The Westminster Kennel Club Announces Judging Panel For The Historic 148th Event

A LIFELONG PRESERVATION BREEDER AND TOP-WINNING DOG HANDLER WILL SELECT AMERICA’S DOG FOR 2024

The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show presented by Purina Pro Plan, America’s second-longest continuously held sporting event after the Kentucky Derby, announced the Best in Show judge for the historic 148th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show will be Mrs. Rosalind Kramer of High Point, North Carolina. Mrs. Kramer will make her selection on the evening of Tuesday, May 14, in Arthur Ashe Stadium the culminating night of the competition. Westminster Week will be held for the second year at the home of the US Open, the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, New York.

Mrs. Kramer brings a lifetime of experience as a preservation breeder, professional dog handler, American Kennel Club Executive Field Representative, and judge to the most prestigious assignment in the sport. As a child, Mrs. Kramer started in the sport showing her Wire Fox Terriers. She later worked for a top Scottish Terrier breeder after school and on weekends, to learn animal husbandry, and gain more experience showing dogs. Later she apprenticed under a prominent professional dog handler and eventually became a highly successful top handler herself while continuing to be a preservation breeder. Mrs. Kramer has bred National Specialty and All-Breed Best In Show winners, and numerous top-ranked dogs. She handled top-winning Terriers and Toy dogs setting records that still stand today. At the end of her career as a professional dog handler, Mrs. Kramer worked for the American Kennel Club (AKC) as an Executive Field Representative and Judges Education Chair. She retired from the AKC when she married Dr. Andrew Kramer, a fellow Terrier enthusiast, and began her judging career.

She is approved to judge the Terrier, Hound, and Toy Groups, as well as half the Sporting breeds and Best in Show. She has judged Best in Show at the prestigious Montgomery County Kennel Club, as well as Group competitions at the AKC National Championship Show. This will be Mrs. Kramer’s fifth assignment at Westminster. She judged the Terrier Group in 2018, and the Toy Group in 2022.

Tickets for Westminster Week will become available in early 2024. You will find the full schedule of events, telecast, and streaming schedules at westminsterkennelclub.org as the information becomes available.

2024 JUDGING PANEL

Seven Group Judges will make their selections over two nights at the Arthur Ashe Stadium with their winning dogs advancing to the Best in Show competition. On Monday, May 13, the following judges will select four Group winners to advance to the Best In Show competition: Christine Erickson of Queen Creek, Arizona for the Hound Group; Glen Lajeski of Cloverdale, California for the Toy Group; Fred C. Bassett of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma for the Non-Sporting Group; and Michael Faulkner of Center Cross, Virginia for the Herding Group.

On Tuesday, May 14, the following judges will select the remaining three Group winners to advance to Best In Show: David L. Kittredge of Rochester, New York for the Sporting Group; Rick Gschwender of Nampa, Idaho for the Working Group; and Patricia Anne Keenan of Chehalis, Washington, for the Terrier Group.

In 2024 Westminster is celebrating the 90th anniversary of its famed Junior Showmanship competition which highlights and supports the dedicated youth in the sport of dogs. The Best Junior Handler award will be decided on Tuesday, May 14 at Arthur Ashe Stadium by Junior Showmanship Finals Judge, Diego Garcia of Lillington, North Carolina. The eight junior showmanship finalists will be determined in preliminary rounds by judges Rebecca Cross of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and Stacy Threlfall of Apex, North Carolina.

The 11th Annual Masters Agility Championship at Westminster on Saturday, May 11, will be judged by Zack Davis of Jersey City, New Jersey, and Susan Leitner of Vancouver, Washington. Barbara W. Selton of Bloomington, Minnesota, will officiate the 9th Annual Masters Obedience Championship at Westminster on Saturday, May 11, 2024.

Pending American Kennel Club approval, the judging panel for the Best of Breed or Variety competitions includes:

SPORTING BREEDS AND VARIETIES

• Gerardo Bernard of Mexico City, Mexico: English Setters, German Shorthaired Pointers, German Wirehaired Pointers, Gordon Setters, Irish Red and White Setters, Irish Setters, Pointers, Vizslas

• Richard T. Jackson of La Plata, Maryland: American Water Spaniels, Irish Water Spaniels, Spinoni Italiani, Sussex Spaniels

• Pamela S. Lambie of Phoenix, Arizona: Boykin Spaniels, Clumber Spaniels, Cocker Spaniels (all Varieties), English Cocker Spaniels, English Springer Spaniels, Field Spaniels, Welsh Springer Spaniels

• Shawn J. Nichols of Calgary, Alberta, Canada: Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Curly-Coated Retrievers, Flat-Coated Retrievers, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers, Weimaraners, Wirehaired Pointing Griffons, Wirehaired Vizslas

• Judy Taylor of Cambridge, Ontario, Canada: Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers

• Joyce A. Vanek of Evergreen, Colorado: Barbets, Bracco Italiano, Brittanys, Lagotti Romagnoli, Nederlandse Kooikerhondjes

HOUND BREEDS AND VARIETIES

• Gayle Bontecou of Clinton Corners, New York: Ibizan Hounds, Irish Wolfhounds, Pharaoh Hounds, Scottish Deerhounds

• Michael Canalizo of Mill Neck, New York: Borzois, Greyhounds, Salukis

• Daniel W. Dowling of Hope, Maine: Basenjis, Basset Hounds, Beagles (both Varieties), Grand Basset Griffon Vendéens, Harriers, Otterhounds, Petit Basset Griffon Vendéens, Portuguese Podengo Pequenos

• Pamela S. Lambie of Phoenix, Arizona: Afghan Hounds, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Whippets

• Neil T. McDevitt of Beavercreek, Ohio: American English Coonhounds, American Foxhounds, Azawakhs, Black and Tan Coonhounds, Bloodhounds, Bluetick Coonhounds, Cirnechi dell’Etna, English Foxhounds, Norwegian Elkhounds, Plotts, Redbone Coonhounds, Sloughis, Treeing Walker Coonhounds

• Betty-Anne Stenmark of Grass Valley, California: Dachshunds (all Varieties)

WORKING BREEDS

• Edward A. Fojtik of Ingleside, Illinois: Black Russian Terriers, Giant Schnauzers, Great Danes, Great Pyrenees, Newfoundlands, Portuguese Water Dogs, Saint Bernards, Standard Schnauzers

• Karen S. McFarlane of Kearney, Missouri: Alaskan Malamutes, Boerboels, Dogo Argentinos, Komondorok, Kuvaszok, Samoyeds, Siberian Huskies

• Abigail S. Patrizio of Clinton, Connecticut: Anatolian Shepherd Dogs, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Bullmastiffs, Mastiffs, Neapolitan Mastiffs, Rottweilers

• Vicki Seiler-Cushman of Xenia, Ohio: Cane Corsos, Chinooks, DobermanPinschers, Dogues de Bordeaux, German Pinschers, Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, Leonbergers

• Joyce A. Vanek of Evergreen, Colorado: Akitas, Boxers, Tibetan Mastiffs

TERRIER BREEDS AND VARIETIES

• Pamela Bruce of Welland, Ontario, Canada: Airedale Terriers, American Hairless Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Australian Terriers, Bedlington Terriers, Glen of Imaal Terriers, Irish Terriers, Kerry Blue Terriers, Scottish Terriers

• Edward A. Fojtik of Ingleside, Illinois: Miniature Schnauzers

• Desmond J. Murphy of Monroe, New York: Cesky Terriers, Dandie Dinmont Terriers, Lakeland Terriers, Skye Terriers, Smooth Fox Terriers, Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers, Standard Manchester Terriers, Wire Fox Terriers

• Lori Pelletier of Exeter, Rhode Island: Border Terriers, Norfolk Terriers, Norwich Terriers

• Joseph R. Vernuccio of Stratford, Connecticut: Bull Terriers (both Varieties), Cairn Terriers, Miniature Bull Terriers, Parson Russell Terriers, Rat Terriers, Russell Terriers, Sealyham Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Welsh Terriers, West Highland White Terriers

TOY BREEDS AND VARIETIES

• Pamela Bruce of Welland, Ontario, Canada: Toy Poodles

• Lee Grogan of Belfast, Ireland: Brussels Griffons, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, English Toy Spaniels (both Varieties), Japanese Chin, Maltese, Shih Tzu

• Richard T. Jackson of La Plata, Maryland: Affenpinschers, Biewer Terriers, Papillons

• Adam S. King of Elburn, Illinois: Chinese Cresteds, Havanese, Pekingese, Pugs

• Joao Machado of Humble, Texas: Chihuahuas (both Varieties), Italian Greyhounds, Miniature Pinschers, Pomeranians, Russian Toys

• Desmond J. Murphy of Monroe, New York: Silky Terriers, Toy Fox Terriers, Toy Manchester Terriers, Yorkshire Terriers

NON-SPORTING BREEDS

• Pamela Bruce of Welland, Ontario, Canada: Miniature Poodles, Standard Poodles

• Brandon H. Edge of Laurinburg, North Carolina: Boston Terriers, Bulldogs, French Bulldogs

• Richard T. Jackson of La Plata, Maryland: Chinese Shar-Pei, Chow Chows, Dalmatians, Shiba Inu

• Elaine J. Lessig of Annandale, New Jersey: American Eskimo Dogs, Bichon Frises, Cotons de Tulear, Finnish Spitz, Tibetan Spaniels, Tibetan Terriers, Xoloitzcuintlis

• Vicki Seiler-Cushman of Xenia, Ohio: Keeshonden, Lhasa Apsos, Lowchen, Norwegian Lundehunds, Schipperkes

HERDING BREEDS AND VARIETIES

• Michael Canalizo of Mill Neck, New York: Bearded Collies, Bergamasco Sheepdogs, Bouvier des Flanders, Norwegian Buhunds, Old English Sheepdogs, Pulik

• Minna-Liisa Koltes of Ennice, North Carolina: Beaucerons, Belgian Laekenois, Belgian Malinois, Belgian Tervuren, Briards, Canaan Dogs, German Shepherd Dogs, Icelandic Sheepdogs

• Shawn J. Nichols of Calgary, Alberta, Canada: Belgian Sheepdogs, Border Collies, Collies (both Varieties), Entlebucher Mountain Dogs, Finnish Lapphunds, Mudis, Pyrenean Shepherds, Shetland Sheepdogs, Swedish Vallhunds

• Betty-Anne Stenmark of Grass Valley, California: Cardigan Welsh Corgis, Pembroke Welsh Corgis

•  Joyce A. Vanek of Evergreen, Colorado: Australian Cattle Dogs, Australian Shepherds, Berger Picards, Lancashire Heeler, Miniature American Shepherds, Polish Lowland Sheepdogs, Pumik, Spanish Water Dogs

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