New York, NY- The American Kennel Club (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for the second AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge. This virtual conformation competition is open to all AKC recognized breeds including Miscellaneous breeds. Entries close on August 10th at 12pm ET.
Heading the panel as Best in Show and Best Puppy judge is Dr. Donald Sturz, Jr of Brooklyn, NY.
The entry fee to participate is $25 and a portion of every entry will be donated by AKC to AKC Reunite’s Adopt A K-9 Cop program, which works with AKC Clubs to donate K-9 police dogs to police departments around the United States. This donation will be matched by AKC Reunite. Last month’s event generated a $7,000 donation to Take The Lead.
Entrants can go to AKC.org under the Sports and Events tab to enter and get instructions on how to upload their video. Dogs can be entered in one of two classes, Puppy (at least 6 months and under 12 months) or Open Class (any entry including CH of record) in the appropriate breed and sex. Entries are limited to 100 dogs per breed and is on a first come, first serve basis. Video submissions for each class will be judged individually and placed 1st -4th. Submissions will be judged by selected dog people with expertise in their respective breeds.
Breed judging will take place Friday, August 14th beginning at 12pm ET through Monday, August 17th at 6pm ET, with breed winners announced on Wednesday, August 19th. Group judging will begin on Wednesday, August 19th at 12pm ET and conclude on Friday, August 21st at 12pm ET. Group winners will be announced on Monday, August 24th. Best in Show judging will begin on Monday, August 24th and conclude at 12pm ET on Tuesday, August 25th. Best in Show will be announced on Wednesday, August 26th.
Participants must submit a video that does not exceed 2 minutes in length and must include:
- Dog in stack from the front, side and rear
- Display of the appropriate oral exam for the breed (front, front/sides, front/sides/open, front/open)
- View of the dog gaiting (moving) down and back in a straight line and from the side
- Dog presented in free stack
- View of dog moving in profile around in a circle
Judges for the seven variety groups and the Miscellaneous Class are:
- SPORTING – Mr. Elliott B. Weiss
- HOUND – Ms. Celeste M. Gonzalez
- WORKING – Mrs. Paula Nykiel
- TERRIER – Mr. Wood Wornall
- TOY – Miss Evalyn Gregory
- NON-SPORTING – Mr. Johnny R. Shoemaker
- HERDING – Ms. Linda Robey
- MISCELLANEOUS CLASS – Mr. Jeffery M. Bazell
For more information about the competition, please visit: www.akc.org/sports/conformation/akc-virtual-top-dog-challenge.
Breed Judging for the Virtual Top Dog Challenge
SPORTING GROUP:
BREED ASSIGNMENTS:
Mrs. Meghen Riese-Bassel
Barbet, Brittany, Lagotto Romagnolo, Nederlandse Kooikerhondje, Pointer, Pointer (German Shorthaired), Pointer (German Wirehaired), Spaniel (American Water), Spaniel (Boykin), Spaniel (Clumber), Spaniel (Cocker) ASCOB, Spaniel (Cocker) Black, Spaniel (Cocker) Parti, Spaniel (English Cocker), Spaniel (English Springer), Spaniel (Field), Spaniel (Irish Water), Spaniel (Sussex), Spaniel (Welsh Springer), Spinone Italiano, Vizsla, Weimaraner, Wirehaired Pointing Griffon, Wirehaired Vizsla
Mr. Carl Gene Liepmann
Retriever (Chesapeake Bay), Retriever (Curly-Coated), Retriever (Flat-Coated), Retriever (Golden), Retriever (Labrador), Retriever (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling), Setter (English), Setter (Gordon), Setter (Irish Red and White), Setter (Irish)
HOUND GROUP:
BREED ASSIGNMENTS:
Mr. Edward W. Hall
Afghan Hound, American English Coonhound, American Foxhound, Azawakh, Bloodhound, Bluetick Coonhound, Borzoi, English Foxhound, Greyhound, Harrier, Ibizan Hound, Irish Wolfhound, Norwegian Elkhound, Otterhound, Pharoah Hound, Plott Hound, Redbone Coonhound, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Saluki, Scottish Deerhound, Sloughi, Treeing Walker Coonhound
Dr. Kenneth H. Levison
Basenji, Basset Hound, Beagle (13 in. and under), Beagle (over 13 in.), Cirneco dell’Etna, Dachshund (Longhaired), Dachshund (Smooth), Dachshund (Wirehaired), Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen, Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen, Portuguese Podengo Pequeno, Whippet
WORKING GROUP:
BREED ASSIGNMENTS:
Mrs. Wendy G. Willhauck
Akita, Alaskan Malamute, Anatolian Shepherd Dog, Bernese Mountain Dog, Black Russian Terrier, Boerboel, Boxer, Great Pyrenees, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Komondor, Kuvasz, Leonberger, Mastiff, Neapolitan Mastiff, Samoyed, Siberian Husky, St. Bernard, Tibetan Mastiff
Mr. Norman B. Kenney
Bullmastiff, Cane Corso, Chinook, Doberman Pinscher, Dogo Argentino, Dogue de Bordeaux, German Pinscher, Giant Schnauzer, Great Dane, Newfoundland, Portuguese Water Dog, Rottweiler, Standard Schnauzer
TERRIER GROUP:
BREED ASSIGNMENTS:
Ms. Anne M. Barlow
Airedale Terrier, American Hairless Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Australian Terrier, Bedlington Terrier, Border Terrier, Bull Terrier (Colored), Bull Terrier (White), Cairn Terrier, Cesky Terrier, Dandie Dinmont Terrier, Fox Terrier (Smooth), Fox Terrier (Wire), Glen of Imaal Terrier, Irish Terrier, Kerry Blue Terrier, Lakeland Terrier, Miniature Bull Terrier, Miniature Schnauzer, Norfolk Terrier, Norwich Terrier, Parson Russell Terrier, Rat Terrier, Russell Terrier, Scottish Terrier, Sealyham Terrier, Skye Terrier, Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Welsh Terrier, West Highland White Terrier
Margaret A. Reed
Manchester Terrier (Standard)
TOY GROUP:
BREED ASSIGNMENTS:
Margaret A. Reed
Affenpinscher, Brussels Griffon, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Chihuahua (Long Coat), Chihuahua (Smooth Coat), Chinese Crested, English Toy Spaniel (Blenheim & Prince Charles), English Toy Spaniel (King Charles & Ruby), Havanese, Italian Greyhound, Japanese Chin, Maltese, Manchester Terrier (Toy), Miniature Pinscher, Papillon, Pekingese, Pomeranian, Poodle (Toy), Pug, Shih Tzu, Silky Terrier, Toy Fox Terrier, Yorkshire Terrier
NON-SPORTING GROUP:
BREED ASSIGNMENTS:
Mr. Wayne F. Harmon
American Eskimo Dog, Bichon Frise, Boston Terrier, Bulldog, Chinese Shar-Pei, Chow Chow, Coton de Tulear, Dalmatian, Finnish Spitz, French Bulldog, Keeshond, Lhasa Apso, Lowchen, Norwegian Lundehund, Schipperke, Shiba Inu, Tibetan Spaniel, Tibetan Terrier, Xoloitzcuintli
Margaret A. Reed
Poodle (Miniature), Poodle (Standard)
HERDING GROUP:
BREED ASSIGNMENTS:
Amy Gau
Australian Cattle Dog, Australian Shepherd, Bearded Collie, Beauceron, Entlebucher Mountain Dog, Finnish Lapphund, German Shepherd Dog, Icelandic Sheepdog, Miniature American Shepherd, Norwegian Buhund, Old English Sheepdog, Polish Lowland Sheepdog, Puli, Pumi, Pyrenean Shepherd, Spanish Water Dog, Swedish Vallhund
Harry H. Schulman
Belgian Laekenois, Belgian Malinois, Belgian Sheepdog, Belgian Tervuren, Bergamasco Sheepdog, Berger Picard, Border Collie, Bouvier des Flandres, Briard, Canaan Dog, Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Collie (Rough), Collie (Smooth), Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Shetland Sheepdog
MISCELLANEOUS CLASS:
BREED ASSIGNMENTS:
Mr. Jeffery M. Bazell
Biewer Terrier, Bracco Italiano, Dutch Shepherd, Lancashire Heeler, Mudi, Norrbottenspets, Peruvian Inca Orchid, Portuguese Podengo, Russian Toy, Teddy Roosevelt Terrier
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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