View source for K-Run's Park Me In First

{{Infobox animal
| name                    = Ch. K-Run's Park Me In First
| image                   = Uno best in show westminster 2008.jpg
| image_size              = 
| caption                 = K-Run's Park Me In First aka Uno
| othername               = Uno
| species                 = ''[[Dog|Canis lupus familiaris]]''
| breed                   = [[Beagle]]
| gender                  = Male
| birth_date              = {{Birth date|2005|05|5}}
| birth_place             = [[Belleville, Illinois]]
| death_date              = {{Death date and age|2018|09|20|2005|05|5}}
| death_place             = [[Austin, Texas]]
| resting_place           = 
| resting_place_coordinates = 
| nationality             = American
| role                    = Conformation show dog
| years_active            = 
| title                   = [[List of Best in Show winners of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show|Best In Show]] at the<br />[[Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show|Westminster Dog Show]]
| term                    = 2008
| predecessor             = Ch. [[Felicity's Diamond Jim]] ([[English Springer Spaniel]])
| successor               = Ch. [[Clussexx Three D Grinchy Glee]] ([[Sussex Spaniel]])
| owner                   = Caroline Dowell
| parents                 = 
| children                = 
| weight                  = 
| height                  = 
| appearance              = 
| namedafter              = 
| website                 = 
}}
'''[[American Kennel Club|Ch.]] K-Run's Park Me In First''', also known as '''Uno''' (May 5, 2005 – September 20, 2018)<ref>{{cite news |last1=Walker |first1=Ben |title=A dog's life: Uno, beagle who wowed Westminster, dies at 13 |url=https://foxbaltimore.com/news/entertainment/a-dogs-life-uno-beagle-who-wowed-westminster-dies-at-13 |date= September 22, 2018|access-date=September 24, 2018 |work=WBFF}}</ref> was a {{convert|15|in|adj=on}} [[beagle]] from [[Belleville, Illinois]], who won Best in Show in the 2008 [[Westminster Kennel Club]] dog show.  He was the first beagle to claim the [[List of Best in Show winners of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show|top prize at Westminster]] and the first beagle to win the hound group since 1939.

==Early life==
Uno was born amongst a litter of four puppies in the garage of the house of Kathy Weichert in [[Belleville, Illinois]].<ref name=snoopyfloat/>

==Show career==
In 2008, Uno was entered in the [[Westminster Kennel Club]] dog show in New York City having been ranked the sixth best dog based on show results in the United States during 2007. While at the competition, he was handled by Aaron Wilkerson,<ref name=tophound/> and competed against a field of 2,626 other dogs.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Walker|first1=Ben|title=You ain't nothing but the best hound dog|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/you-aint-nothing-but-the-best-hound-dog-781541.html|access-date=February 18, 2015|work=The Independent|date=February 13, 2008}}</ref> Uno won his breed group, and subsequently became the first beagle of any size to win the [[Hound Group]] since 1939. Judge Ralph Lemcke said that Uno was "one of the best hounds I've ever seen".<ref name=tophound>{{cite news|last1=Sandomir|first1=Richard|title=Beagle Is Top Hound at Westminster Dog Show|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/12/sports/othersports/12westminster.html?_r=0|access-date=February 18, 2015|work=New York Times|date=February 12, 2008}}</ref>

This qualified Uno for the Best in Show round at Westminster, where he was competing against a toy [[Poodle]], a standard Poodle, a [[Sealyham Terrier]], an [[Australian Shepherd]], an [[Akita (dog)|Akita]] and a [[Weimaraner]]. The judge, Dr. J. Donald Jones, took three minutes to make his decision and pointed to Uno, naming him the first beagle to ever become [[List of Best in Show winners of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show|Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show]].<ref name=nytimes>{{cite news|last1=Sandomir|first1=Richard|title=Beagle, a Breed Long Unsung, Wins Best in Show|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/13/sports/othersports/13dogs.html?fta=y|access-date=February 18, 2015|work=New York Times|date=February 13, 2008}}</ref> This was ahead of Uno's third birthday during the following May.<ref name=nytimes/>

==Post Show Career==
Following his win at Westminster, Uno was retired from show competition as there were concerns that small show judges might deliberately overlook him for best in show prizes because of his victory.<ref name=snoopyfloat/> Instead the intention was to use him to breed, but this was temporarily postponed by his owner because of the level of attention that Uno was receiving from the press and the public.<ref name=snoopyfloat/>

[[File:President George W. Bush with Uno the Beagle.jpg|thumb|President [[George W. Bush]] with Uno in May 2008]]

Uno and his owner were invited to the [[White House]] to meet [[President of the United States|President]] [[George W. Bush]]. While there, he was given a collar by [[First Lady of the United States|First Lady]] [[Laura Bush]]. Uno was the first Westminster champion to be invited to celebrate victory with the President.<ref name=snoopyfloat/>

Uno was at [[Miller Park (Milwaukee)|Miller Park]] on July 12, 2008, to participate in the first pitch during a matchup between the [[Milwaukee Brewers]] and the [[Cincinnati Reds]].<ref>{{cite web|title=American Kennel Club champion "Uno" to make Miller Park appearance|url=http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20080709&content_id=3098647&vkey=pr_mil&fext=.jsp&c_id=mil|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080712110630/http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20080709&content_id=3098647&vkey=pr_mil&fext=.jsp&c_id=mil|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 12, 2008|publisher=Milwaukee Brewers|date=July 9, 2008|access-date=February 18, 2015}}</ref> He also attended a home game for the [[St. Louis Cardinals]], again to help throw the first pitch. He attended that year's [[Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade]]; where he rode in the [[Snoopy]] float.<ref name=snoopyfloat>{{cite news|last1=Sandomir|first1=Richard|title=Beagle Proves to Be Dog Show's Best Friend|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/27/sports/othersports/27beagle.html?_r=1|access-date=February 18, 2015|work=New York Times|date=November 26, 2008}}</ref>

In honor of Uno's historic victory at Westminster, his home state of Illinois named a day in March in the dog's honor.<ref name=snoopyfloat/>

Uno became a therapy dog following his retirement from the show ring.<ref name=stillno1/>

==Controversy==
In 2016, Uno was scheduled to appear live from Madison Square Garden on [[CNBC]] as part of the network's coverage of the 140th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.  However, Uno had not been registered to attend the event and, after security personnel learned of his presence at the arena, he was barred from appearing on CNBC and was asked to leave the premises.<ref name=unoEjected>{{cite news|last1=Sandomir|first1=Richard|title=Former Champion, Uno, Ejected from Madison Square Garden|url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2016-westminster-dog-show/uno-former-best-of-show-beagle-ejected|work=New York Times|date=February 16, 2016|access-date=February 7, 2018}}</ref>

Later, the producer of Westminster's broadcasts called the issue a "misunderstanding".<ref name = unoEjected/>

==Personal life==
Despite the intention to use Uno to breed, he turned out to be sterile and ultimately never sired any puppies; his owner Caroline Dowell said "it was a blessing in disguise. I just wanted him as a pet".<ref name=stillno1/> When not traveling, the dog lived with his owner in a property near Dowell's ranch near [[Austin, Texas]] along with 40 to 50 beagles, most of which are rescued from kill shelters. She kept Uno in a small group of beagles in order to protect him, as she didn't want him hurt by the more boisterous dogs in her care.<ref name=snoopyfloat/><ref name=stillno1>{{cite web|last1=Walker|first1=Ben|title=Why Uno's still No. 1 at Westminster dog show|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/entertainment/why-uno-s-still-no-1-at-westminster-dog-show-1.1678537|publisher=CTV News|date=February 10, 2015|access-date=February 18, 2015}}</ref>

In 2015, a relation of Uno's became the second beagle to win Best in Show at Westminster. The dog, called [[Tashtins Lookin For Trouble]], otherwise known as Miss P, is Uno's grandniece.<ref name=missp>{{cite news|last1=Boardman|first1=Madeline|title=Beagle Miss P Takes Best in Show at Westminster Dog Show 2015: Cute Photos of the Winner|url=http://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/westminster-dog-show-2015-winner-beagle-miss-p-takes-best-in-show-2015182|access-date=February 18, 2015|work=US Weekly|date=February 18, 2015}}</ref> Prior to the 2015 event, television host [[David Frei]] described Uno as "easily the most popular Westminster winner in my 25 years".<ref name=stillno1/>

Uno died at the age of 13 of cancer on September 20, 2018.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Walker |first1=Ben |title=A dog's life: Uno, beagle who wowed Westminster, dies at 13 |url=https://apnews.com/3468a9076c954875a4a650e39113f22b |access-date=September 24, 2018 |work=AP News |date=September 21, 2018}}</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]'' wrote on Uno's passing he "maintained his popularity long after other Westminster champions had been crowned but always returned home to Austin, where Dowell, a bunch of rescue beagles and a potbellied pig awaited him."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/24/sports/uno-westminster-dog.html|title=Remembering the One and Only Uno|first=Richard|last=Sandomir|work=The New York Times|date=September 24, 2018}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.unothebeaglefanclub.com/main.htm Official fan club]

{{Westminster Best in Show}}

[[Category:2005 animal births]]
[[Category:2018 animal deaths]]
[[Category:Best in Show winners of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show]]