A Mixed-Breed Won a Westminster Dog Show Championship for the First Time Ever

In a historic first, a mixed-breed dog has won the 11th annual Masters Agility Championship, an agility competition that has been a part of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show since 2014. Nimble is a 6-year-old Border Collie/Papillon mix who beat out 351 dogs for the title of champion.

She’s only the fifth dog to ever complete in the Westminster agility course in under 30 seconds (she achieved a spectacular 28.76 seconds), and the third fastest contestant ever. Plus, she’s seriously adorable — we could watch her floppy black ears zap around the stadium for hours. 

Most people don’t think of mutts when they think of the Westminster Dog Show. The iconic event is most well known for judging dogs by breed standards — and bestowing the ultimate title, Best In Show, to the dog who’s most emblematic of their breed in appearance and temperament. But the Westminster Masters Agility Championship allows any breed to compete — including mixed-breed dogs, which the American Kennel Club refers to as All-American dogs. 

Though mixed-breed dogs have been invited to compete in the Masters Agility Championship since its inception, purebred dogs are still the most common competitors. According to the Westminster Kennel Club, “The most popular breeds [in the agility competition] at this time are Shetland Sheepdogs, Belgian Tervuren, Border Collies, Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Cocker Spaniels, and Papillons.”

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Purebred Border Collies have won eight out of the 11 championships. A Shetland Sheepdog and an Australian Shepherd won in 2022 and 2016, respectively. Twenty-six other All-American dogs competed in this year’s competition, and Nimble was the best of the best. 

This is the second time in a row that Nimble’s handler, Cynthia Hornor, has led a pup to victory in the agility championship. Last year, her Border Collie, Truant, won the Westminster Masters Agility Championship with a time of 28.68 seconds. 

Watch below to see Nimble do her thing — and hear the audience’s rightfully awed reaction.