Howlin’ Good Time at the Miramar

Billionaire Rick Caruso’s oceanside hostelry, the Rosewood Miramar, went to the dogs at the weekend when it hosted its third annual Best in Show event with 50 cuddly canines of all shapes and sizes strutting their stuff with their proud owners on the blue carpeted runway on the Great Lawn!

Judging the entrants were The Weakest Link host Jane Lynch, actress Camilla Belle, and the hotel’s managing director Rick Fidel. Best in Show award went to Raffa, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel whose owners – Montecito twosome Christina Tebbe and Emilia Wolff – won a two-night stay in a beach house guest room; and Trick of the Day won by Winnie, a Bassett hound, owned by Ian Musgrove from Summerland, who won dinner for two at the hotel’s Japanese eatery AMA Sushi.

Owner Rick was watching the antics from a special champagne-filled cabana with his pet Golden Retriever, but did not enter the sun-soaked show, which helped raise thousands for Santa Barbara Humane, founded in 1887, and Love Leo Rescue, a Los Angeles-based rescue service.

The sold-out bash, presented by L.A.-based lifestyle brand Staud, and wine and spirits giant Pernod Ricard, on fittingly enough National Dog Day, had a selection of pooch-oriented concoctions. These included poodle-tinis with Absolut vodka, pineapple, strawberry and lime, and Maltese margaritas with Codigo blanco, Cointreau, lime and honey.

Among the 430 humans taking in the four-legged action were Paul Orfalea, Scott Wood, Tom Parker, Merryl Brown, and Karna Hughes.