A rescue from Pennsylvania stole the spotlight at the Westminster Dog Show 2024. Miles impressed everyone with his journey from being an “unadoptable” shelter dog to becoming one of the best agility contestants in the United States.
‘Unadoptable’ rescue wins hearts at Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show 2024
Miles’ journey towards becoming a top agility dog started when Christine Longnecker adopted him. On the day the horseback riding teacher decided to bring along her new rescue to one of her classes, she was in for a surprise. Miles was more than happy to sprint into the rings and jump over the fences.
Longnecker adopted Miles about six years ago. He was deemed “unadoptable” when she first met him due to constant snarling and growling. The dog was very uninviting to others, but the horseback riding teacher felt for him. In an interview with The New York Times, she noted, “…he looked me straight in the eye and said, clear as day, ‘I just want to be a good boy’…My heart broke into a million pieces.”
After seeing Miles’ enthusiasm for the sport, Longnecker enrolled him in a class at Countryside Agility. The rescue dog didn’t just participate in the Westminster Dog Show 2024 but has also participated in American Kennel Club agility nationals. Moreover, he has consistently finished at the top in the All-American category. He didn’t make it to the Westminster Masters Agility Championship finals but won everyone’s hearts.
‘Nimble’ makes history as first to take home both Masters Agility Champion and All-American Champion titles
This year, Nimble took home the title of the overall Masters Agility Champion, per Fox Sports. Furthermore, she made history by becoming the first mixed breed to be given the award at the Westminster Dog Show. Unlike most dog shows, the Westminster Masters Agility Championship allows non-purebreds to compete. However, since 2013, purebred pups have taken home the title of the overall champion year after year.
Nimble took only 28.76 seconds to run the obstacle course. Moreover, she was the first in the 12″ jump class to win the champion title. She is only the fifth pup to finish the obstacle course within 30 seconds. Furthermore, Nimble’s time was the third fastest in the Westminster Masters Agility Championship history.
