French Bulldog Winston has won Best in Show at the 21st Annual National Dog Show Presented by Purina.
Around 20 million people watched Winston take top spot on NBC on Thanksgiving Day after the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The pooch beat hundreds of dogs alongside his handler Perry Payson, from Oklahoma.
The “Perfect Pet” Is Best in Show
“He is a show dog with personality and beauty and a perfect fit for the breed,” said Vicki Seiler-Cushman, the 2022 National Dog Show’s Best In Show judge. “He has a razzle-dazzle that says, ‘I am here to win tonight.’ You can just tell that he can also go home and be the perfect pet.”
However, this isn’t Winston’s first rodeo. The win is actually the canine’s 78th Best in Show title, and he’s currently the top ranked all-breed dog in the country.
Winston has a number of dog parents, and they include NFL star Morgan Fox, who plays as a defensive end for the Los Angeles Chargers and cared for Winston while he was a puppy.
“I get excited every time, and so does Winston,” said handler Payson. “The National Dog Show in Philadelphia, with the television exposure on Thanksgiving Day, is obviously special. We’ve had a lot of support, and that’s what happens with a dog of this quality.”
Many Good Dogs
At the dog show, Winston also won the Best in Group prize for the Non-Sporting Group, and was joined by six other pups in the final round. There was Sloane the Irish Water Spaniel from the Sporting Group, Cooper the English Toy Spaniel from the Toy Group, River the German Shepherd from the Herding Group, Reus the Alaskan Malamute from the Working Group, Trouble the American Staffordshire Terrier from the Terrier Group, and Nate the Treeing Walker Coonhound from the Hound Group.
Cooper took second place, to get Reserve Best in Show.
If you missed the dog show but want to catch up, there’s an encore presentation tomorrow (Nov. 26) from 8-10 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.
