Your candle burned out long before the ugly ever did.

The passing last fall of the three-time champion of the world's ugliest dog contest left the field in this year's competition wide open, but it appears there were only pretenders to the throne of the late hell-hound that masqueraded as Sam the dog.

Take a look for yourself:


The new champ (left) is a purebread Chinese crested from Arizona named Archie.

The organizers should have taken one look at the field, canceled the competition, and given Sam the award in posthumous perpetuity.