Lifetime Achievement Awards 2009
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 15, 2008. A special presentation will be held in conjunction with the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in Long Beach, California in December 2008.
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:
Constance M. Barton, of Middleburg, Virginia, began in the sport of dogs in the early 1950s, exhibiting Doberman Pinschers in conformation and obedience. In the years before seminars, breed forums, and other educational tools were available, Connie says that her formative years in dogs were “more or less, a trial-and-error experience.”
By the 1960s, she was managing Elizabeth Clark’s legendary Springfield Kennels. During her tenure at Springfield, where she concentrated mainly on Labrador Retrievers, the facility became the largest showing and breeding kennel in the United States. After eleven years at Springfield, the AKC invited Connie to become the second female field-representative in the organization’s history. She served in the field for sixteen years before applying to judge. She is now approved for the Sporting, Hound, Working, and Terrier groups, as well as Best in Show and Junior Showmanship. Connie had the honor of judging Best in Show at the 2002 AKC/Eukanuba National Championship.
Connie is a founding member of the Labrador Retriever Club of the Potomac and the Middleburg Kennel Club. Connie judged the Working Group at the Westminster Kennel Club in 2008 and said it would be her last judging of an All-Breed dog show. Her most recent assignment was the Labrador Retriever Club of the Potomac in April of 2008.
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©Krista Droop |
Wendell J. Sammet, of Bryantville, Massachusetts, became active in the sport of pure-bred dogs after World War II, in which he fought in the Battle of the Bulge and was a P.O.W. He began breeding Dalmatians under the Dalmatia banner in 1950, finishing many Champions.
In the early 1950s, Mrs. Henry T. Kaiser asked Wendell to breed and exhibit white Standard Poodles for her Alekai Kennel in Hawaii; he did so for twenty-seven years. In 1984, she turned the line over to him, at which time he changed the name to Ale Kai.
Through the decades, Wendell has prided himself in breeding for health, temperament and breed type. Along the way, he has always found time to serve as mentor for newcomers to the breed and the sport, as well as an advisor to his peers. He has been an active member for both the Poodle Club of America and the Dalmatian Club of America. Today he co-breeds many of his Poodles with Karen LeFrak of On Fifth fame.
Over the years, Wendell has garnered numerous accolades, including: Dogdom’s Professional Handler of the Year (1977); Dogs in Review Achievement Award as Best Breeder-Owner-Handler (2004); and breeder of Dogs in Review Top Non-Sporting Sire (2007). Wendell was the inaugural recipient of the Anne Rogers Clark Hall of Fame Award in 2008, as well as the first AKC Breeder of the Year Award in 2002.
Dr. Robert D. Smith, of St. Stephens Church, Virginia, is a past member of the AKC Board of Directors. He began in the sport in 1960 exhibiting German Shepherd Dogs, but the course of his life changed forever when his wife, Polly, bought him an American Foxhound puppy.
Bob and Polly together bred three generations of Best in Show American Foxhounds and five generations of group winners. They have given Foxhound seminars, and Bob has written extensively on the breed.
As an owner-handler, he had the top-winning American Foxhound for seven consecutive years and was a three-time Owner-Handler of the Year nominee.
Dr. Smith is an all-breed judge who has judged on every continent except Africa and Antarctica and five AKC/Eukanuba National Championships, and at the Westminster and International (Chicago) kennel club shows. He has held every conceivable office in dog clubs from Tennessee to Michigan to Mississippi to Alabama to Virginia, including all-breed, obedience, group, and specialty clubs.
A native of Charlottesville, Virginia, Bob earned a BA from the University of Virginia, and his doctorate from Vanderbilt University. An educator at heart and an administrator by choice, he taught at the college level for twelve years before entering the field of economic development.
Nominees in Companion Events:
Susan (Suzi) B. Bluford, of Carmel, California, started in the sport during the early 70s. Over the years Suzi's dogs earned seven breed championships, including one from the Bred-by-Exhibitor class; two obedience trial championships; one UDX; seven UDs and over ten CDXs. In 1977, her Golden Retriever, Streaker, was the number one obedience dog in the country. Suzi's dogs have also earned a TDX, three TDs, two Master Hunters, four Senior Hunters and numerous WCs and WCXs.
Her dog's agility titles include two MX and two MXJs, several AXs, plus novice and open agility titles. Her Golden Retriever, Allie, qualified for the AKC Agility Nationals four years in a row.
A member and past corresponding secretary of National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors (NADOI), Suzi is currently on NADOI's board. She is a founding member and consultant for a local therapy dog program.
Suzi is an AKC judge, approved to judge all levels of AKC obedience, rally and agility, and judged many AKC Retriever Hunt Tests at the Master Level. She has served as show and obedience chair for the Norcal GRC Specialty and also chaired the Del Monte Kennel Club's annual agility trials and obedience program. For several years, Suzi wrote the obedience column for the Golden Retriever Club of America's magazine, The Golden Retriever News.
Kenneth A. Buxton, of, Kingwood, TX, and his wife Donna purchased their first St. Bernard in 1966, deciding Saints should be able to earn at least a CD, breed championship and tracking title. The first and only Saint accomplishing this until almost 10 years ago was a dog from their first home-bred litter, Ch. Twin Oaks Cinnamon Bear, UDT. Starting at Queen City Dog Training Club, Ken trained several dogs through their UD’s. Eventually, exhibiting changed to judging. Ken currently judges all classes in Obedience, Rally, and Tracking, plus four groups (Sporting, Working, Non-Sporting and Herding).
Ken was active in Queen City Dog Training Club, Clermont County Kennel Club (lifetime member), St. Bernard Club of America, and now Baytown Kennel Club in Texas. In these clubs he served in various positions as President, Vice President, Board of Directors, Show Chairman, Obedience Chairman and Director of Training. He was on the 1988 AKC Obedience Advisory Committee and the committee for the Illustrated Commentary of the St. Bernard. Currently, he is on the Board of the American Dog Show Judges, serving as benefit chairman.
Ken was in the Marine Corps and has degrees in finance and economics. He was an accountant, serving as accounting manager before retiring. Hobbies include working out at the YMCA, computers, investments and two grandsons, 7 and 8-years-old.
Joanne L. Johnson, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, became “hooked” on Obedience with a toy poodle. With the help of Jack Godsil, she trained a Golden Retriever that acquired the 104 OTCh points in one weekend, tying him as the eighth dog to gain the newly recognized AKC title. She then moved on to Shetland Sheepdogs which became her passion, thus earning a total of seven OTCH titles.
Her sheltie, Hobby, was recognized eight times for earning the most OTCH points in a year. His record includes an astounding 16,711 OTCH points, 713 UDX legs, 440 HIT, 492 HC, and 15 scores of 200. Hobby also has his MX, MXJ in agility and was a member of the first two Crufts World Teams. In addition, he won both HIT and HC at two national specialties. His son Bogey, following in his footsteps, did the same at the 2008 national in April.
Joanne became an AKC judge in 1972 and is an active member of the Sioux Empire Kennel Club since 1968. Over the years she served as the club’s board member, an obedience/agility/rally instructor, and served as their President, Secretary, and Treasurer. She was instrumental in building a new clubhouse and started both their agility and rally programs. Recently, club members showed their appreciation by granting Joanne an Honorary Lifetime Membership.
Nominees in Performance
Jacquelyn (Jackie) Mertens has been a dedicated retriever enthusiast since establishing Topbrass Retrievers in 1968. She has bred or owned more than 130 FC’s/AFC’s, Master Hunters and Qualified all age retrievers, and won the 1985 National Amateur Championship with FC NAFC Topbrass Cotton. Cotton is also the hi-point Golden of all time and was inducted into the Retriever Hall of Fame in 1993.
She judged over 90 Open and Amateur Championship stakes and two National Championships. She has also participated in Judges’ Seminars nationwide and the Golden Retriever Club of America breeder symposiums.
Jackie has been Chairman and Chief Marshal in AKC Field Trials for 30 years. She is past president of the National Open Retriever Club, and also served as Chairman and Chief Marshal of their Championship. A past board member of the Golden Retriever Club of America, Jackie currently is their National Representative. She officiated as president of the Women’s Field Trial Club from 2000 – 2007 and is a past president of the American Amateur Field Trial Club.
Jackie has written many Retriever Training articles and created the training video, Sound Beginnings, to promote early puppy training. She is past Webmaster of the Golden Opportunities Rescue Organization and mentored many current trainers and field trial competitors. Jackie was inducted into the Retriever Hall of Fame in 2006.
Wayne R. Price, of Navarre, Ohio, joined a Beagle Club in 1953, and began his lifelong career in the sport of Beagling. He held almost all offices from the club level to the president of the International Beagle Federation. Presently, he holds membership in two AKC member clubs: Beagle Club of Northern Ohio and Buckeye Beagle Club. Wayne competed with his hounds throughout the nation and has finished many field champions. He also judged many major federation events.
In 1972, AKC appointed Wayne as an instructor of AKC Field Trial seminars. He traveled from coast to coast for 18 years, teaching at these seminars and most of today’s Beagle judges have attended one or more of them. Wayne served on the AKC Beagle Advisory Committee for eight consecutive years during the 1970s.
At this time, Wayne is in his 35th year as a Contributing Editor of Hounds and Hunting, and writes a monthly column for Beagle magazine. He has never missed a deadline in the all those years, and beaglers everywhere rely upon this column to be kept informed. In recognition of the many contributions he has made to his chosen sport, he was elected in 1984 to the Beagling Hall of Fame, Beagling’s highest honor. Beagling has been a major part of his life and he continues to give generously of his time and knowledge.
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.
