Niña, the dog, says goodbye in style: she wins the Maspalomas Dog Carnival for the last time at the age of 9.

 

It was a very fun afternoon this Wednesday, March 26th, at the Yumbo Shopping Center in Playa del Inglés. Nine dogs showed up in their best costumes in search of one of the three prizes up for grabs in the contest. Leading the gala was the charming Baby Solano, whose ironic and witty comments got more than a few laughs from the audience.

 

 

The little dog "Niña" once again won the hearts of the jury members with her clown costume (also worn by her owner, Jocelyn) and her adorable game with a ball, which she returned to her owner by hitting it with her snout. Both owner and dog have achieved several Carnival triumphs; they received 2nd Prize at the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Carnival and last year, here in Maspalomas, they also won. Before the gala began, Jocelyn, not yet knowing she would win again, commented that this would be "Niña's" last performance, as she will soon be ten years old, her body is already beginning to feel certain changes, and she understands it's time to leave the stage, so to speak. Her playful refrain: "How are you?" captivated the thousand people who didn't want to miss this magnificent event. 

 

 

The second prize went to two residents of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, we are talking about Neo, a dachshund, and his owner, José Domingo Déniz Medina, who came out with the fantasy: “Cirque du Soleil, the show of the drunk and the crazy sausage” that delighted the audience with its sympathy and the humorous comments of the presenter Baby Solano when Neo, who was loose, decided to leave the stage on his own two feet in the middle of the performance and after having jumped through several hoops.

 

 

Third prize went to "Sombra" and her owner, Ángel Somarriba, with the costume "May the Force be with you" and their costumes of Darth Vader (the dog) and Chewbacca (her owner). This costume also delighted the audience, especially the hundreds of tourists who filled the stands at the Yumbo Shopping Center and seemed to thoroughly enjoy the canine parade.

 

 

 

While the jury deliberated, the dogs in the audience were allowed on stage and entered into competition for four prizes worth €120, courtesy of Nature's Variety (€70) and The Barber Dog (€50). The winners were Dana, Horus, Mía, and another dog named Dana, dressed as Princess, Grandma Red Riding Hood, Ballerina, and Cowgirl, respectively.

 

Returning to the official competition, Councilors Dimas Sarmiento and Lucía Jiménez, from Social Services and Housing, respectively, presented the three official prizes, consisting of 100, 75, and 50 kilos of food. Likewise, all participating dogs received a gift basket courtesy of the gala sponsor, Nature's Variety. It was a unique afternoon, with good weather and a wonderful time with the dogs and their owners. Tomorrow, as singer Thalia would say, the "Mexican love" continues, with none other than the Drag Gala... It can be followed live on La 2 de TVE in the Canary Islands. Long live Mexico and Long live Maspalomas!