Puppies and people are running low to see who will be crowned best on the show at the final of the Westminster Dog Show on Wednesday night. Three more canine candidates will be named finalists, along with the four furry finalists named on Tuesday night. Only one of the seven will win the coveted Best in Show title. The finalists, who have not yet been determined, will be judged against a hound named Trumpet, a French bulldog following Winston, an elegant Maltese named Hollywood, and River, a German Shepherd. Trumpet the bloodhound won the hound category with facial features and diskettes as it earned other hounds, garnering publicity and applause, Heather Helmer’s pilot and owner told Fox Sports shortly after his victory. The non-athletic team may be one of the oldest categories in the history of dog shows, but there is nothing superior to Winston, the bulldog who managed to beat 20 other non-athletic dogs for first place. Winston’s cute steps on the floor to show off his stature were met with enthusiastic applause from the spectators and even more so when he emerged victorious. Excellent in the competition is not unknown to Winston, who is one of the owners of the Los Angeles Chargers lineman Morgan Fox. “If my parents felt that way watching my games all these years, I apologize,” he wrote on Twitter while watching the show. The “big ears of the bat”, the round eyes and the good genes of Winston make him excellent in his class, said the pilot and co-owner of Perry Payson to Fox Sports shortly after the victory. In Hollywood, the Maltese also showed what perfection looks like in a toy. Her neat white hair followed behind her like a paparazzi as she jogged along the green stage to be judged. “She has a beautiful hair texture,” said her operator, Tim Lehman. “I think it’s a great representation of what a Maltese should look like.” Lehman said Hollywood loves being in the ring and living out of competition. The German Shepherd River seemed to be floating in first place in the shepherds’ category, leaving about two dozen other dogs licking their wounds in defeat. When asked by his handler, Lenny R. Brown, what set River apart from other first-class dogs in its class, the answer was simple: “The standard.” Live coverage of the event can be broadcast on the Westminster Kennel Club website from 7 p.m. until 11 p.m. EST.
