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Here She Is: The Ugliest Dog in the World (2016)

Beauty Is Not Welcome Here

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Josh Edelson/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

In the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest, where there were more beasts than beauties, it was hard to beat a wrinkled, wispy-haired, bony Chinese crested Chihuahua named Sweepee Rambo.

The dog — 17 years old, blind in both eyes and, at four pounds, not much bigger than two hands put together — was a crowd favorite at the contest, which was held on Friday night at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, Calif.

The audience went wild for the blue-eyed dog, with some people carrying signs that read, “Sweepee for President,” said the fair’s marketing director, Karen Spencer.

Ms. Spencer identified the owner as Jason Wurtz of Encino, Calif. He was swarmed by reporters — some from as far away as France and Germany — on Friday night and was not immediately available to comment, she said.

In his contest entry, he expressed appreciation for Sweepee’s “baby-soft freckled skin and legendary blond Mohawk.” Sweepee, described as a “ride or die chick,” enjoys riding with her owner on his Honda motorcycle, the entry said.

The winner last year was Quasi Modo, who had short spine syndrome, a birth defect. To look at anything, Quasi had to move her entire body because she could not move her head, the dog’s owner, Virginia Sayre, told The Guardian.

Of the 16 dogs in this year’s contest — some with names like Icky, Rue, Roast Beef and Rascal Deux — more than half featured bad hair.

One in particular, Himisaboo, was drawing attention for a head of hair that had a striking resemblance to Donald J. Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

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Himisaboo, a mutt with a hairdo inspired byy Donald J. Trump, with the owner, Heather Wilson, during the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest in Petaluma, Calif., on Friday.Credit...Josh Edelson/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

The contest, which has been hosted by the fair for 28 years, is run similar to a beauty pageant, Ms. Spencer said. Contestants walk a red carpet, they are introduced to the audience and they are paraded onstage.

Three judges awarded points based on the dogs’ personalities, appearances and how the audience reacted.

Like all good contests, this one has strict rules. Among them: “animal must not have been intentionally altered to enhance appearance for the purpose of this contest.”

Sweepee’s owner won $1,500 and a six-foot trophy that is as unattractive as the dog it honored.

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