Winston the French Bulldog has won ‘Best in Show,’ the top spot, at the 2022 National Dog Show

Winston the French Bulldog has won ‘Best in Show,’ the top spot, at the 2022 National Dog Show. 

He becomes the first French Bulldog in HISTORY to win the competition’s top prize.Winston, a cream-colored French bulldog, claimed top honors at this year’s National Dog Show. The three-year-old beat out six other finalists for best in show at the annual event, hosted by the Kennel Club of Philadelphia and broadcast by NBC on Thanksgiving Day.

After he was announced winner, Winston was hoisted into the air and whirled above the royal-blue carpet by his handler and co-owner, Perry Payson. There was a huge cheer from the crowd. Winston sported a big smile.

Payson later took Winston into the audience so people could pet him.

“He walked over to the people and they were just like touching a movie star. We just had never seen anything quite like that. It was an explosion of applause,” said Wayne Ferguson, president of the Philadelphia kennel club.

Winston has several owners, including NFL player Morgan Fox, a defensive end for the Los Angeles Chargers. He helped raise Winston as a puppy. One of the show’s announcers quipped that the small but muscular Winston “runs like a little linebacker.”

Claire, a Scottish deerhound, has won the National Dog Show for the 2nd time

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Claire, a Scottish deerhound, has won the National Dog Show for the 2nd time

Winston — whose registered show name is GCHP Fox Canyon’s I Won The War at Goldshield — has collected a number of titles over the years. This win marks his 78th best in show title, making Winston the No. 1 ranked all-breed canine in the U.S.

This year, the American Kennel Club approved three new breeds to compete in the National Dog Show: the Bracco Italiano, the Russian toy and the mudi.

Winston had already won in his non-sporting group before heading into the final round. There he beat out an American Staffordshire terrier named Trouble from the terrier group, Reus the Alaskan Malamute from the working group, Nate the Treeing Walker Coonhound from the hound group, Sloane the Irish water spaniel of the sporting group, River the German shepherd from the herding group and Cooper the English toy spaniel from the toy group.

Winston, who was aptly described by a cheerleader on social media as a “perfect ball of marzipan”, is now the highest-ranked all-breed dog in the country, with this latest win delivering him his 78th best in show title.

The show marked its 21st year this Thanksgiving and featured more than 1,500 contestants from 200 breeds, according to People.

“He is a show dog with personality and beauty and a perfect fit for the breed,” Vicki Seiler-Cushman, the 2022 National Dog Show’s “best in show” judge, said in a statement to People.

“He has a razzle-dazzle that says, ‘I am here to win tonight,’” Seiler-Cushman added. “You can just tell that he can also go home and be the perfect pet.”

“We’ve had a lot of support, and that’s what happens with a dog of this quality,” he added.

It’s no easy task competing against a large pool of participants oozing with charisma. The dogs also have to go through the “best in breed” category to be cleared for an opportunity in the “best in show” pool.

The show was hosted by Seinfeld’s John O’Hurley and David Frei, an expert on dogs.

Winston first won best in his group, the non-sporting group, beating out 20 other breeds, then advanced to compete against the other group winners, according to NBC Sports. In total, he beat out 1,500 dogs for the title. 

An English toy spaniel was named reserve best in show, or first runner-up. 

In 2020 and 2021, a Scottish deerhound named Claire won, making history as the first to win best in show two consecutive years at the prestigious dog show.

“When you look at a French bulldog and you read the standard, and you see this dog, he fits the standard perfectly,” Winston’s handler, Perry Payson of Bixby, Oklahoma, said after his win at the National Dog Show.

Winston is co-owned by Payson and NFL player Morgan Fox and his family. Fox, who plays for the Los Angeles Chargers, tweeted when Winston won in his group during the Westminster Kennel Club dog show: “If this is how my parents felt watching my games all these years I apologize.”

Three new breeds were added to the National Dog Show roster this year: the Russian toy in the toy group, the Mudi in the herding group, and the Bracco Italiano in the sporting group. (Read More Here).