AKC announces Lifetime Achievement Award Nominations
In its endless pursuit to recognize outstanding members of the fancy, The American Kennel Club Lifetime Achievement Awards were established in 1998 to honor our Fancy's best. The purpose of the awards is to celebrate those individuals whose many years of dedication have led to significant contributions to our sport on a national level.
As in the past, this year's nominees were selected by AKC member clubs that cast their votes for one nominee in each of three categories: Conformation, Companion Events, and Performance. The three nominees receiving the most votes in each category were selected as the finalists. Member clubs have now been asked to cast their vote for one nominee in each of the three categories. This final round of balloting will close on September 14, 2007. A special presentation will be held in conjunction with the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in Long Beach, California in December 2007.
The AKC is honored to present photos and bios of the nine finalists who were selected by their constituents in recognition of their exemplary participation in the fancy.
Nominees in Conformation:
Edd E. Bivin, of Ft. Worth, Texas acquired his first purebred dog at the age of twelve. This Pomeranian bitch introduced him to the sport of purebred dogs and became the foundation of a breeding program that led to his breeding and exhibiting top-winning Pomeranians. He judged Toy dogs at match shows when he was only fifteen. Edd was approved by the AKC to judge Pomeranians in the United States in 1961. He is presently approved to judge all Sporting, Working, Terrier, Toy, and Non-Sporting breeds, as well as several Herding breeds.Edd has judged many All-Breed and Specialty shows in the United States, among them Best in Show at Westminster and many National Specialties, as well as at internationally well-known events.
Pursuing a career in education, Edd served for 32 years a major administrator at Texas Christian University with 18 of those years spent as Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services. His retirement in 2003 gave Edd and his wife, Irene, more time to enjoy breeding and exhibiting Doberman Pinschers.
Among the more satisfying activities he has been involved with in the world of purebred dogs is his work with Take the Lead, a charitable organization that assists members of the fancy who are suffering life-threatening or critical illness. It is Edd's way to give back to a sport from which he has been richly rewarded.
Damara Bolté, of Leesburg, Virginia, has been intrigued by animals for as long as she can remember. She majored in Animal Husbandry at Purdue University and spent a winter in Paris studying Animal Sculpture. In 1955 she became the kennel manager for Bettina Belmont Ward's show kennel of Basenjis. She was given Bettinas Fedha, the foundation for Damara's Reveille Basenjis. While her more than three decades as a supervisory Animal Husbandman at the National Institutes of Health meant handling and breeding on a limited basis, she managed to handle nine Best in Show winners and two Reveille dogs have won the Basenji Club of America's National Specialty. Another Reveille dog was the first Basenji to be named a Pedigree Award winner.
A longtime board member of the Basenji Club of America, Damara is also the current president of Old Dominion Kennel Club of Northern Virginia. She was the AKC GAZETTE breed columnist for three decades and the author of the Hound chapter in The AKC's World of the Purebred Dog.
Damara served on the advisory committee for the AKC Registered Handlers program and is herself an AKC Registered Handler and a member of the Professional Handlers Association. In 2002 she was honored as the first recipient of the AKC Breeder of the Year award in the Hound Group.
Peter Green, of Bowmansville, Pennsylvania, was born in Neath, Wales. He started showing Welsh and Wire Fox Terriers at his uncle's famous Felstead Kennel. He came to the Unites States in 1958, attended Westminster in 1960, but because he was homesick for Wales, he returned home and was a success as a handler in the U.K. Peter returned to the U.S. to work privately at Pool Forge Kennels in 1963, where his career really took off. In 1967 he set up his business in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. During his career, Peter won four Bests in Show at Westminster, Best in Show at Montgomery County on eight occasions and Dog of the Year six times. He has handled dogs to Best in Show at most of the major dog shows in the United States. Peter was honored to be one of only two people to win Best in Show at both Crufts and Westminster.
Since 1976 he has judged dog shows at the highest level throughout the world and is now an AKC approved Group Judge in the U.S. Peter's many awards include four Kennel Review Male Handler of the Year; two Gaines Handler of the Year, Natures Recipe Handler of the Year, and Bow Tie Dogs in Review Lifetime Achievement Award.
Nominees in Companion Events:
Lynn Eggers, of Grapevine, Texas, has been judging Obedience for almost 40 years. She first began training with her Miniature Poodle, finished his UD and then trained the first of many Dobermans to a UD title. She is a breeder/owner of numerous Doberman Champions under the kennel name, Foxhall. One of her Dobermans was the top-winning dog in Obedience in 1968.Lynn is interested in numerous facets of the Sport and trained her breed Champion Foxhall's American Spirit in Obedience, Agility and Schutzhund. She has taught Obedience classes, both independently and for the Ft. Worth Dog Training Club. One of her favorite activities was serving as a volunteer instructor in Obedience classes for children with the Ft. Worth Museum of Science and History.
Club experience includes serving as President of the Doberman Pinscher Club of Dallas and as a past AKC Delegate for the Doberman Pinscher Club of America. In addition, she is a past Vice President for the Fort Worth Kennel Club.
Lynn is currently licensed to judge all Obedience and Rally classes. She is now, essentially retired, and enjoys judging more than ever - particularly Novice classes, which represent for her the future of the Sport. Spending time with beginners helps to ensure that Companion Events will continue to be a truly rewarding experience for both dogs and their handlers.
Richard H. Mullen, of Knoxville, Tennessee, has judged Obedience since 1978. His interest in dogs and competition led him to become involved in, and eventually approved, to judge Tracking, Conformation, and more recently, Rally. He has trained and titled a variety of breeds in Obedience and Tracking and has been successful showing in Conformation, with many of his dogs dual titled. Also active in dog clubs, Richard has served as Vice President of the German Shepherd Dog Club of Greater Charlotte, and as President of the Knoxville Dog Training Club. Over the years, Richard has taught all levels of Obedience classes with the goal of having it be fun for the dog and rewarding for the handler. When judging Obedience, Richard's hope is that every dog/handler team qualifies. He tries to make it a relaxed, fun time in the ring. He knows the value of a good steward and how much they contribute to the success of the show. Richard has often said that he has never had a bad steward and that there is no such thing as a problem that can't be resolved. His favorite Class is Novice A, and he tries to welcome the new exhibitor with a positive attitude and warm demeanor. First and foremost, when judging, Richard makes every effort to be fair to every team, each and every time.
Mildred (Mid) Rothrock, of Sebastopol, CA, acquired her first Rottweiler in 1953. She joined the Marin County Dog Training Club (MCDTC), earned a CD and showed her dog in Open Obedience and in the breed ring, earning a 5-point major and a Group III win. Nine Rottweilers have followed to the present time, all titled, including a CH CDX bitch, a CH UDT dog, and a CDX, TDX dog. A Papillon also made his home with the Rottweilers for 16½ years, earning a CDX and a TD.A life member of MCDTC, Mid served the club in many capacities, including trial secretary, tracking test secretary, trainer, and editor of Paw Prints. Also a life member of Western Rottweiler Owners, Mid served as editor of their monthly newsletter and also wrote a monthly column covering Northern California Obedience activities for Front & Finish.
After discovering the joys of Tracking, she became a Tracking judge in 1972 and added Obedience in 1976. She was among the first to be approved to judge the TDX test.
A nine-year-old bitch took her into the world of Herding and she earned a title from the American Herding Breed Association (AHBA), which led to service on the American Rottweiler Club committee, which successfully petitioned the AKC to have Rottweilers admitted to Herding tests. Her current bitch has both an AHBA and AKC Herding title, as well as a TD.
Nominees in Performance
Dennis Bath, of Belleville, Illinois, has been dedicated to retrievers since purchasing his first Labrador in 1967. His greatest success was with Lawhorn's Cadillac Mack, with whom he won back-to-back National Amateur Championships in 1979 and 1980. Mack accumulated 218 all-age points, and was inducted into the Retriever Hall of Fame in 1992. Dennis has held every office in the National Open Retriever Club, including two terms as President, and six years as Secretary-Treasurer. He is a past President of the Mississippi Valley Retriever Club, a founder and past President of River King Retriever Club and he acts as Midwest Captain of the Guns for both the National Retriever Club and the National Amateur Retriever Club.
In 2005, he became the only U.S. citizen to have judged an International Field Trial in Europe two years in a row. Dennis is currently President and Editor in Chief of Retriever Field Trial News.
Dennis was instrumental in creating the Nestlé Purina Outstanding Field Trial Retriever Award program in 1985. He conducts judging seminars throughout the country and has judged over 100 Open and Amateur Championship Stakes and three Nationals. In 2000, he was inducted into the Retriever Hall of Fame and was further honored when in 2002 the Central Time Zone dedicated the National Open Championship to him.
Mary Jo Trimble, of Carterville, Illinois, has been involved with Brittanys since the mid-1960s. She was a charter member of the Sahuaro Brittany Club in Arizona and the Illinois Brittany Championship Association. She is Treasurer for the Illinois Brittany Club and has served as Executive Secretary of the American Brittany Club (ABC) since 1998. Mary Jo is a Hall of Fame recipient and recently was elected to the Field Trial Clubs of Illinois Honor Roll for her service to that organization. Her dogs have won numerous AKC Championships, including the National Open Brittany Championship, and awards such as the IAMS All-Age Dog of the Year, and the Brittany Field Trial Hall of Fame.
Mary Jo is the ABC's AKC Legislative Liaison, and a Director and Legislative Committee Chair for the Field Trial Clubs of Illinois. She attended the first AKC Parent Club Conference as a presenter and has twice been invited to attend AKC's Lobby Day in Washington, D.C. The American Field, The American Brittany Magazine and AKC Afield have published her articles on legislation.
The Illinois General Assembly declared May 28, 2006 as Trimble Day, to recognize Mary Jo's and her husband Ray's contribution to the sport of field trialing and for their efforts to help acquire 16,000 acres of new public land, including two new championship-type field trial areas in Pyramid State Park.
Dr. Warren Wunderlich, of Joliet, Illinois, first became involved with Springer Spaniels when his son was growing up and wanted a dog to hunt with. His cousin, Ernie Wunderlich, introduced him to Sportsmen Spaniel Club of Calumet. Warren purchased his first dog, joined the club, and was mentored by Elmor Chick, John Bouy, and his cousin, Ernie. Warren's desire to enter the world of competitive trials followed, and he imported Sunray of Chrishall from John Kent's Chrishall Kennels in England. "Ray" turned out to be a true champion, with many Amateur and Open wins, including a Second in the National Open. He went on to win the 1973 and 1974 National Amateur Championship and also placed in Canadian trials. Warren had several other Spaniels, including Chrishall Chris, who had several open wins and placements here and in Canada, including a second place at the Canadian National. He lost Chris and his son's dog Buddy unexpectedly at a National trial, but despite this, he continued in trials until his son went to college. Because his medical practice began to take up so much of his time, he wasn't able to reenter the field trial world until his retirement three years ago. Having Springer Spaniels in his family's life was a very special experience for them all.
