If you watch the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show often enough, you’ll start to notice some commonalities. Certain breeds, like the English springer spaniel, wire fox terrier and whippet, win regularly. Others can be perpetual (ahem) underdogs.
Until recently, the Skye terrier fell into that latter category. But Antoinelle Vulpis, Comm ’09, and her 8-year-old dog, Archer, made history this year when they won top honors in WKC’s terrier group — one of the most difficult and coveted achievements in the dog world.
“It was never a goal of mine to win because I thought it would be impossible,” Vulpis says, explaining that she’s an amateur handler, and awards at Westminster often go to dogs handled by professionals. “I’m just a regular person having a good time with my pet.”
She and Archer were, however, strong contenders in a couple of key ways. For one thing, Vulpis’ career has kept her close to the world of dog shows. For many years, she worked for the publications department of the American Kennel Club, where she gained an insider’s perspective on exactly what it takes to become a champion. And photographing show dogs in and out of the ring has become a staple of her current work as a freelance graphic designer and photographer.
For another thing, in 2024 she and Archer won Best in Show at the Montgomery County Kennel Club — the first such win for a Skye terrier in the prestigious show’s history. “That achievement gave me hope that we could do well at Westminster,” Vulpis says.” And that’s exactly what happened. On the day of the show Archer aced every competition component, and Vulpis knew that he had a real shot of winning the terrier group when she saw him trot confidently across the show floor.
So what’s next? Vulpis says that Archer has earned a break, and she’s happy to step back from the spotlight too. “It’s a great feeling to retire on top.”
