The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for the 2024 AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, December 14 and Sunday, December 15, 2024.
The 2024 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, and the AKC Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy and Junior Stakes. The show will once again take place alongside the AKC Agility Invitational and the Obedience Classic, with junior events in Conformation, Agility, Obedience and Rally, as well as special attraction North America Diving Dogs (NADD) Santa Splash.
Leading the charge as Best in Show judge for the 2024 National Championship is Mr. Carl Gene Liepmann of Flushing, MI and Elizabeth “Beth” Sweigart of Bowmansville, PA 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 will be announced at a later date.
“This year’s show boasts an impressive lineup of judges, with Carl and Beth leading the charge,” said Show Chairman Dennis B. Sprung. “Now in its 24th year, the AKC National Championship continues to showcase the best of the best and is sure to be an exhilarating competition for breeders, exhibitors and judges.”
Judges for the seven variety groups and the Miscellaneous Classes at the AKC National Championship are:
SPORTING – Mr. Clay Coady – Paradise Valley, AZ
HOUND – Pamela Lambie – Phoenix, AZ
WORKING – Mrs. Roberta C. Davies – Brimfield, MA
TERRIER – Pamela Bruce – Welland, ON
TOY – Mr. Robin Stansell – Clayton, NC
NON-SPORTING – Mr. Charles Olvis – Lake Wales, FL
HERDING – Mr. Thomas Coen – Great Barrington, MA
MISCELLANEOUS CLASSES – Mr. Clay Coady – Paradise Valley, AZ
BEST JUNIOR HANDLER – Patricia Proctor – Yarmouth Port, MA
JUNIOR PRELIMS – Rachel Robertson and Morgan Miller
Judges for the seven Bred-by-Exhibitor variety groups are:
SPORTING – Bonnie Threlfall – Cary, NC
HOUND – Mr. Dennis B. Sprung. – New York, NY
WORKING – Mrs. Sheila DiNardo – Valley Glen, CA
TERRIER – Mr. Elliott Weiss – Novelty, OH
TOY – Dana Cline – Albany, GA
NON-SPORTING – Pamela Bruce – Welland, ON
HERDING – Mr. Frank Kane – Cleveland, UKG
BREED JUDGING FOR THE AKC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP:
| SPORTING GROUP | Breed Assignments |
| Mrs. Debbie Melgreen | Barbet, Brittany, Lagotto Romagnolo, Nederlandse Kooikerhondje, Retriever (Chesapeake Bay), Retriever (Curly-Coat) |
| Cindy Lane | Bracco Italiano, Spaniel (Cocker – all varieties), Spaniel (Field), Spaniel (Welsh Springer), Spinone Italiano, Wirehaired Pointing Griffon |
| Mrs. Vicki Seiler-Cushman | Pointer, Weimaraner |
| Mr. Frank Kane | Pointer (German Shorthaired), Pointer (German Wirehaired), Vizsla, Wirehaired Vizsla |
| Mrs. Joan Savage | Retriever (Flat-Coated), Retriever (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling), Setter (English), Setter (Gordon), Setter (Irish), Spaniel (English Cocker), Spaniel (Sussex) |
| Pamela Bruce | Retriever (Golden) |
| Claire White-Peterson | Retriever (Labrador) |
| Mrs. Sheila DiNardo | Setter (Irish Red & White), Spaniel (American Water), Spaniel (Boykin), Spaniel (Irish Water) |
| Pamela Lambie | Spaniel (Clumber) |
| Ms. Dianne Kroll | Spaniel (English Springer) |
| HOUND GROUP | Breed Assignments |
| Bonnie Threlfall | Afghan Hounds, Basenji, English Foxhound, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Saluki, Scottish Deerhound |
| Mr. David Miller | American English Coonhound, American Foxhound, Black and Tan Coonhound, Bloodhound, Bluetick Coonhound, Portuguese Podengo Pequeno, Sloughi, Treeing Walker Coonhound, Whippet |
| Jamie Hubbard | Basset Hound, Beagle (both varieties), Borzoi, Cirneco dell’Etna, Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen, Greyhound, Norwegian Elkhound, Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen, Plott Hound, Redbone Coonhound |
| Ms. Dianne Kroll | Dachshund (all varieties) |
| Dr. Eric Liebes | Azawakh, Harrier, Ibizan Hound, Irish Wolfhound, Otterhound, Pharaoh Hound |
| WORKING GROUP | Breed Assignments |
| Pamela Bruce | Akita, Anatolian Shepherd Dog, Bernese Mountain Dog, Boerboel, Bullmastiff, Cane Corso, Chinook |
| Dana Cline | Alaskan Malamute, Black Russian Terrier, Dogue de Bordeaux, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Leonberger, Newfoundland, Portuguese Water Dog, Tibetan Mastiff |
| Mr. Clay Coady | Boxer, Doberman Pinscher, Giant Schnauzer, Great Dane |
| Mrs. Vicki Seiler-Cushman | Dogo Argentino, Komondor, Kuvasz, Mastiff, Neapolitan Mastiff, Rottweiler, Samoyed, Siberian Husky |
| Dr. Eric Liebes | German Pinscher, St. Bernard, Standard Schnauzer |
| Mr. Norman Kenney | Great Pyrenees |
| TERRIER GROUP | Breed Assignments |
| Mrs. Rosalind Kramer | Airedale Terrier, Irish Terrier, Lakeland Terrier, Rat Terrier, Russell Terrier, Scottish Terrier, Skye Terrier |
| Mrs. Lydia Hutchinson | American Hairless Terrier, Australian Terrier, Cesky Terrier, Glen of Imaal Terrier, Miniature Schnauzer |
| Mr. Desmond Murphy | American Staffordshire Terrier, Bedlington Terrier, Border Terrier, Bull Terrier (both varieties), Dandie Dinmont Terrier, Fox Terrier (Smooth), Fox Terrier (Wire), Miniature Bull Terrier |
| Mr. Frank Kane | Cairn Terrier, Manchester Terrier (Standard), Norwich Terrier, Sealyham Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, West Highland White Terrier |
| Jamie Hubbard | Kerry Blue Terrier, Parson Russell Terrier, Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, Welsh Terrier |
| Cindy Lane | Norfolk Terrier |
| TOY GROUP | Breed Assignments |
| Mrs. Rosalind Kramer | Affenpinscher |
| Mrs. Lydia Hutchinson | Biewer Terrier, Italian Greyhound, Miniature Pinscher, Pug |
| Mr. Edd Bivin | Brussels Griffon, Chinese Crested, English Toy Spaniel (all varieties), Havanese |
| Mrs. Vicki Seiler-Cushman | Cavalier King Charles Spaniel |
| Linda George | Chihuahua (both varieties), Papillon |
| Gina Wieser | Japanese Chin, Maltese, Pomeranian, Shih Tzu |
| Pamela Bruce | Toy Fox Terrier |
| Mr. Frank Kane | Manchester Terrier (Toy) |
| Mr. Desmond Murphy | Pekingese |
| Elliott Weiss | Poodle (Toy) |
| Cindy Lane | Russian Toy, Silky Terrier |
| Mr. Charles Olvis | Yorkshire Terrier |
| NON-SPORTING GROUP | Breed Assignments |
| Mr. Richard Todd Jackson | American Eskimo Dog, Chow Chow, Finnish Spitz, Norwegian Lundehund, Shiba Inu, Tibetan Spaniel, Tibetan Terrier, Xoloitzcuintli |
| Mrs. Eva Berg | Bichon Frise, Bulldog, Coton de Tulear, Dalmatian, Lhasa Apso, Schipperke |
| Mr. David Miller | Löwchen |
| Elliott Weiss | Boston Terrier, Keeshond, Poodle (Miniature & Standard) |
| Mrs. Vicki Seiler-Cushman | Chinese Shar-Pei |
| Mrs. Sheila DiNardo | French Bulldog |
| HERDING GROUP | Breed Assignments |
| Mr. Charles Olvis | Australian Cattle Dog, Beauceron, Bergamasco, Berger Picard, Border Collie, Bouvier des Flandres, Entlebucher Mountain Dog, Polish Lowland Sheepdog |
| Mrs. Glenda Stephenson | Australian Shepherd |
| Jamie Hubbard | Bearded Collie |
| Mr. Norman Kenney | Briard, Canaan Dog, Finnish Lapphund, German Shepherd Dog, Miniature American Shepherd, Norwegian Buhund, Spanish Water Dog |
| Ms. Linda Robey | Belgian Lakenois, Belgian Malinois, Belgian Sheepdog, Belgian Tervuren, Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Icelandic Sheepdog, Mudi, Swedish Vallhund |
| Pamela Bruce | Lancashire Heeler |
| Nioma Stoner Coen | Collie (both varieties), Pembroke Welsh Corgi |
| Dr. Eric Liebes | Old English Sheepdog, Puli, Pumi, Pyrenean Shepherd, Shetland Sheepdog |
*Panel subject to final approval.
About Best in Show judge Carl Gene Liepmann:
Carl Liepmann’s earliest recollection of a purebred dog is about 1945 when the family got a Harlequin Great Dane named “Eric Von Stroheim III.” His first serious “dog ownership” occurred in 1961 during his honeymoon with Jan, when they went to Canton, Ohio to pick up their German Shepherd at a training academy. That started over 60 years of involvement in the dog world
In 1962 Mr. Liepmann purchased his first Retriever, a Golden, from breeder Marcia Schlehr of “Kyrie Kennels.” This was the beginning of the Liepmann family’s love of the Retriever. In 1964, after the birth of daughter Lora, the Liepmann’s founded The Flint Retriever Club.
The next two decades were filled with dog activities, including his work as a Professional Handler in Conformation and Obedience, and the opening of a boarding and training kennel called Triple L. In 1968 they bred their first litter of Labradors.
In 1980 Mr. Liepmann was approved to judge the five Retriever breeds and now judges all Sporting, all Herding, and all Working breeds, Junior Showmanship and BIS. He has also served as president of the Genesee County Kennel Club since 1980 and Secretary of the American Dog Show Judges Association since 1991.
Carl enjoys spending time with his daughter Lora, his son-in-law David, and their two grown children, Derek and Taylor along with Taylor’s two children Sydney and Grant. He also enjoys dining out with his friends. He currently spends most weekdays serving on boards and working with his three dogs. His many judging assignments have taken him to all 50 states and to more than a dozen different countries. He has had the honor of judging various breeds at the AKC National, Best Bred By, the Sporting Group, and Best Puppy in Show. Judging Best in Show in 2024 will be a crowning achievement.
About Best Bred-By-Exhibitor judge Elizabeth “Beth” Sweigart:
Ms. Elizabeth “Beth” Sweigart of Bowmansville, Pennsylvania was born on Long Island, NY and has been involved with dogs all her life. First, with the Labrador Retrievers that her father used for duck hunting on Great South Bay, and later, after marriage, she started breeding and showing Labs under the Yarrow prefix in the 1960s. She started breeding Norwich and Norfolk terriers in the 1970s and Affenpinschers in the 1990s. Ms. Sweigart has bred National Specialty, Best in Show winners, and top-ranked dogs.
Since retiring as a professional handler in 2006, Ms. Sweigart has been an AKC approved judge for the Sporting, Terrier and Toy groups as well as some breeds in the Working and Herding groups.