The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for the 2020 AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, December 12 and Sunday, December 13, 2020.
The 2020 event will showcase the top canine athletes and will also include popular attractions such as the Best Bred-by-Exhibitor competition, the AKC National Owner-Handled Series Finals, the AKC Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy and Junior Stakes and NADD/AKC Dock Diving. The show will once again take place alongside the AKC Agility Invitational, with junior events in Conformation and Agility. Added this year are the AKC National Obedience Championship, and the AKC Rally National Championship.
Leading the charge as Best in Show judge for the 2020 National Championship is Mr. James A. Moses of Wentzville, MO and Patricia M. Cruz of Coram, NY will judge Best Bred-by-Exhibitor in Show. The judges for the National Owner-Handled Series Finals and the AKC Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy and Junior Stakes can be found at www.akc.org.
“We are thrilled to have such an incredible roster of judges this year, with Jim and Pat heading the panel,” said Show Chairman Dennis B. Sprung. “The 2020 event is sure to be an exciting competition.”
Judges for the seven variety groups and the Miscellaneous Classes at the AKC National Championship are:
| SPORTING | Mr. Jon R. Cole | Nashville, TN |
| HOUND | Mr. Douglas Johnson | Bloomington, IN |
| WORKING | Mr. Clay Coady | Paradise Valley, AZ |
| TERRIER | Mr. Elliot B. Weiss | Novelty, OH |
| TOY | Mr. Robert Stein | Venice, FL |
| NON-SPORTING | Mr. Robin L. Stansell | Clayton, NC |
| HERDING | Mr. William C. Stebbins | Port St. Lucie, FL |
| MISCELLANEOUS CLASSES | Mr. Johan Becerra-Hernandez | San Juan, PR |
| BEST JUNIOR HANDLER | Mr. Michael Faulkner | Center Cross, VA |
| JUNIOR PRELIMS | Ms. Grace Freeman & Ms. Kellie Dahlberg |
Judges for the seven Bred-by-Exhibitor variety groups are:
| SPORTING | Mr. Michael Faulkner | Center Cross, VA |
| HOUND | Mr. James J. Mitchell | Wilmington, DE |
| WORKING | Dr. Thomas Davies | Brimfield, MA |
| TERRIER | Mr. Harold “Red” Tatro III | Crowley, TX |
| TOY | Mr. David J. Kirkland | Sanford, NC |
| NON-SPORTING | Mrs. Jacqueline L. Stacy | Chapel Hill, NC |
| HERDING | Ms. Janina K. Laurin | Danbury, CT |
BREED JUDGING FOR THE AKC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP:
| Sporting Group: | Breed Assignments: |
| Mr. Jamie Hubbard | Barbets, Brittanys, Retrievers (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling), Setters (Irish Red and White), Wirehaired Vizslas |
| Mr. Sam Houston McDonald | Spaniels (English Springer), Spaniels (Irish Water) |
| Ms. Corinne Miklos | Pointers (German Shorthaired), Pointers (German Wirehaired), Spaniels (Welsh Springer), Vizslas, Wirehaired Pointing Griffons |
| Mrs. Sheila Polk | Retrievers (Chesapeake Bay), Spaniels (Clumber) |
| Mr. William P. Shelton | Pointers, Setters (English, Gordon & Irish) |
| Mr. Richard W. Powell | Lagotti Romagnoli, Spaniels (American Water), Spaniels (Boykin), Spaniels (Field), Spaniels (Sussex) |
| Mr. Rick Gschwender | Retrievers (Curly Coated), Retrievers (Flat Coated), Spinoni Italiani, Weimaraners |
| Ms. Grace M. Fritz | Nederlandse Kooikerhondjes |
| Ms. Shirley Fippin | Retrievers (Golden) |
| Mr. Elliott B. Weiss | Spaniels (Cocker – all varieties), Spaniels (English Cocker) |
| Lorri Isenhath Gordon | Retrievers (Labrador) |
| Hound Group: | Breed Assignments: |
| Mr. Johan Becerra-Hernandez | Basenjis, Basset Hounds, Bloodhounds, Borzois, Grand Basset Griffon Vendéens, Otterhounds, Petit Basset Griffon Vendéens, Portuguese Podengo Pequenos |
| Mr. James Donahue | Afghan Hounds |
| Ms. Grace M. Fritz | Whippets |
| Mr. D. Scott Pfeil | Azawakhs, Cirnechi dell’Etna, Ibizan Hounds, Pharaoh Hounds, Salukis, Sloughis |
| Mrs. Sheila Polk | Rhodesian Ridgebacks |
| Mr. Richard L. Reynolds | American English Coonhounds, Black and Tan Coonhounds, Bluetick Coonhounds, Foxhound (American), Foxhound (English), Greyhounds, Harriers, Irish Wolfhounds, Norwegian Elkhounds, Plott Hounds, Redbone Coonhounds, Treeing Walker Coonhounds |
| Ms. Sherrill C. Snyder | Dachshunds (all varieties) |
| Mr. Elliott B. Weiss | Beagles (both varieties), Scottish Deerhounds |
| WORKING GROUP: | Breed Assignments: |
| Mr. Edd Bivin | Alaskan Malamutes, Anatolian Shepherd Dogs, Bullmastiffs, Saint Bernards |
| Mr. Rick Gschwender | Akitas, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Chinooks, Great Danes, Siberian Huskies, Tibetan Mastiffs |
| Mr. Grace M. Fritz | Newfoundlands, Portuguese Water Dogs |
| Mr. Brian Meyer | Boerboels, Komondorok, Rottweilers |
| Ms. Helene Nietsch | Dogues de Bordeaux, Great Pyrenees, Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, Leonbergers, Mastiffs, Neopolitan Mastiffs, Standard Schnauzers |
| Mr. William P. Shelton | Doberman Pinschers, German Pinschers, Samoyeds |
| Dr. Geno Sisneros | Kuvaszok |
| Mr. Robin Stansell | Black Russian Terriers |
| Mr. William C. Stebbins | Boxers, Cane Corsos, Dogos Argentinos, Giant Schnauzers |
| TERRIER GROUP: | Breed Assignments: |
| Ms. Kathi Brown | American Hairless Terriers, Australian Terriers, Bedlington Terriers, Bull Terriers (colored & white), Irish Terriers, Kerry Blue Terriers, Miniature Bull Terriers, Norfolk Terriers, Norwich Terriers, Parson Russell Terriers, Rat Terriers, Russell Terriers, Skye Terriers |
| Mr. Jon R. Cole | American Staffordshire Terriers, Cairn Terriers, Cesky Terriers, Dandie Dinmont Terriers, Scottish Terriers, Sealyham Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers |
| Mrs. Cindy Meyer | Manchester Terriers (Standard), Miniature Schnauzers, Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers |
| Mr. Richard W. Powell | Airedale Terriers, Border Terriers, Fox Terriers (Smooth), Fox Terriers (Wire), Glen of Imaal Terriers, Lakeland Terriers, Welsh Terriers, West Highland White Terriers |
| TOY GROUP: | Breed Assignments: |
| Mrs. Tammy K. Jackson | Brussels Griffons, Chinese Cresteds, Shih Tzus, Toy Fox Terriers |
| Mr. Douglas Johnson | Cavalier King Charles Spaniels |
| Mr. Desmond J. Murphy | Poodles (Toy) |
| Mr. Richard W. Powell | Affenpinschers, Toy Manchester Terriers, Silky Terriers |
| Mr. Johnny R. Shoemaker | Havanese, Maltese, Pekingese, Yorkshire Terriers |
| Dr. Geno Sisneros | Toy Spaniels (both varieties), Japanese Chins, Miniature Pinschers, Papillons, Pomeranians |
| Mrs. Jacqueline L. Stacy | Chihuahuas (both varieties), Italian Greyhounds, Pugs |
| NON-SPORTING GROUP: | Breed Assignments: |
| Mr. James Dalton | French Bulldogs |
| Ms. Grace M. Fritz | Löwchens, Shiba Inus, Tibetan Spaniels |
| Mr. Desmond J. Murphy | Bulldogs, Poodles (Miniature & Standard) |
| Ms. Helene Nietsch | American Eskimo Dogs, Chinese Shar-Pei, Dalmatians, Finnish Spitz, Keeshonden, Norwegian Lundehunds, Schipperkes |
| Mrs. Sheila Polk | Xoloitzcuintli |
| Mr. Timothy S. Robbins | Bichon Frises, Boston Terriers, Chow Chows, Coton de Tulear, Lhasa Apsos, Tibetan Terriers |
| HERDING GROUP: | Breed Assignments: |
| Mr. Thomas Coen | Belgian Lakenois, Belgian Malinois, Belgian Sheepdogs, Belgian Tervurens, Bergamasco Sheepdogs, Entlebucher Mountain Dogs, Icelandic Sheepdogs, Miniature American Shepherds, Norwegian Buhunds, Polish Lowland Sheepdogs, Swedish Vallhunds |
| Mr. Michael Faulkner | Australian Shepherds |
| Mr. Rick Gschwender | Finnish Lapphunds, Old English Sheepdogs |
| Mr. David J. Kirkland | Bearded Collies, Border Collies, Collies (both varieties), Shetland Sheepdogs |
| Mr. Sam Houston McDonald | Berger Picards, Pulik, Pumik, Spanish Water Dogs |
| Mr. Brian Meyer | Bouviers des Flandres, Briards, Canaan Dogs, German Shepherd Dogs |
| Ms. Sheree W. Moses | Cardigan Welsh Corgis, Pembroke Welsh Corgis, Pyrenean Shepherds |
| Mr. William P. Shelton | Australian Cattle Dogs, Beaucerons |
*Panel subject to final approval.
About Best in Show judge James A. Moses:
James A. Moses, of Wentsville, Missouri, has been involved with dogs all of his life. His mother bred Miniature Poodles from which Mr. Moses won his very first Best in Show. His father gave him his first dog, a German Shepherd Dog, when he was 9 years old. Mr. Moses finished his first champion by the age of 13, and by 19 handled the number-one dog, all breeds, in Canada. He has handled dogs to over 1,000 Bests in Show.
Over the years, Mr. Moses has been honored to have won some very notable shows, including the AKC Centennial show and the Westminster Kennel Club with Ch. Covy Tucker Hill’s Manhattan. He has handled four dogs in the “100 Club” including the number-one dog of all time, Ch. Altana’s Mystique (275 BIS and 30 BISS). Mr. Moses has handled many other breeds to best in show and specialty wins. In 1999, he was inducted to the Dog Show Hall of Fame.
In addition to handling, Mr. Moses has been the top Herding Group winner with several German Shepherd Dogs he has bred under the Kaleef prefix. The past few years have seen several Kaleef dogs take the Grand Victor honors at the Canadian and U.S. German Shepherd Dog nationals. Mr. Moses’s next chapter in dogs is judging, which he says, “he is thoroughly enjoying.” His love of dogs and the sport has been the focus of his adult life. Mr. Moses is also an avid sportsman and outdoorsman and enjoys balancing breeding, judging, and retirement.
About Best Bred-By-Exhibitor judge Patricia Cruz:
Professionally, Patricia is a journalist and Board member of the Dog Writers Association of America. She is the former president of a civilian employee union in one of the largest police departments on the east coast and secretary of a county-wide union representing over 10,000 employees. She also served as sales manager and marketing consultant for radio stations in the number one market in U.S.