Westminster Dog Show 2016: German Shorthaired Pointer Winner Is CJ, California Journey

California Journey aka “CJ,” a German shorthaired pointer, was the winner at the 2016 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

Westminster Dog Show Winner: CJ, California Journey

The 3-year-old male German shorthaired pointer took home the Best in Show gong Tuesday night, making CJ the third dog of his breed to win the top honor.

“He oozed that pointer style,” judge Richard Meen told USA Today. “It was clear he wasn’t a sight hound. He exhibited all the qualities you want in a pointer. And the other thing is that he was light and fluid on his feet. Those two qualities were very important to me.”

CJ beat out 3,000 other dogs for Best in Show, including expected winner German shepherd Rumor, who ended up with the Best herding award. One person who wasn’t surprised about CJ’s triumph was his handler Valerie Nunes-Atkinson

“He was born this way. We always say that from the moment CJ was very young, when he walked across the room, we thought: ‘Oh, boy. We have a special one,'” Nunes-Atkinson said, adding to NJ.com, “He just has that something extra special. He’s a wonderful German shorthaired pointer, but he has major ‘it’ factor, too.”

Additional Winners By Category:

Best hound: My Sassy Girl, a female borzoi

Best toy: Don’t Stop Believing, a male shih tzu

Best non-sporting: Southern Bell, a female bulldog

Best herding: Rumor Has It V Kenlyn, a female German shepherd

Best sporting: California Journey, a male German shorthaired pointer

Best working: Run Play It Again Ham, a male Samoyed

Best terrier: Good Time Charlie, a male Skye Terrier