There is a god of small things.
And at this week's Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, he finally smiled on a Canadian poodle, aptly named, Kate Winsit.
This dog won a best of breed award at the prestigious New York event -- an annual contest so old, it actually pre-dates the invention of the light bulb and the car, earning the moniker 'America's Dog Show.'
"It was unexpected and it's an overwhelming win," owner Elly Holowaychuk said from her home in Sherwood Park, Alberta. "I've had so many calls from all over North America."
Holowaychuk, a breeder of theses tiny tikes for the last 27 years, brings an impressive resume to the big show -- 65 Canadian , 35 American, and three international championships.
And Kate Winsit, a black standard poodle is already coming off a hot year on the show dog circuit.
"She had an outstanding year last year as a two-year-old," Holowaychuk told The Huffington Post Canada. "She was the top non-sporting dog in Canada."
But this week's honour is the biggest prize of all.
"This is beyond that."
Indeed, it's tough enough to even qualify for the Westminster show, much less bring home the hardware. The event, which runs through Tuesday has taken an exacting look at some 301,650 dogs since its inception in 1877. But each of those dogs had to flash championship pedigree -- and the papers that go with it -- at the door.
The top five dogs in each breed or variety are invited to pre-enter, with the remaining entry slots being filled in an open process.
This year, the event, which takes place at Madison Square Garden, is also being televised live in Canada.
For the latest results from the Westminster Kennel Club Show, click here.