2019 AKC National Championship Judging Panel Now Available

NEW YORK, Jan. 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Kennel Club^® (AKC^®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for the 2019 AKC National Championship to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, December 14 and Sunday, December 15, 2019.

The 2019 event will showcase the top national and international canine athletes and will also include popular attractions such as the Best Bred-by-Exhibitor competition, the AKC National Owner-Handled Series Finals, AKC Meet the Breeds^® and the NADD/AKC Dock Diving National Championship.  The show will once again take place alongside the AKC Agility Invitational and AKC Obedience Classic, with junior events in each sport.

Heading the panel as Best in Show judge for the 2019 National Championship is Mrs. Dorothy Collier of Sapphire, NC and Dr. Thomas Davies of Brimfield, MA will judge Best Bred-by-Exhibitor in Show.

"We have a fabulous lineup of judges this year, and with Dorothy and Tom leading the charge, it's sure to be a thrilling competition," said Show Chairman Dennis B. Sprung.

Judges for the seven variety groups and the Miscellaneous Classes at the AKC National Championship are:

SPORTING – Mr. Carl Liepman – Flushing, MI
HOUND – Mr. Guy Jeavons – Moffat, ON
WORKING – Dr. Robert Indeglia – Narragansette, RI
TERRIER – Mrs. Rozalind Kramer – Charlottesville, VA
TOY – Mr. Ronald H. Menaker – Jupiter, FL
NON-SPORTING – Mr. David Kirkland – Sanford, NC
HERDING – Mr. James Moses – Wentzville, NC
MISCELLANEOUS CLASSES – Mr. Chuck Trotter – Caramel, CA

BEST JUNIOR HANDLER – Mrs. Victoria Seiler-Cushman – Xenia, OH
JUNIOR PRELIMS – Mr. Blake Hansen and Mrs. Cheslie Pickett-Smithey

Judges for the seven Bred-by-Exhibitor variety groups are:

SPORTING – Mrs. Paula Hartinger – Cincinnati, OH
HOUND – Ms. Patricia Trotter – Caramel, CA
WORKING – Ms. Rita Biddle – Eagle, MI
TERRIER – Mr. Bruce Schwartz – Los Angeles, CA
TOY – Miss Evalyn Gregory – Louisville, KY
NON-SPORTING – Mrs. Charlotte Patterson – Destin, FL
HERDING – Mrs. Lynette Saltzman – Westport, CT

Breed and group judges for the 2019 National Owner-Handled Series are:

BEST IN SHOW: Dr. Carmen Battaglia

SPORTING GROUP – Mr. Desmond Murphy
SPORTING BREEDS – Mr. Desmond Murphy & Mrs. Joan Savage

HOUND GROUP – Mr. Elliott Weiss
HOUND BREEDS – Mr. Elliott Weiss & Mr. Allen Odom

WORKING GROUP & BREEDS – Mr. James Moses

TERRIER GROUP & BREEDS – Mr. Guy Jeavons

TOY GROUP & BREEDS – Ms. Margaret Reed

NON-SPORTING GROUP & BREEDS – Mr. Robin Stansell

HERDING GROUP – Mrs. Cindy Stansell
HERDING BREEDS – Mrs. Cindy Stansell & Ms. Marie Ann Falconer

*Specific breed judging assignments will be available in the Premium List

BREED JUDGING FOR THE AKC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP:

About Best in Show judge Dorothy Collier:
Dorothy Collier, of Sapphire, North Carolina, has been active in the sport of purebred dogs since 1968.  She is best-known for her success in Komondors with many champions, Best in Show dogs, and top producers from her Summithill Kennels.  She began judging in the early 1980s and is now licensed to judge the Working and Herding groups and Best in Show.  Mrs. Collier has judged many of the major dog shows in America, including Best in Show at Westminster KC in 1997, and may foreign countries.

Mrs. Collier is a founding member of Take the Lead and a longtime member of the Komondor Club of America.  She is also an active member of several all-breed clubs.

About Best Bred-By-Exhibitor judge Dr. Thomas Davies:
Dr. Thomas Davies, of Brimfield, Massachusetts, was introduced to the world of purebred dogs after his college graduation in 1967. Dr. Davies became president of the Bearded Collie Club of America and oversaw its entrance into the AKC Stud Book. He is an honorary lifetime member of that club and is the author of the Bearded Collie standard.

In the mid-1980s, Dr. Davies became deeply involved in Siberian Huskies and Belgian Sheepdogs. He and his wife, Roberta, have bred and finished many champions in all three of their breeds. Dr. Davies judges the Herding Group, many Working breeds and Best in Show.

He has served as president and show chairman of the Springfield, KC and is the club's AKC Delegate. He is the longtime show chair for Springfield and previously for the country's first Working Group club, the Connecticut River Working Group Association, for which he is vice president. Dr. Davies is retired after more than 30 years in various areas of scientific research, and product and market development.

About the American Kennel Club
Founded in 1884, the American Kennel Club is a not-for-profit organization which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function.  Along with its more than 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 22,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Reunite and the AKC Museum of the Dog.  For more information, visit www.akc.org.

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SOURCE American Kennel Club

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