Bonnie the Golden Retriever from New Milton is aiming for Crufts after winning Best Puppy title in competiton at ancestral home of the breed

A New Milton dog has scored a hat-trick of wins at one of the most prestigious championships for the breed in the world.

Nine-month-old golden retriever Bonnie, owned by Penny Gayler of Wootton, took the titles including Best Puppy in Show at the event held at the Guisachan Estate – the ancestral home of the golden retriever where the first litter was born in 1868.

People from all over the world including the US, Japan and Australia, attended the show, organised by the Golden Retriever Club of Scotland.

Penny said: “It is a very famous championship because the Guisachan Estate is the home of the golden retriever.

“It is the place where the first one was born 155 years ago. It a very important place for golden retriever owners, although I am not sure how many are actually aware of it.”

The estate is in Tomich, Glen Affric in the Highlands. The first golden retriever puppies were bred by Dudley Coutts Marjoribanks – later known as Baron Tweedmouth.

He wanted a gundog suited to the terrain of the Highlands. By crossing a tweed water spaniel, which are now extinct, and a yellow wavy coated retriever, he created Primrose, Cowslip and Crocus.

There were nearly 500 golden retrievers at this year’s events.

It was the second championship for Bonnie who had already won runner-up for Best Puppy the week before at the Golden Retriever Club UK’s event.

At Guisachan Bonnie first won Best Puppy in her age group, 6-12 months.

She then went up against the dog which had won the Best Puppy in minor class, which is for those aged 6-9 months, and she won again.

She then had to go up triumph over the Best Male puppy. The two judges were divided so referee Wayne McGrath, who had arrived from Australia for the competition, was called in and he plumped for Bonnie who was crowned ‘Best Puppy in Show.”

Penny said: “It was so wonderful, to win at the home of the golden retriever means such a lot.”

She also received a message of congratulations from Alex Grigg, owner of the Guisachan House, which said: “Bonnie lives up to her name, a much deserved victory!”

But Bonnie had not finished yet. Last weekend she won Best in Puppy Breed at the Southampton Open Show.

A delighted Penny said: “Bonnie now has her Junior Warrant which means she has a lifeline qualification for Crufts, and we will certainly be entering next year.

“It normally takes about 18 months to win all the points needed for the warrant – Bonnie got hers in three months!”

Penny, who has been breeding golden retrievers for more than 30 years says Bonnie is “definitely” the best puppy she has ever had: “She is very calm in and out of the ring. She is well made but she also moves beautifully.

“I think it is the way she moves that has earned her so many titles.”