Trumpet the Bloodhound has been crowned Best in Show at the 2022 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, becoming the first dog of his breed to ever be granted the title. It was already obvious that he is a very good boy, but now he has a ribbon to prove it.
This year almost 3,500 canine contestants competed in the Westminster Dog Show, with the judges gradually whittling them down in the lead-up to the final judging in Tarrytown, NY on Wednesday night. The large turnout was helped by the addition of two newly eligible breeds, which were officially recognised by the American Kennel Club for the first time this year: the Hungarian farm dog Mudi and the Russian Toy. This meant that in 2022 there were 211 different dog breeds which could be entered into the show.
Yet it was the Bloodhounds that came out on top this time, with Trumpet taking out first place while Winston the French Bulldog came runner-up. The Westminster Dog Show chooses its Best in Show from the group winners, meaning four-year-old Trumpet had to top the Hound group before also beating out the best of the Sporting, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting, and Herding groups.
“There were seven beautiful dogs in that ring,” said Trumpet’s handler Heather Helmer Buehner. “I feel like sometimes a bloodhound might be a little bit of an underdog. So I was absolutely thrilled.”
Credit: Tayfun Coskun / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Credit: Tayfun Coskun / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Credit: Tayfun Coskun / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Credit: Tayfun Coskun / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
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Credit: Tayfun Coskun / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Credit: Tayfun Coskun / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Credit: Tayfun Coskun / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Credit: Tayfun Coskun / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Credit: Tayfun Coskun / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
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Credit: Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images
Credit: Tayfun Coskun / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Credit: Tayfun Coskun / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
While Trumpet’s floppy ears and robust wrinkles may not be to every dog lover’s personal taste, the Westminster Dog Show’s judges are fortunately more objective in their assessment. Entrants are assessed against a uniform, written “ideal” of what their specific breed should be, so having a preference for Greyhounds over Maltese Terriers should have no adverse impact on a dog’s score.
Surprisingly, Trumpet is a relative newcomer to dog shows, having participated in his first competition at the beginning of this year. If this excellent start is any indication, this furry good boy is hopefully in for a long and successful career of strutting his stuff.
