Blue ribbon wrinkles: Long Beach’s annual bulldog pageant
By Orange County on February 18, 2024
Bugsy is the second place winner in the 17th Annual Bulldog Beauty Contest in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Ever Bakers bulldog Rosie wins third place in the 17th Annual Bulldog Beauty Contest in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Bulldogs line the red carpet as they participate in the 17th Annual Bulldog beauty Contest at Rosies Dog Beach in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Dakota enjoys the atmosphere at Rosies Dog Beach as she waits for her contest to begin which follows the 17th Annual Bulldog Beauty Contest in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Arjen lines up near the red carpet as he participates in the Best Senior Dog Contest at Rosies Dog Beach in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Its the older dogs time to shine as they participate in Justin Rudds Best Senior Dog contest in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
At almost 17 years of age, Penny Lane takes a little snooze during Justin Rudds Best Senior Dog contest at Rosies Dog Beach in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Ms. Long Beach Raelynn Franklin gives the first place ribbon to rescue dog Max and his owner Katie Rivezzo in the 17th Annual Bulldog Beauty contest in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Biggie Smalls hams it up for the camera as he makes his way in to compete in the 17th Annual Bulldog Beauty Contest in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Jackie Nanfro gets some photos of her bulldog Stevie as they wait for the 19th Annual Bulldog Beauty Contest to begin in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Victor Yi fixes Zoeys crown as she waits on the red carpet during the 17th Annual Bulldog Beauty Contest in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Minor along with his owner Kiani gets ready to strut his stuff in the 17th Annual Bulldog beauty Contest in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
The winners of the 17th Annual Bulldog Beauty contest get their ribbons and take photos on the red carpet in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Max leads the pack into the 17th Annual Bulldog Beauty Contest at Rosies Dog Beach in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Trip checks out the competition in the Best Senior contest in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Mr. OG with his owner Thais Alipazaga pick up an honorable mention in the 17th Annual Bulldog Beauty Contest in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Justin Rudd addresses the crowd as the first group of dogs line up at the red carpet as they compete in the 17th Annual Bulldog beauty Contest in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Bruce, Winston, and Chubz hang out as they wait for the 17th Annual Bulldog Beauty Contest in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Mr. OG takes to the red carpet as he is in the top 20 of the 17th Annual Bulldog Beauty Contest in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
At this beauty pageant, wrinkles were in. Drooling, underbites and panting? Also all good.
More than 60 English bulldogs took to the red carpet Sunday for the 19th Annual National Bulldog Beauty Contest at Rosie’s Dog Beach in Long Beach.
They snorted. They let their tongues flap out. They smelled each other’s rears. In other words: They delighted throngs of onlookers the way only bulldogs can.
“When people look at a bulldog, they see wrinkles and smashed faces,” said Justin Rudd, organizer of the event and founder of Haute Dogs, a Long Beach-based nonprofit that aims to help inspire better dog ownership practices and get homeless dogs adopted. “Some people don’t think that’s attractive, but I do, and a lot of other people do.”
Entrants to Sunday’s contest paid $10-20 to enter, and the winners received gift bags from the local dog food company, Red Barn. All proceeds benefitted Rudd’s Community Action Team, which organizes events including monthly beach cleanups and the Interfaith Blessing of the Animals.
“I just love the celebration of people with their pets,” said Rudd, who was also instrumental in founding Rosie’s Dog Beach in 2003(it was named after his first bulldog). “When I get to bring people and their pets together at an event like this, that makes my heart smile big-time. They’re like proud parents.”
As for the contestants, each was as stubby and wrinkly as the next:
There was Hoagie and Milkshake. Stella and Butters. Margo and Chubz. Betty Boop and Sugar Belle. They all strutted their short, stocky stuff in front of an adoring crowd.
But this year’s first prize went to a 2-year-old rescue named Max. A hunk of a dog at 64 pounds, with thick white folds above his nose and a gaping open mouth that looks like a smile, Max is no stranger to admiration.
“People are always like, ‘He’s so gorgeous,’” said Max’s owner, Katie Rivezzo of Moorpark, who adopted Max from Southern California Bulldog Rescue. “But to me, every bulldog is amazing; they all look like they should win.”
In addition to the bulldog contest, there were 11 other categories at Sunday’s pooch fest, including Best Senior Dog, which went to a sandy golden retriever mix named Charlie; and Best Siblings, which went to a pair of bullies from Las Vegas.
“We’re bulldog people,” said Riley Cohen of Las Vegas, whose dogs, Fendi and Chanel, took home Best Siblings. “It’s a fun event: You get a mix of beach and bulldogs, you can’t go wrong.”
Jackie Nanfro gets some photos of her bulldog Stevie as they wait for the 19th Annual Bulldog Beauty Contest to begin in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Other categories included Best French Bulldog, Best Mutt, Best Small Dog, and Best Large Dog. Various winners and photos will be posted on Rudd’s Facebook page.
The judges weren’t technically dog experts—they included Miss Teen Long Beach Eden Dunn; Miss Teen Southern California Valery Plata; Ms. Southern California Dani Chung; Ms. Long Beach Raelynn Franklin; and Mrs. Long Beach Terese Parkin—but they didn’t have to be.
“We’re judging them not only by what they look like, but also their personalities,” 15-year-old Dunn said. “We have to take into consideration how old the dog is and how they’re acting for their age. It’s almost like judging a pageant; it’s really similar.”
And while the event was a celebration of all breeds, it began as an ode to the bully.
“We think that they’re beautiful and that’s why this contest is a hit,” Rudd said. “We want to celebrate them as they are.”
To find out more about Haute Dogs and the Community Action Team, go to www.justinrudd.com.
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