An Ocala dog trainer and her Labrador secured a podium finish at the world’s most prestigious dog show last week.
Bridget Kennedy and her 5-year-old Labrador, Nolan, earned third place at the Westminster Kennel Club’s 13th Annual Masters Agility Championship on Saturday, Jan. 31. The finals were part of the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, which was held at the Javits Center in New York City and broadcast live on FOX.
Nolan’s third-place finish adds to a growing list of accolades, as the Labrador has been a consistent high-performer on the national stage for several years.
Nolan made his debut at Westminster in 2023, where he finished fourth in the 24-inch jumping class finals as the youngest dog in the field. Later that year, he placed third in the finals of the AKC Agility Invitational in Orlando.
For Kennedy, who owns and operates Kennedy Performance Dogs in Ocala, the weekend was a triumph on multiple fronts. In addition to Nolan’s success, the trip marked an improbable comeback for her other competitor, a 7-year-old Long Coat Chihuahua named Desmond…