Pinoy excellence was displayed on the world stage when Dalbog the Corgi won the “World Winner” and “Best of Breed” awards at the World Dog Show in Geneva, Switzerland.
Dalbong’s human, Wency Villanueva, shared their victory in a Facebook post: “Out of 131 beautiful Corgis, 1,592 Herding Dogs, and 55 Herding Dogs Breed Winners. It was truly exceptional that Dalbong and I made it to the final cut (Top 6) in yesterday’s Group competition.”
THE SECRET SAUCE
Wency shared the secret to his success. “Number one is the condition, kasama [diyan] ang proper diet, build ng katawan ng [A]so. Second is training, to make sure na ma-present ko siya [nang] maayos sa judge. And siyempre, the grooming, I always make sure na malinis at he will shine sa loob ng ring. (Number one is the condition [of the Dog], which includes proper diet and the Dog’s body build. Second is training to ensure that I can present him properly to the judges. And of course, the grooming. I always make sure he’s clean, and he will shine inside the ring.)”
He also highlighted the excellent relationship he has with his Corgi. He considers Dalbong as his best friend, “[Because] parang mag kadugtong na kami palagi, at lagi kami magkasama. We travel a lot kasama siya, at alam ko na mahal na mahal ako ni Dalbong. ([Because] we are like two peas in a pod, and we are always together. We travel a lot together, and I know that Dalbong loves me very much.)”
When asked what advice he could give to aspiring handlers who want to compete in the world stage, Wency responded, “Trust your [D]og. Love your [D]og, kahit ano pa siya. Mahalin mo siya at mamahalin ka [niya nang] higit pa. (Trust your [D]og. Love your [D]og, no matter what they are. Love him and he will love you even more.)”
GROWING OPPORTUNITIES
Winning the biggest Dog show in the world has opened many opportunities for Wency and Dalbong. He said that since then, they have become well-known in the Philippines and the whole world. The most important thing for him is to show the world how beautiful Dalbong is and how much Dalbong is loved by his family.
THANKFUL
Wency dedicated the win to his fellow Filipino participants. The Facebook post concluded, “Never lose faith in yourself and always believe in your [D]og. If you think your [D]og has what it takes, keep pushing forward! Never give up and love your passion until you achieve success.”
Wency got to show the world the love Dalbong receives from his family. (Wency Villanueva | Facebook)
