Trumpet is 1st bloodhound to win Westminster show
Now this hound has something to toot his horn about.
A bloodhound named Trumpet won the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on June 22, marking the first time the breed has ever snared U.S. dogdom’s most coveted Best in Show prize.
Rounding the finalists’ ring with a poised and powerful stride, Trumpet beat a French bulldog, a German shepherd, a Maltese, an English setter, a Samoyed and a Lakeland terrier to take the trophy.
“I was shocked,” said handler, co-breeder and co-owner Heather Helmer, who also goes by Heather Buehner. The competition was stiff, “and sometimes I feel the bloodhound is a bit of an underdog.”
After making dog show history, does Trumpet have a sense of how special he is?
“I think he does,” his Berlin Center, Ohio-based handler said.
After his victory, Trumpet posed patiently for countless photos, eventually starting to do what bloodhounds do best – sniff around. He examined some decorative flowers that had been set up for the pictures, not appearing to find anything of note.
Winston, a French bulldog co-owned by NFL defensive lineman Morgan Fox, took second in the nation’s most prestigious dog show.
“I’m just so proud of him and the whole team,” Fox said by text afterward.
Fox, who was just signed by the Los Angeles Chargers and has played for the Los Angeles Rams and the Carolina Panthers, got Winston from his grandmother, Sandy Fox. She has bred and shown Frenchies for years.
Morgan Fox grew up with one and says that as he watched Winston mature, he knew the dog was a winner in both appearance and character. He went into Westminster as the top-ranked dog in the country.
“He’s a joy to be around,” Fox said by phone before Winston’s award. “He always walks around with as much of a smile on his face as a dog can have.”