AKC Announces Lifetime Achievement Award Finalists

New York, NY – The American Kennel Club^® (AKC^®) is pleased to announce the nominees for the annual Lifetime Achievement Awards.  Finalists are based on nominations by member clubs.  A winner from the three finalists in each category—Conformation, Companion Events and Performance—will be voted on by member clubs, with voting ending on October 11, 2013.  There will be a special awards presentation held in conjunction with the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in Orlando, Florida in December 2013.

The Lifetime Achievement Awards were established by the American Kennel Club in 1998 to honor and celebrate those whose years of hard work and dedication have significantly impacted the world of purebred dog sports on a national level.

This year’s nominees are:

Conformation

• Tom Davies of Brimfield, Massachusetts grew up in Michigan, bird hunting with Springers and Brittanys. He has owned and bred Old English Sheepdogs, Bearded Collies, Siberian Huskies, Belgian Sheepdogs, Belgian Tervuren, Belgian Malinois, Belgian Laekenois and a Xoloitzquintli, and judges the Herding Group. He has been a delegate for 40 years and served on the Boards of AKC and AKC CAR.

• Pat Hastings of Aloha, Oregon has been involved in the dog world since 1959 as an owner-handler, breeder and professional handler. She has evaluated over 25,000 puppies, using her research into canine structure in order to help breeders determine the best lifestyle choice for each puppy. Pat has presented seminars for 25 years around the world to all aspects of the sport. She began judging in 1991.

• Bill Holbrook of Sequim, Washington entered the AKC world in 1951 as the show chairman for the Cornhusker Kennel Club, later becoming an All-Breed Professional Handler. He received judging approval in 1969. In addition to judging assignments all over the country, he twice judged the Collie Club of America National Specialty, the highlight of his judging career. Bill became an AKC Field Representative in 1980 until he retired in 2007 at age 82.

Companion Events

• Lynn Eggers of Grapevine, Texas began her career in dogs in 1961 with a Miniature Poodle that became her first Utility dog. She started judging in 1968, and currently judges all levels of obedience and AKC Rally^®. She has bred Doberman Pinschers for 43 years, and bred and owns the first AKC champion Doberman Pinscher bitch with a Schutzhund 3 title. Lynn serves as a board member of the Doberman Pinscher Club of Dallas and Take the Lead, and is a member of the Doberman Pinscher Club of America.

• William (Bill) Iwamoto of Santa Barbara, California, became involved in the sport of Obedience in 1969 after obtaining his first Sheltie, a dog that went on to attain multiple High in Trials, 200 scores, a Will Judy award and placements in several Gaines competitions. After titling more Shelties, he began judging in 1981. He has served as obedience instructor for the Los Padres Obedience Club and is a 30-plus year member and obedience chair for Channel City Kennel Club.

• Arthur Twiss of Reading, Massachusetts has competed with Rottweilers in conformation, obedience and tracking since 1961. His first Rottweiler’s record of 13 for 13 consecutively passed TD tests remains unbroken. Arthur was a founding member of The Tracking Club of Massachusetts, and has continuously served as an officer or board member. He served on the 2004 AKC Tracking Advisory Committee and has judged since 1985, including an assignment at the AKC National Tracking Invitational.

Performance

• Ray Calkins of Sherwood, Oregon handled his first German Wirehaired Pointer to a red ribbon in a puppy stake in 1975. Since then, ten of his owner-trained and handled dogs have earned field championships. Four of his dogs hold nine National Field Championships.  Ray has been a member of the German Wirehaired Pointer Club of America (GWPCA) since 1974, and has served in a variety of positions. He is a National Championship Judge for all the AKC pointing breeds (except GWPs) and the AKC Gun Dog Championships.

• Kate Simonds of Morrisville, Vermont has been involved in field trials for 42 years, during which she and her husband Pete have trained 13 FC/AFCs. She has participated as an officer, worker, competitor, Field Trial Chairman and Secretary, and Chief Marshall. She has been judging trials since the 1970s and judged for the National Retriever Club in 1978. Currently she is participating in Field Trials, serving on the Labrador Retriever Club board and is an AKC Delegate.

• Jeannie Wagner of Elyria, Ohio obtained her first Irish Setter in 1973 and dogs she has produced have achieved obedience, hunt, conformation and field titles. She has chaired field and show events for the Irish Setter Club of Ohio and sat on many field committees in her 35 years as member of the Irish Setter Club of America. As a writer, she has won six Maxwell medallions from the Dog Writers Association of America.

For more about the nominees and the Lifetime Achievement Awards, visit http://www.akc.org/news/lifetime/2014/nominees.cfm.

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Posted by chesliepickett on Aug 23 2013. Filed under Breaking News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.