– Competitions “Just for Juniors” to Debut at 2011 AKC/Eukanuba National Championship –
This December, the AKC is offering two new competitions just for juniors at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship: the AKC Juniors Agility Competition and the AKC National Obedience Juniors Competition, which will join our long-standing Junior Showmanship competition. I’m pleased to announce that more than 100 junior handlers have entered these inaugural events.
We wish them all the best of luck and we encourage you to stop by the Agility and Obedience rings on the morning of Friday, December 16th (Agility) and Saturday, December 17th (Obedience) to cheer on the future of our Companion sports.
Juniors participating in the AKC Juniors Agility Competition will be running both Standard and Jumpers with Weaves courses in either the Junior Excellent or Superior Classes, depending on whether they’ve achieved an agility title. The junior obedience entrants will compete in three age divisions in Beginner Novice and/or Novice classes twice, based on their AKC obedience accomplishments.
We have some very accomplished juniors entered. Three of the agility juniors competing have also qualified for the AKC Agility Invitational and will run their dogs in that competition over the weekend. Several obedience juniors will exhibit multiple dogs, and one junior will compete in all three events – Junior Showmanship, the AKC Juniors Agility Competition and the AKC National Obedience Juniors Competition.
In addition to our junior “firsts,” Veterans and All-American dogs will also compete for the first time. We’ve invited our “older stars” that made a mark in the show world during their careers. The Veterans competing have won either All-Breed Best in Shows, National Specialties or were once ranked in the top five of their breed. Many of them are former National Championship competitors. At least one of our Veterans competed at the inaugural AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in 2001 and will have some of its progeny exhibited at the show as well.
Finally, we hope you’ll support the AKC Canine Partners enrolled All-American dogs that will compete at the AKC Agility Invitational and AKC National Obedience Invitational for the first time. They’ll be in the rings Saturday and Sunday.
We look forward to seeing you in Orlando! Stay tuned to www.akc.org/invitational for the latest updates.
Sincerely,
Ron Menaker
Chairman