U.S.

English bulldog named Zsa Zsa wins World's Ugliest Dog title

June 24, 2018 / 2:45 PM EDT / AP

PETALUMA, Calif. -- A 9-year-old English bulldog was named the winner of the 2018 World's Ugliest Dog contest in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Zsa Zsa won the title Saturday night at the Sonoma-Marin Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds in Petaluma.

Zsa Zsa stands onstage with Megan Brainard, before being announced the winner of the World's Ugliest Dog Contest. Jeff Chiu / AP

The dog's owner Megan Brainard of Anoka, Minnesota, will receive $1,500 for Zsa Zsa's win. Brainard found Zsa Zsa on a pet-finding site, according to the contest bio.

Dogs in the annual competition flaunt their imperfections - some have hairless bodies, others have lolling tongues. The dogs and their handlers walk down a red carpet. The dogs are evaluated by a panel of judges.

The contestants included a blackhead-covered Chinese Crested-Dachshund mutt, a bulldog mix with excess wrinkly skin and a Pekingese named Wild Thang.

Wild Thang, a Pekingese, stands onstage during the World's Ugliest Dog Contest. Jeff Chiu / AP

Last year's winner was a 125-pound gentle giant named Martha -- a Neapolitan Mastiff with gas and a droopy face.

The contest is in its 30th year. It is usually held on Friday nights, but organizers moved the competition to Saturday in an effort to draw a bigger audience.