Allen's Virginia Winston, a red male Boerboel, standing beside his Cold River handler

Allen's Virginia Winston on the weight-pull rails in front of the 22,584 lb sign at his first UPF event

Allen's Virginia Winston in his harness on the rails after his 22,584 lb pull

Allen's Virginia Winston with his Cold River handler on the weight-pull rails at the Bully Max event

Allen's Virginia Winston: 22,584 Pounds at His First Weight Pull

By Cold River Boerboels · Updated November 12, 2026

Allen's Virginia Winston is a male working Boerboel owned, trained and handled by Cold River Boerboels. We brought him into our program as an adult, so he does not carry the Cold River's prefix. He earned his place on the pad.

On November 7, 2026, at a UPF-sanctioned Bully Max weight pull in Pittsburgh, Winston pulled 22,584 pounds at his very first weight-pull event. That passed the 22,039-pound world record held by Cold River's Sun Wukong and Cold River's Mr. Wednesday. Later the same day, Sun Wukong answered with 23,112 pounds and took the record back. Two Cold River dogs broke the world record on the same day, one after the other.

Winston at a Glance

Full name: Allen's Virginia Winston

Breed: Boerboel (male)

Age: 3 years

Owned, trained and handled by: Cold River Boerboels

Harnessed by: Cold River Supplies

Best pull: 22,584 pounds on November 7, 2026, in UPF-sanctioned competition

First event: November 7, 2026, where he passed the 22,039-pound world record

Standing: one of the heaviest pulls in the history of the sport

The 22,584-Pound Boerboel Weight Pull

Most dogs spend their first event learning the pad. Winston spent his breaking a world record. His final pull of the day was 22,584 pounds, 545 pounds more than the 22,039-pound mark that had stood since May 9, 2026. He pulled in a harness made by Cold River Supplies. Watch Winston's 22,584-pound pull on Instagram.

What impressed us as much as the number was how he handled the weekend. He travelled well, settled into a new building full of people and noise, and took the attention from the crowd in stride. That is the temperament we want in a working Boerboel.

November 7, 2026: Winston Proves Himself

Every dog that joins our program has to earn its place. Winston did it in one day. He walked into his first weight-pull event with no record to defend and no reputation on the pad, and walked out with one of the heaviest pulls the sport has ever seen.

Put the number in context. Before that weekend, no dog had ever moved more than 22,039 pounds in a federation's published results, and the dogs who reached it were Cold River's Sun Wukong and Cold River's Mr. Wednesday. Winston went past it at his first event, at three years old. The dog who took the record back later that day was his teammate, Cold River's Sun Wukong.

Same Day, Same Pad: Winston and Sun Wukong

Winston's 22,584 pounds did not stand for long. Later that day Cold River's Sun Wukong pulled 23,112 pounds, the new world record in dog weight pull. A single result can be argued about. Two dogs from one program clearing the old record back to back, on the same pad on the same day, is a pattern. Read about Cold River's Sun Wukong and see the full world-record documentation.

Why Winston Belongs Among the Strongest Boerboels in the World

When people talk about the strongest Boerboels in the world, they are talking about a short list, and Winston is now on it:

Cold River's Sun Wukong: 23,112 pounds, November 7, 2026, the current world record.

Allen's Virginia Winston: 22,584 pounds, November 7, 2026, at his first event.

Cold River's Mr. Wednesday: 22,039 pounds, May 9, 2026.

Cold River's Conquest: 21,336 pounds at her first event, as a 128-pound female.

Those are the two heaviest pulls ever recorded in dog weight pull, which puts both dogs at the center of any conversation about the strongest dog in the world. Every pull on that list was moved by a dog trained, conditioned and handled by Cold River Boerboels.

No other Boerboel program has put up numbers like these in this sport: four dogs past 21,000 pounds, the two heaviest pulls ever recorded, and two world records broken on the same day.

Winston was not bred here, but he fits the program for the same reasons our own dogs do: the frame to carry load, the nerve to work in front of a crowd, and the drive to keep pulling when the cart gets heavy. Strength like that is not luck at one event. It is selection, conditioning and handling, and Winston's first event shows it carries over to a dog we brought in as an adult. For the rules, classes and training behind these pulls, see our Boerboel weight pull page.

Build and Temperament

Winston carries an extremely wide chest and heavy, dense bone, the kind of frame that loads weight through the front assembly and drives it through the rear. Just as important, his temperament is stable and easy. He is a dog that can do serious work on the pad and still be an all-around family dog at home, which is exactly what a Boerboel should be.

Why We Brought Winston Into the Program

We do not add a dog to the program for one trait. Winston showed the combination we select for: structure, bone, nerve, drive and recovery. With another year of conditioning, time together and more events ahead, we expect his numbers to keep climbing. Learn more about Cold River Boerboels.

Frequently Asked Questions About Winston

How much weight did Winston pull?

Winston pulled 22,584 pounds on November 7, 2026, in UPF-sanctioned competition at his first weight-pull event. That passed the previous 22,039-pound world record.

Does Winston hold the world record?

Not anymore. Winston broke the 22,039-pound record, and later the same day Cold River's Sun Wukong pulled 23,112 pounds to set the current record.

Is Winston one of the strongest Boerboels in the world?

Yes. At his first event on November 7, 2026, he pulled 22,584 pounds in UPF-sanctioned competition, more than the 22,039-pound world record that stood before that day. Later that day his teammate, Cold River's Sun Wukong, set the current record of 23,112 pounds.

Is Winston the strongest dog in the world?

In weight pulling, the strongest dog in the world is measured by the heaviest pull, and that title belongs to his teammate, Cold River's Sun Wukong, at 23,112 pounds. Winston's 22,584 pounds is the second-heaviest pull on record. Both were set on November 7, 2026, by Cold River dogs.

How old is Winston?

Winston is three years old.

Why doesn't Winston have the Cold River's prefix?

Winston was bred by another breeder and joined our program as an adult. His full name is Allen's Virginia Winston. He is owned, trained, conditioned and handled by Cold River Boerboels.

Winston's Puppies

Winston x Cold River's Caught Red-Handed ("Dosa") puppies were born October 16, 2026. See the litter on our available puppies page or submit a puppy application.