N E W S and N O T E S



2008-2009 AKC® NEWS



ORLANDO TO HOST AKC/EUKANUBA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2011

Show to be Held in New Location at Orange County Convention Center in Florida

The American Kennel Club® is pleased to announce that the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship will be returning to Orlando, Florida following the 2010 AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in Long Beach, California. The 2011 show will take place December 17th and 18th in Orlando. The event has previously been hosted in Orlando, Tampa and Long Beach.

“In an effort to satisfy constituent requests for balanced geographical representation and to accommodate our continued growth, we have selected a new venue in Orlando, Florida to host the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship for the next several years,” said AKC Chairman Ronald Menaker. “We appreciate the excellent service the city of Long Beach and its Convention Center have provided us and we know that our world-class event will share the same success in Orlando.”

The 2011 show will be held at the new “state of the art” Orange County Convention Center, the second largest convention center in the nation. Situated in the heart of Orlando’s tourism district and only 15 minutes away from the Orlando International Airport, the convention center is surrounded by more than 113,000 hotel rooms. Amenities on-site include three full-service restaurants, eight food courts and parking. Its prime location on International Drive will offer exhibitors hundreds of outstanding shopping, dining and entertainment options.

“We are excited about the opportunity to host the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in this award-winning facility with over 600,000 square feet of space,” said Michael Canalizo, Director of AKC Event Management. “We know it will provide all of our exhibitors and competitors a great platform in which to compete.”

“We are so pleased that the American Kennel Club has once again selected Orlando to host their AKC/Eukanuba National Championship for 2011 through 2015. Families, often including their pets, enjoy visiting Orlando year round. We are thrilled to welcome the show’s more than 25,000 attendees to our exciting destination during these upcoming prestigious international events,” said Gary Sain, president and CEO of the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc.

As in the past, three days of shows held by local clubs will precede the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship. The Brevard Kennel Club, Central Florida Kennel Club and Space Coast Kennel Club of Palm Bay shows will take place at the same site December 14-16, 2011.

“The ‘Orlando Cluster’ of dog shows is excited about the return of the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship to the East Coast and look forward to hosting this event with the American Kennel Club and Eukanuba beginning in 2011,” said Central Florida Kennel Club Cluster Liaison and Show Chairman Linda Rowell. “We are planning a dog show week like no other in the dog world!”

The 2011 event will continue to showcase the top American dogs as well as offer the popular Bred-by-Exhibitor competition, AKC Meet the Breeds® and the Eukanuba World Challenge. The AKC National Obedience Invitational and AKC Agility Invitational will be held in conjunction with the event.


AKC Announces Board of Directors Election Results

New York, NY – The Annual Meeting of the AKC Delegates took place on March 10, 2009. Four new Directors have been elected: Lee Arnold, Delegate from the Southern Colorado Kennel Club; Carl C. Ashby, III, Delegate from the United States Kerry Blue Terrier Club, Inc; Alan Kalter, Delegate from the American Bullmastiff Association; and Dr. Robert D. Smith, Delegate from the Memphis Kennel Club. Due to term limits taking effect for the first time this year, there were no incumbent candidates. In addition, Ronald H. Menaker was re-elected as Chairman of the Board and Dr. Thomas M. Davies was elected as the new Vice Chairman of the Board at a meeting of the AKC Board of Directors, convened after the Delegate Meeting.

Ronald H. Menaker has been the Chairman of the AKC Board of Directors since 2002. Menaker represents the Rockford-Freeport Illinois Kennel Club and is Show Chairman for AKC/Eukanuba National Championship. An active participant in the sport of purebred dogs for nearly 40 years, he bred and exhibited Giant Schnauzers, and has also shown Bedlington Terriers and Norfolk Terriers. A licensed AKC judge since 1994, Menaker is approved to judge Best in Show, all Working breeds, all Sporting breeds and several Terrier breeds. Menaker is also a member of the Board of Overseers for the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School.

Menaker is a retired Managing Director and Head of Corporate Services of J.P. Morgan & Co. Incorporated of New York, and a past President and Director of J. P. Morgan Services, Inc. He is also the Vice Chairman and past Chairman of New York Downtown Hospital. Menaker resides in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey with his wife Kathy.

Dr. Thomas M. Davies, AKC Delegate for the Springfield Kennel Club, was first elected to the Board in 2000 and has served on the Public Relations Committee, the Events and Clubs Committee, and the Breeders Committee. Most recently, he chaired the Group Realignment Committee.

He was introduced to the world of purebred dogs through his interest in Old English Sheepdogs after his college graduation in 1967. Dr. Davies has been involved in several breeds, but has had significant influence on the Bearded Collie. His involvement with the breed began before its official recognition by the AKC when he served as president of the Bearded Collie Club of America. While at this post, Davies was responsible for getting the breed into the AKC Stud Book. He is an honorary lifetime member of the club and is the author of the Bearded Collie standard.

In the mid-80s, Dr. Davies became deeply involved in Siberian Huskies and Belgian Sheepdogs. He and his wife have bred and finished many champions in all three breeds. Today, they concentrate exclusively on Siberian Huskies.

Dr. Davies continues to be an active member of the fancy. He is an approved judge for Bearded Collies, Old English Sheepdogs, Siberian Huskies and eleven herding breeds. He has served as show chairman for the Springfield Kennel Club and for the Connecticut River Working Group Association, the country’s first Working Group club. He has also served in various capacities for many all-breed and specialty clubs.

Professionally, Dr. Davies retired from the Bayer Corporation after more than thirty years in various areas of scientific research and product development. He currently resides in Brimfield, Massachusetts with his wife Roberta.

Lee Arnold of Bedminster, NJ entered the dog world in 1984. He and his wife breed and exhibit Chinese Shar-Pei and have produced champions and Best in Show winners. He has served as treasurer and board member for the Ramapo Kennel Club, as the AKC Delegate for the Southern Colorado Kennel Club, as a board member of the Somerset Hills Kennel Club, and was a founding member and President of the Non-Sporting Group of the Garden State. He is also active in the Stewards Club of America.

The chairman of the Chinese Shar-Pei Charitable Trust since 1995, Mr. Arnold has raised over $250,000 for research on diseases affecting the breed. He also joined the Board of the AKC Canine Health Foundation in 1997, and currently serves as the organization’s vice-chairman.

A graduate of Emerson College and a recipient of a Masters Degree in Communication Arts from Boston University, Mr. Arnold has worked in broadcasting as an on-air personality, music director, program director and news anchor. For the past ten years, he has commentated on ESPN and Animal Planet dog shows.

Carl C. Ashby III of Greensboro, NC became involved in the sport of dogs in 1971 through the obedience ring. He and his wife quickly developed an interest in the conformation ring and bought their first Kerry Blue Terrier in 1972. Since then, they have bred and exhibited Best in Show winners, specialty winners and 25 champions.

Mr. Ashby joined the Forsyth Kennel Club in 1973 and has served as board member, show chairperson and treasurer. He has also been active in the Virginia Kennel Club and Carolina Kennel Club. He was a founding member of the Carolina Terrier Association and has been Delegate for the United States Kerry Blue Terrier Club, Inc. since the late 1980s. As a Delegate, he has served on the Delegate Advocacy and Advancement Committee, the All-Breed Club Committee and the Perspectives Committee. As past chairperson of the United States Kerry Blue Terrier Charitable Fund, Mr. Ashby helped to raise $50,000 dedicated to health and future of the breed.

Mr. Ashby worked for AT&T for 27 years, ultimately becoming President of Custom Manufacturing Services, one of only 23 business units in the company. He grew the unit from sales of $15 million to sales of over $200 million with 900 employees, two factories and nationally known customers. He is currently employed as president and majority owner of Ann Crittenden, Inc., which owns and operates a chain of Hallmark Gold Crown Card stores.

Alan Kalter of Ann Arbor, MI has been an active breeder and exhibitor of Bullmastiffs for over 20 years. Mr. Kalter has produced 140 champions, including Best in Show winners, Specialty winners and five generations of Group winners, under the HappyLegs prefix.

As the Vice-President and Treasurer of the Detroit Kennel Club, Mr. Kalter developed the marketing campaign for the two benched shows that attract tens of thousands of purebred dog lovers each year. He has also served as Delegate for the American Bullmastiff Association. Additionally, Mr. Kalter is a founding board member of the AKC Political Action Committee and also a member of the three-person committee responsible for evaluating recipients of legislative donations.

As the owner and CEO of Doner, a multinational, multibillion dollar advertising agency employing 1000 people throughout 11 offices in three countries, Mr. Kalter has contributed pro bono marketing to the AKC, originating the “We’re more than champion dogs. We’re the dog’s champion.” tagline. He has also developed communications campaigns for the Morris Animal Foundation, including the Canine Cancer Campaign.

Dr. Robert D. Smith of St. Stephens Church, VA has been involved in the sport for 47 years, primarily as a breeder/owner/handler of American Foxhounds. Elected to the AKC Board for the first time in 1997, he served for five years, proposing the creation of a Registered Handlers Program and the Breeders Education Program. Both initiatives were adopted and ran successfully.

He served as Huntington Kennel Club’s Delegate from 1996 until 2002 and has held every office and most committee positions in kennel clubs in several states. Currently, he serves as the delegate from the Memphis Kennel Club.

Approved by AKC to judge two breeds in 1969, Dr. Smith became an all-breed judge in 1996. Still active today, he has judged in forty-nine states and many foreign countries, and presided over Best in Show at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in December 2008.

Professionally, Dr. Smith ran highly successful small business programs for the states of Mississippi and Virginia, retiring in 1996.

HOLLY, A POINTER FROM NEW YORK CITY WINS BEST IN SHOW AT THE EIGHTH ANNUAL AKC/EUKANUBA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

HollyNew Champions Emerge from Field of 3,000 Canine Competitors

Earning a $50,000 cash prize and the title of Best in Show at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship was COOKIELAND SEASYDE HOLLYBERRY a Pointer known as “Holly” owned by Sean McCarthy & Tammy McCarthy and Helyne Medieros of New York, NY. Holly was named the nation’s top dog by Best in Show judge Dr. Robert D. Smith after a weekend of intense canine competition in Long Beach, Calif.

The AKC/Eukanuba National Championship – recognized as one of the most prestigious dog shows in the world – joined a range of canine sporting events all under one roof, including the AKC Agility Invitational and the AKC National Obedience Invitational. These highly anticipated events featured nearly 3,000 dogs vying for the title of “top dog” and more than $225,000.

“We are proud to have Holly and her owners join the elite family of Best in Show AKC/Eukanuba National Championship winners,” said Ron Menaker, AKC chairman. “I am so pleased to honor all of these dogs, their beauty and diversity – from our new Eukanuba World Challenge winner, “Dakira” a Saluki from Germany to “Ross” an English Setter from Georgia, our Best Bred-By Exhibitor in Show winner – they represent the spirit of this amazing sport that brings canine enthusiasts from all over the world together to celebrate these champion dogs.”

The AKC/Eukanuba National Championship will be simulcast on Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2009 from 8-11 p.m. (EST/PST). Highlights from the AKC Agility Invitational will air on Animal Planet on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009 at 8 p.m. (EST/PST).

“We’re thrilled to award Holly with The Eukanuba Celebration of Champions trophy, which features a likeness of all AKC/Eukanuba National Champions, plus a check for $50,000 and a year’s supply of Eukanuba dog food,” said Dan Rajczak, general manager, Procter & Gamble Pet Care. “We congratulate Holly and her owners and the other 3,000 competitors for a spectacular weekend of intense competition.”

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Speaking of the Eukanuba, does anyone know how to get tickets for this event. The AKC website still has the 2009 page up for ticketing. I called them and was put through to someone's voicemail(waiting for a callback), but someone on the forum may be able to help.

Just walk up to the ticket counter when you get there. Not a problem.

Thanks for the info.