Peanut is getting philosophical about his sixth straight loss in all categories at the Sixth Annual Pug Parade. A whole new generation of pugs is taking over and these Young Turks seem to hog all the prizes.

This year's event took place at Lakewood Ranch, in a real park (we were competing with a hockey game) and featured things like hot dog and pizza vendors. Needless to say, the pugs were in heaven. They came from all over Florida, with a sizeable snowdog contingent as well.

Special effects continue to escalate: There was a dramatic re-enactment of a scene from Hawaii Five -O; a pug dressed as Tina Turner (owned by Wendy Lemoine) performed and won Best Costume; and there were enough pugs portraying Buc players to start a team for the Supper Bowl, a joke particularly hilarious if you've ever owned a pug.

Other winners: Oliver, owned by Nann Ladd, for Best Curled Tail; Pugsley, owned by Roberta Turner McGuinn, for Miss Congeniality; Cosmo, owned by Peter Bertinelli, for Most Physically Fit; and Cleatus, owned by Amanda Carter, who captured Best of Parade. They were selected by the following judges: yours truly, Chris Browne the cartoonist, David Grimes from the Herald-Tribune, and Jeree Amodio, director of operations at Lakewood Ranch.

Imagine-in six short years the Pug Parade and Picnic has become one of the premier events of its field, rather like the Dinah Shore Open. It's free, but if you want your pug to enter the contest there's a small fee which goes to the Humane Society.