Tim McGraw's late father, World Series-winning pitcher Tug McGraw, isn't the only champion in the country singer and 1883 star's family tree. Per the Associated Press (AP), Tim co-owns Lepshi, a 6 year old bracco Italiano which won first place honors in May 2023 at the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club dog show.
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"He's a wonderful ambassador for the breed, and he loves everybody," handler Ryan Wolfe told the AP about Lepshi.
"So proud of Lepshi! He's always been a winner in our eyes," Tim wrote in the caption of an Instagram post showing his fuzzy friend with a first place ribbon. "Lepshi won best of breed today for the bracco Italiano, the first year for the breed at Westminster."
Lepshi got eliminated in the semifinals for the event's all-breed top prize. Still, he picked up an historic win less than one year after the American Kennel Club recognized bracco as a breed.
The AP adds that the bracco "goes back more than two millennia in Europe but wasn't brought to the U.S. until the mid-1990s, according to the AKC. It's sometimes called the Italian pointer or Italian pointing dog."
Tim co-owns Lepshi with Kristi Libertore, Tony Libertore and Jenell Tonini-Zanotto.
The "Humble and Kind" singer has a clear affinity for the breed, as multiple bracchi (plural for bracco), including one named Stromboli, have appeared in his and spouse Faith Hill's social media content.
Siva Aiken, owner of Westminster competitor Tillie-rye Hogwallop, told the AP that despite their laid-back demeanor, bracchi are hunting dogs with specific needs beyond those of the average family pet.
"It's not a breed for everyone," she said. "This breed needs to be worked."
It wasn't the first time that a celebrity dog owner had a vested interest in Westminster. In 2021, baseball great Barry Bonds' miniature schnauzer named Rocky entered the competition and earned Select Dog honors for his breed.
