Crufts 2023: which dog won Best in Show - what is a lagotto romagnolo? Winner and results

The 2023 competition marks the first time that a lagotto romagnolo has won the highly coveted Crufts title
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

A lagotto romagnolo who “never stops wagging” her tail has been crowned Best in Show at the 2023 Crufts dog show in the first ever win for the breed. According to dog welfare and training body The Kennel Club, the breed is “lively and affectionate” with a “unique talent” for truffle hunting thanks to its strong sense of smell.

It is the first time a lagotto romagnolo has won Crufts.

The dog show took place between 9 and 12 March at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham, with thousands of competitors travelling from all over the world to take part.

Who won Best in Show?

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Four-year-old Orca beat more than 19,000 dogs from around the world over the last four days to claim the show’s top honour on Sunday at the NEC in Birmingham.

Orca’s handler, Javier Gonzalez Mendikote from Croatia, drove 25 hours to get to the dog show, and said: “I have worked for the last 20 years to achieve something like this in my life. So I think it’s really special and even more… with Orca.”

The audience heard that she “never stops wagging” her tail and, when asked what he thinks the response will be like back home, Mendikote said: “I’m sure we will have a huge party.”

Winner of Best in Show, the  Lagotto Romagnolo, “Orca” poses for photographs at the trophy presentation for the Best in Show event on the final day of the Crufts dog show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, central England, on March 12, 2023. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)Winner of Best in Show, the  Lagotto Romagnolo, “Orca” poses for photographs at the trophy presentation for the Best in Show event on the final day of the Crufts dog show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, central England, on March 12, 2023. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
Winner of Best in Show, the Lagotto Romagnolo, “Orca” poses for photographs at the trophy presentation for the Best in Show event on the final day of the Crufts dog show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, central England, on March 12, 2023. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)

The handler added that he believes the win is “really important” for the breed, which is becoming more popular in the UK and the US.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

One of Orca’s owners, Ante Lucin, said: “This is the first lagotto romagnolo to win at Crufts, so this is so great for the breed.”

The owner went on: “We know she is a little superstar but this is beyond all expectations. I was crying too much watching from the seats, it was very emotional. Orca is everything you could ever want in a dog, she is happy and healthy – and as everybody saw, her tail never stops wagging.”

On its website, The Kennel Club says “lagotto” is an Italian dialect word for “curly coated duck retriever” and Romagne was the district in northern Italy where the breed was developed.

Did Orca win any other awards?

Orca was also the winner of the gundog group earlier in the show, a category that evaluates dogs originally trained to find live game.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Crufts show manager Vanessa McAlpine said: “Tonight’s final has been a fantastic way to end another triumphant year for Crufts.

The Lagotto Romagnolo, “Orca” with handler Javier Gonzalez Mendikote react to their win in the Best in Show event on the final day of the Crufts dog show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, central England, on March 12, 2023. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)The Lagotto Romagnolo, “Orca” with handler Javier Gonzalez Mendikote react to their win in the Best in Show event on the final day of the Crufts dog show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, central England, on March 12, 2023. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
The Lagotto Romagnolo, “Orca” with handler Javier Gonzalez Mendikote react to their win in the Best in Show event on the final day of the Crufts dog show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, central England, on March 12, 2023. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)

“Congratulations to Orca who helped end this year’s competition on a real high, taking the coveted best in show award alongside her handler, Javier. The pair are very deserving winners and it was clear to see their strong relationship together in the ring.”

An old English sheepdog known as Blondie, who earlier won the pastoral group, was named reserve dog.

An Irish wolfhound called Paris, owned by The Real Thing lead singer Chris Amoo, won the Channel 4 people’s vote.

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.