Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show: Trumpet is the first ever bloodhound to win Best in Show

Trumpet, a bloodhound, was crowned the Best in Show winner at the 146th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show finale on Wednesday night, the first of his breed to take the competition’s top award.

Trumpet beat a French bulldog, a German shepherd, a Maltese, an English setter, a Samoyed and a Lakeland terrier to take the trophy.

The show is the second-oldest continuous sporting event in the US, after the Kentucky Derby and crowned its winner from among contenders who won in previous best-in-group competitions.

Trumpet, who is 4 years old, is owned by Chris and Bryan Flessner, Heather Buehner and Tina Kocar, according to the show’s organisers.

He was the winner of the hound category, showing off his facial folds and floppy ears, and accepting his award to cheers from his handler and owner Heather Helmer.

According to their classifications, bloodhounds are “one of the oldest breeds of dogs that hunt by scent,” and a discovery by a trained bloodhound can be used in a court of law.

A French bulldog, Winston, took home the Reserve Best In Show title, and one of his owners is NFL defensive lineman Morgan Fox.

His father, Nathan, has also won the hound group at Westminster, but never Best in Show.

“I’m just ecstatic,” Helmer said outside the ring, adding that Trumpet “has a lot of attitude and he’s a little crazy.”

The show began Saturday at the Lyndhurst Estate in Tarrytown, New York, marking its second year at the location instead of its usual home at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.

The competition was originally relocated due to Covid concerns.

Nearly 3,500 dogs, from more than 200 breeds and varieties, took part in the competition.

The winners’ list in full:

The show’s seven finalists had won their individual group competitions. Here’s who won in each of the groups:

• Hound: Trumpet the Bloodhound

• Toy: Hollywood the Maltese

• Non-sporting: Winston the French Bulldog

• Herding: River the German Shepherd

• Sporting: Belle the English Setter

• Working: Striker the Samoyed

• Terrier: MM the Lakeland