Award Presented at AKC/Eukanuba National Championship 

New York, NY — Joan Savage of Banks, OR was honored with the 2008 AKC Breeder of the Year Award at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship on Sunday, December 14, 2008.  The annual award honors those breeders who have dedicated their lives to improving the health, temperament and quality of purebred dogs.

“It is a privilege to recognize Joan Savage as the AKC Breeder of the Year,” said AKC Chairman of the Board Ron Menaker.  “The success she has enjoyed with her Stagedoor English Setters has been the result of much hard work and we appreciate her dedication to the sport of purebred dogs.”

Each year, one honoree is chosen from each of the seven groups: Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting, and Herding. From those seven, one Group winner is selected as “AKC Breeder of the Year” during the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship, which was again held this year in Long Beach, CA on December 13 and 14. The show will be simulcast on Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel on Saturday, January 31 from 8-11 p.m. (ET/PT).

Joan Savage's Stagedoor English Setters represent eight generations of more than 60 AKC champions, including Best in Show and specialty winners. Most recently, Ch. Stagedoor Rock It Man was the number one English Setter for 2006 and 2007. “Rock It” won 23 breed specialties, 16 Bests in Show and Best of Breed at the English Setter Association of America's national specialty in 2006 and 2007. He also won Best in Show at the 2007 World Show held in Mexico. Joan considers health and temperament, along with proper breed type, the cornerstones of her breeding program. She serves as a Delegate for the Portland Kennel Club and is an AKC judge.

As the 2008 AKC Breeder of the Year recipient, Joan will be honored with a commission from a canine portraitist to memorialize a prominent dog from her kennel.  Her name will be inscribed on a perpetual trophy on permanent display at the AKC headquarters in New York City. 

All seven Group honorees were presented with medallions during the show on December 14, 2008.  Group winners included:

• Hound: Kathy & Julie Jones – Reseda, CA, Jasiri – Sukari Basenjis

• Working: Lilian Ostermiller – Westtown, NY, De-Li Bernese Mountain Dogs

• Terrier: Miriam Stamm – Kalamazoo, MI, Anstamm Scottish Terriers

• Toy: Luke & Diane Ehricht – Monclova, OH, Hallmark Jolei Shih Tzus

• Non-Sporting: Eleanor & Bob Candland– Lake Elsinore,CA, El-Bo Boston Terriers

• Herding: James & Sheree Moses – Carrollton, GA, Kaleef German Shepherd Dogs

For more information on all of the AKC Breeder of the Year Group honorees visit www.akc.org.