'An absolute dream': Oswestry dog owner and Papillon scoop prestigious prize at Crufts 2025

The young dog was just one of seven in the Best in Show final held on Sunday evening (March 9). 

And despite missing out on the big prize, Glenn told the Shropshire Star that it was  “incredible” to see Sophia take home a prestigious title at just 17-months-old. 

“It's an absolute dream,” Glenn said.

“It is something that we've strived for. We've won toy groups in the past, maybe about 28 toy groups within other all breed championship shows. But obviously the Crufts’ Toy group is the pinnacle, because you're in with the best of the best.

“It’s such an internationally represented group at Crufts with over 20,000 dogs there. So it was an honour to win it, and especially with the dog that's so young as well.”

Glenn, who has previously judged Crufts too, said the annual international dog show was his “inspiration” to get a dog. 

“I was five-years-old, and I would religiously watch Crufts,” Glenn said.

“I watched a Papillon win Best in Show at Crufts that year. We'd never been into dogs before, we had a Shetland sheep dog that was a pet at the time but I said to my Mum, ‘Can we do that? Can we have one of those?’

“Thankfully, she said yes, and then the rest is history. I wouldn't be here without my mum saying yes, and us doing it together.”

This is just the beginning for Sophia. Her owner hopes his young dog will reach new heights in years to come and even take after her father, “the most successful Papillon in history”.

Glenn explained: “The world is our oyster. She has won the most prestigious award for toys that she possibly could in the year.

“It's just really exciting. Her father is called Travis, and he is the most successful Papillon in history, and he was the number one dog of all breeds for the whole of the year, just a number of years ago.

“So there's high hopes that she'll fulfil similar goals. But she's just going to have an exciting year ahead with how she shows. And she just absolutely loves it. She thrives on it.”