TARRYTOWN, N.Y. (WCIA) – A bloodhound from Illinois took home the top prize at the prestigious Westminster Dog Show Wednesday night, becoming the first-ever dog of his breed to win Best in Show.
His show name is Toot My Own Horn, but he’s also goes by Trumpet.
The four-year-old bloodhound won the competition’s top honor after being chosen as the best of his breed and group the previous day. He is the 146th champion of the national event, and the seventh hound to ever win the honor.
Trumpet, who competed officially as “Toot Your Own Horn,” is the seventh hound to win Best in Show and the first bloodhound. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Trumpet is owned by Chris and Bryan Flessner, Heather Buehner and Tina Kocar.
Buehner has been Trumpet’s handler ever since he started competing at 10 months of age.
“He was kind of born a show dog; his father won the Hound group at Westminster in 2014,” Buehner said. “So, we had high hopes for Trumpet.”
Almost 3,500 dogs took part in the 2022 competition, representing around 200 breeds in total. Runners-up included a French bulldog, a German shepherd, a Maltese, an English setter, a Samoyed and a Lakeland terrier.