On March 10, 2002, a standard
poodle by the name of Topscore Contradiction made history by winning the coveted title Best in Show at the Crufts Dog Show. Topscore Contradiction is from Norway, making the pooch the first international dog to win the annual British dog competition.
The poodle was one of more than 22,000 competing at the world's largest dog show. Under new canine "passport" regulations, Britain relaxed its tough quarantine laws to allow dogs from the European Union to compete in the show. Crowds exceeded 100,000 at the event, which lasted from March 7 to March 10.
By contrast, the Westminster Dog Show, held in Madison Square Garden, sees competition among 2,500 dogs in front of a crowd of about 10,000 people. At that event, held in February, a miniature poodle took Best in Show, making 2002 the "Year of the Poodle." For more information on this popular breed, see
Choosing a Poodle.
