A whippet from Venice in Italy has been crowned champion at the 2025 Crufts dog show held in Birmingham.
At the NEC on Sunday, four-year-old Miuccia outperformed over 18,000 canines globally to secure first place.
“It’s like a dream has become reality,” stated her trainer Giovanni Liguori. “I’m utterly amazed. Miuccia did an outstanding job.”
This marks the first occasion where a canine from Italy has claimed the top honor in the competition, accompanied by both an award plaque and a modest monetary reward said to be around £200.
Enrico De Gaspari’s Miuccia emerged as the victor in the hound group earlier during the competition and went on to triumph over the champions from six additional categories to claim the ultimate victory.
I have an absolute fondness for her," stated handler Mr Liguori. "She is the most affectionate dog.
The fact that she constantly seeks to stay extremely near to me is the crucial aspect.
Mr. Liguori expressed his amazement by saying, "It's incredible; he’s amazing" as this milestone made him the first Italian canine to win the top prize in the competition.
As Italians, we feel incredibly proud because this signifies that we are excelling at our tasks.
Helen Kerfoot, the Crufts show manager, expressed delight at witnessing the strong bond between Miuccia and her handler in the ring, stating that they thoroughly deserve their victory.
Great job to all our other remarkable finalists as well.
The dogs along with their owners and handlers can feel immense pride for participating in this significant finale—it’s a remarkable accomplishment that will surely be cherished for many years ahead.
The second-place finisher was Viking, a Tibetan mastiff hailing from Romania.