Photo: Charlie Neibergall/ap

Bam Bam, owned by Maggie Estby, of Champlin, Minn., sits on the throne after being crowned the winner of the annual Drake Relays Beautiful Bulldog Contest, Monday, April 25, 2022, in Des Moines, Iowa. The pageant kicks off the Drake Relays festivities at Drake University where a bulldog is the mascot. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Bam Bam the bulldog is ready for his closeup!

On Monday, the five-year-old dog from Chaplin, Minnesota, took home the crown at Drake University’s 43rd annual “Beautiful Bulldog” contest. According to theDes Moines Register, the furry tradition began in 1979.

Over a thousand spectators watched from the stands at the Iowa college as Bam-Bam celebrated his coronation. Thrity bulldogs from across Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Missouri competed for the 2022 title.

“He loves people, he loves chewing bones, he loves going for short walks, he loves to sunbathe, he loves to cuddle,” she said,per a release from Drake University.

As part of the competition, the participating bulldogs donned creative costumes to see who would be crowned as the 2022 mascot for the Drake Relays — an outdoor track and field event at the university.

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The 2021 contest winner, Myrtle Mae, also attended the competition and got a chance to strut her stuff one last time as the honorary Drake Relays mascot.

Although Bam Bam clinched this year’s top prize, his competitors didn’t head home empty-handed. Three other bulldogs received honorable mentions at the event.

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The Drake Relays congratulated Bam Bam for his win via their official Twitter account, sharing that they are looking forward to having Bam Bam represent them.

“Congratulations, Bam Bam!” the universitytweeted on Monday. “See you this weekend on the Blue Oval!”

source: people.com