A French bulldog with “personality and beauty”, owing to his “razzle-dazzle”, is the winner of the National Dog Show, which aired on Thursday following the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade.
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.”
A bouncy, crowd-pleasing French Bulldog, Winston, was declared Best In Show at Philadelphia’s prestigious National Dog Show Presented by Purina, Thanksgiving Day. Winston has 78 Best In Shows in his career. Perry Payson of Bixby, Oklahoma, guided Winston to the win as handler. pic.twitter.com/8O6DFjAQi7
— National Dog Show (@TheNatlDogShow) November 24, 2022
The NFL player Morgan Fox, who partly owns the group that handles Winston, celebrated his win. “I get excited every time, and so does Winston,” he said, adding that exposure from a show like this, with an estimated 20 million viewers, makes it very special.
“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.
