Editorial: January 3, 2025

A Big Ending

The 24th AKC National Championship Dog Show presented by Royal Canin ended the dog-show calendar year in grand style. There were 5,476 dogs with a total of 5,632 entries in 224 breeds and varieties with a judging panel of 40. Each year the entries at this event grow as it seems to run smoother and smoother with age. It is no small task to organize this event; as Hillary Clinton once stated, “It takes a village.” This particular village consisted of show chairman American Kennel Club president Dennis Sprung with Jason Taylor of Royal Canin as assistant chairman. Event coordinators are Michael Canalizo and Joseph Carini. Various other positions of importance include travel coordinator and judges hospitality Paula Spector, chief ring steward Tim Thomas and Junior Showmanship coordinator Mari-Beth O’Neill. The Best in Show line-up was heavy in quality and reputation. Judge Carl Liepmann had the honor of judging the final seven. Owing to illness he replaced Terry Stacy, who was the scheduled judge. From Sporting to Herding, the seven finalists all put on a wonderful show, with the nation’s number-one dog on the Dog News Top Ten rating system, the Giant Schnauzer GChG Hearthmore’s Wintergreen Mountain RI COC TKN FITB, owned by Sandra Nordstrom, Katherine Bernardin and Cherlann Ambrose and handled by Katie Bernardin, taking Best in Show. Reserve Best in Show went to the Black Afghan Hound GCHP2 Tamarack Valley View River Of Dreams, owned by Alicia Morrison and Jamie Souza Bartlett and handled by Alicia Morrison. The other group winners were the Gordon Setter GChB Tamarack Valley View River Of Dreams, owned by Dr. Ellen Shanahan and Stacy Threlfall, handled by Stacy Threlfall; Welsh Terrier GCHB Studio Be Curious Jp Justice Hero, owned by Jill See, Yuko Iguchi, and Gabriel and Ivonne Rangel, handled by Gabriel Rangel; the Miniature Pinscher Ch. Rexroth Kimmo Valentina, owned by Steve Lesley Walters, Kimberly Calvacca and Robin Green, handled by Kimberly Calvacca; the Bichon Frise GChS Top Speed Neal, owned by Ellen Charles, Fan Yang and Nancy Brown, handled by Lisa Bettis, and the German Shepherd Dog GChP Kale’s Mercedes, owned by Cynthian Wilhelmy and Sheree Moses, handled by Kent Boyles. The Best Bred-by Exhibitor, judged by Beth Sweigart, was the Great Dane GChP Eb The Relentless Pursuit of Perfection, owned by Pedro and Elena Bustillo, Elyades Betancourt and Rosario Pineiro, handled by Elyades Betancourt. The winner of the Owner-Handled competition was the Bernese Mountain Dog GChG Windfall Adesa 2 Wire Winter @ Emerald Man CD RN FDC CGC, owned by Elisabeth Dennehy, William Rogers, Kris Hayko and Bobbi Kinley-Blewett, shown by Elisabeth Dennehy. The Best Junior was selected by a Junior of the past, Patricia Proctor, and she found her winner in Lila Holberg. Until next year, on Saturday and Sunday, December 13 and 14, 2025.