugliest Dog ® Contest at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma Friday, June 21.
This is a dog you have to see move in order to appreciate his ugly dog status. Walle hails from Chico and was a late entry in the contest, arriving minutes before the closing time. In a contest that has celebrated the Chinese Crested, Walle represented a departure from the usual. The breeds in this contest included pedigree and mutt mixes of Chihauhua, Chinese Crested, Boxer, Terrier, Pugs, Poodles, and Peruvian. Walle was acquired by his owner Tammie Barbee at three months old and won the crowd with his hind leg stance which demonstrated his girth and large head as he took a biscuit from his owner. She says, “People come up to me and say that dog is not right, but I love him.”
Said Judge Brian Sobel, "This dog looked like he's been photo shopped with pieces from various dogs and maybe a few other animals."
Walle walked away with $1,500 for winning the title of World’s Ugliest Dog ® as well as a trophy. But fame follows as well. He will appear on Weekend Today on Sunday and the Today Show on Monday. He’ll also visit the Jimmy Kimmel Show on Wednesday.
Fanfare for the anniversary of the contest included the fair themed Dog Days of Summer and a retrospective exhibit featuring the last 25 years of the contest. Nationally syndicated radio personalities Bob & Sheri hosted and the crowd loved it. Contestant dogs participated in a “PAW-tographing” of the new book World’s Ugliest Dogs: The Official World’s Ugliest Dog ® Book with assistance from their owners and a dog stamp.
“This was the best in the seven years I’ve produced the contest,” said contest producer, Vicki DeArmon, also the author of World’s Ugliest Dogs. “A wide variety of dogs and a record crowd made the energy just electric and the hosts were hilarious.
No comments:
Post a Comment