Glitter, spandex, lots of hair, diva ‘tudes and…drool? This is no ordinary beauty contest, it’s the 36th Annual Beautiful Bulldog Contest held at Drake University. 50 bulldogs from eight states gathered in the Drake University Knapp Center this past weekend with the hopes of being crowned the 2015 Drake Relays’ official mascot.
The pageant was started by Drake alumni in 1979 as a way to find a real dog to represent Drake’s fictional bulldog mascot, Spike.
“The Beautiful Bulldog Contest is the original, the official, accept no substitutes,” said Michael Cigelman, associate athletic director at Drake University and co-director of the Beautiful Bulldog Contest committee. “There’s no question about it: our Beautiful Bulldog is the fairest of them all.”
This year’s winner is Tank – a two-year-old bulldog.
“He loves to play tug of war, he’s friendly with the neighbors—he’s a great dog,” Duane Smith of Des Moines, Iowa and Tank’s proud owner told media as Tank mugged for cameras on the contest’s royal purple-and-gold throne.
Unlike many of the bulldogs, Tank was “au natural” for the contest, which some say may have given him a paw up on the competition, who were wearing costumes from pirates to fairies, and everything in between.
“Tank has just got a great look to him,” said Drake University Athletic Director Sandy Hatfield Clubb, a judge for the contest. “Great coloring, nice stature, that classic bulldog face with bottom tooth that sticks out just right. And he’s kind and gentle, which is equally important.”
As the official 2015 Beautiful Bulldog, Tank will make appearances at Drake Relays-related events throughout the week. A schedule of Relays activities is online .
Runner Up: Steve, a second-time contest competitor who this year amused audiences by refusing to walk the pageant catwalk, owned by Bruce Myers of Des Moines. *Also voted Porterhouse People’s Choice.
Second Runner-up: Scruffy, a yoga ball-loving canine who calls himself Drake’s No. 1 fan, owned by Elizabeth Ahrens of Lee’s Summit, Mo.
Drake Spirit: Sweet Sassy Molassy, a 1-year-old sweetheart who loves to snuggle, owned by Janalyn Phillips of Waukee, Iowa.
Family Theme: Billy, an eye patch-sporting pirate who plundered the catwalk on a pirate ship sailed by his owner, Natasha Jodoin of Altoona, Iowa.
Congeniality: Princess Mabel Duchess of Johnston, whose blinking blue hair extensions matched those of her owner, Christina Gatto of Des Moines.
Best Dressed: Linus the Lovebug, a rescue bullie with heart-shaped sunglasses and glittery ladybug wings, owned by Rebecca Richardson of Washington, Ill.
Rescue Dog Recognition: Pudge, who was rescued in Memphis, Tenn., and fostered by two recent Drake alumni who were inspired by the University’s late live mascot, Porterhouse. Owned by Maria Zhorne of Memphis.
Here are some more best mug shots from this year’s contest.
