Royal Canin and American Kennel Club Announce Renewal of Multi-Year Agreement to Sponsor the Nation's Largest Dog Show

The five-year renewal preserves Royal Canin as the title and exclusive pet food sponsor of the AKC National Championship

ST. CHARLES, Mo., July 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ROYAL CANIN^® U.S., a division of Mars, Incorporated, and leader in pet health nutrition, and The American Kennel Club (AKC^®), the world's largest purebred dog registry and leading advocate for all dogs, have announced a five-year renewal of its multi-year agreement for Royal Canin to serve as the title and exclusive pet food sponsor of the AKC National Championship. The AKC National Championship dog show is the largest dog show in North America, which features thousands of dogs competing for the coveted title of America's National Champion.

As one of the world's premiere dog events, entrants must qualify at prior events during the year before being able to compete at the AKC National Championship. In 2023, the show saw a record-breaking number of submissions; more than 5,700 dogs competed in the 23^rd year of the event, featuring representation across all 200 AKC recognized breeds.

"At Royal Canin, we're passionate about breeds and what makes each one incredibly unique," said Daryn Brown, Regional President, Royal Canin North America. "We are thrilled to continue our long-term partnership with the American Kennel Club to celebrate the magnificence of each breed on the largest stage in the country."

In addition to title sponsorship of the AKC National Championship, Royal Canin sponsorship will extend across several AKC programs, including AKC® Breeder of Merit, Breeder Education, Breed of the Day, Dog Name Finder and MyAKC Tool.

"The AKC National Championship is a celebration of the top canine competitors in the country, as well as the beauty of the human and canine bond," said Dennis B. Sprung, President and CEO, AKC. "Our treasured relationship with Royal Canin has enabled this cornerstone event to grow to recordbreaking entries each year. We are very proud to continue this relationship and showcase the best our sport has to offer."

As a part of the agreement, EUKANUBA™ will serve as the official partner of the AKC Humane Fund Awards for Canine Excellence (ACE Awards), a special program that celebrates loyal, hard-working dogs that have significantly improved the lives of their owners and/or communities.

The 2024 AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin will be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, December 14 and Sunday, December 15, 2024.

To learn more about the AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin, visit https://www.akc.org/sports/conformation/national-championship/.  

About Royal Canin USA
Royal Canin USA, a subsidiary of Mars, Incorporated is a leader in science-based cat and dog health nutrition. Founded by a veterinarian in 1968, Royal Canin has more than 50 years of experience in delivering individualized nutritional solutions. In collaboration with an expert team of nutritionists, breeders, and veterinarians from around the world, Royal Canin places cats and dogs at the central point of the innovation process. The Royal Canin product line offers a range of diets based on size, age, breed, lifestyle, and therapeutic requirements. Royal Canin diets are available at veterinary hospitals and pet specialty stores nationwide. To learn more about Royal Canin, visit www.royalcanin.com and follow us on Instagram at @royalcaninus.

About MARS, INCORPORATED
Mars, Incorporated is driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. As a global, family-owned business, Mars is transforming, innovating, and evolving to make a positive impact on the world. Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of quality confectionery, food, and pet care products and services, we employ 140,000+ dedicated Associates. With more than $47 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world's best-loved brands including Ben's Original™, CESAR®, Cocoavia®, DOVE®, EXTRA®, KIND®, M&M's®, SNICKERS®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, and WHISKAS®. We are creating a better world for pets through our global network of pet hospitals and diagnostic services – including AniCura, BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, Linnaeus and VCA™ – using cutting edge technology to develop breakthrough programs in genetic health screening and DNA testing. For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

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 26,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred and mixed breed dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, scent work, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Reunite, AKC Purebred Preservation Bank, and the AKC Museum of the Dog. AKC Clubs comprise America's largest rescue network. For more information, visit www.akc.org.  

SOURCE Royal Canin