VMBS Celebrates Award-Winning Whippet, Co-Owned By Longtime Donor, VMTH Client

Story by Megan Bennett, VMBS Marketing & Communications

March 26, 2025

GCHP CH Pinnacle Kentucky Bourbon, a 9-and-a-half-year-old Whippet, was recently named the 2025 Reserve Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, making her the only dog in history to win the Reserve Best in Show title three times.

Bourbon is co-owned by Nancy Shaw, a longtime client of the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH) and donor to the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS). Shaw collaborates with four other owners — Dr. Ken Latimer, Judy Descutner, and Justin and Cheslie Smithey — to support Bourbon’s success.

Bourbon now has 108 best in show titles, making her the top-winning female Whippet of all time.

“Whippets can often be a little bit standoffish because they’re a sight hound, but Bourbon’s just a delightful girl,” Shaw said. “She likes to be petted and curl up into the smallest of balls to sleep on the bed. There are lots of things that make her a very special girl and she’s even more special because of what she’s achieved.

“There are only about 46 dogs that have ever gotten 100 or more best in shows,” she said. “Bourbon will be a hard Whippet to ever beat.”

Although Bourbon has now earned a relaxing retirement, Shaw will remain active in the breeding and showing business to which she has dedicated nearly 20 years of her life.

A Love For Little Dogs

Although Shaw had previously owned mastiffs, a breed that can reach more than 200 pounds, she discovered a love for other breeds after her son requested a new, smaller family member.

“My youngest son, Rob, told me he wanted a French bulldog for Christmas,” Shaw recalled. “I remember asking, ‘What’s a French bulldog?’ Then he sent me some photos and I thought they were cute. After Rob picked out his dog Bette, I just fell in love with the breed and decided I had to have one for myself.”

Shaw bought a Frenchie named Millie from a Colorado breeder who went on to become Shaw’s first mentor in the dog showing world.

“Millie had attitude, which is how she got her first points,” Shaw said. “She finished as a champion and then had her first litter a couple years later. It just snowballed from there with Frenchies.”

Shaw began partnering with some of the top dog handlers in the country and entering her dogs in shows every weekend.

“It wasn’t too long before I decided I needed a second breed because if my Frenchie didn’t win, I needed something else to put my hope in,” she said. “Soon, I had several different breeds, one being a Papillon that led to me meeting Cheslie and Justin. It wasn’t long before Bourbon came along and when they asked me to be part of her team, I said, ‘Absolutely.’”

An Aggie Connection

Shaw’s connection to Texas A&M started long before she began bringing her dogs to the VMTH.

Her husband, Mike, earned his bachelor’s degree from the university in 1968 and the couple regularly traveled from their home in Fredericksburg to College Station for Aggie football games.

In the 1980s, they had their first experience with the VMTH when the family’s horse was treated for hoof problems. Since then, Shaw’s dogs have regularly visited the Small Animal Teaching Hospital’s Dermatology and Cardiology services.

“I’ve brought my entire crew up for Chagas testing with Dr. Ashley Saunders a couple times because I know we have kissing bugs at my house,” Shaw said. “Thankfully, none have tested positive so far, but I suspect that a couple of my former dogs had the disease before we were testing for it.”

Shaw’s deep love for her dogs and dedication to ensuring they receive the best care possible keeps her returning to the VMTH, despite the more than three-hour drive.

“It’s the best that there is,” Shaw said. “I don’t think there’s any place better to go if your animal has a real problem.”

Making An Impact

During Shaw’s years as a VMTH client, she was recruited to join the VMBS’ Dean’s Council Advisory Board, through which she could play a role in shaping the future of the VMBS.

Her desire to make an even bigger impact led to her and her husband creating the Nancy and Michael Shaw ’68 Chair in Small Animal Clinical Sciences in honor of John D. Clader ’72, DVM ’73 to recognize their local veterinarian for his dedication to the profession, community, and Texas A&M — as well as the Shaws’ many beloved Frenchies.

The current chair holder is VMBS associate professor Dr. Kelley Thieman Mankin.

“Dr. Clader treats the whole package, including the owner,” Shaw said. “He is a man of faith who cares about animals and people. He always helps me make the right decisions about my dogs. I wish every vet student could have a stint learning under him.”

By supporting veterinary education through an endowed chair, the Shaws are helping ensure that future Aggie veterinarians graduate with the expertise and compassion needed to support their patients — whether they’re best in show or winners in their owners’ hearts.

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For more information about the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, please visit our website at vetmed.tamu.edu or join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Contact Information: Jennifer Gauntt, Director of VMBS Communications, Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, jgauntt@cvm.tamu.edu, 979-862-4216

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