The American Kennel Club® is pleased to announce the winners of the AKC® Pointing Breed Gun Dog Championships, sponsored by Purina and Tri-Tronics. The event was held April 28 – May 6 at the Red Rock Field Trial grounds north of Reno, Nev. This was the 15th running of this event, which has become the largest all-breed Gun Dog Championship in the United States. There were two championship stakes held at the event with a total of 193 competitors.
The Retrieving Championship Stake was won by FC VHK’s Leapin Lizzie, a German Shorthaired Pointer handled by Randy Berry and owned by Mike and Judy Hewett of Rescue, Calif. The Non-Retrieving Championship Stake was won by FC San-Dee’s Blazing Shane, a Brittany handled by Paul Doiron and owned by Don and Pat Ball of Portola, Calif.
The winners faced off against the toughest competitors in the country. In order to qualify for the competition, a dog must be an AKC-recognized pointing breed with an AKC Field Champion or Amateur Field Champion title, or have placed high in one of AKC’s qualifying competitions.
“Only the top pointing breed gun dogs make it to this level of competition. It is a pleasure to watch these dogs apply their hunting skills,” said Doug Ljungren, AKC Assistant Vice President of Performance Events. “We had a strong entry of hard working handlers and talented dogs who all deserve to be proud of their performance.”
In each stake, prizes are awarded to first through fourth place. The winners were as follows:
AKC Retrieving Championship Stake
1. FC VHK’s Leapin Lizzie, German Shorthaired Pointer
Handler: Randy Berry
Owners: Mike & Judy Hewett of Rescue, Calif.
2. DC/AFC Redline’s Tequila Smoker, Brittany
Handler: Paul Doiron
Owners: Bill & Cynthia Leffingwell of La Miranda, Calif.
3. FC/AFC Dunfur’s Dumazuri Rapscallion, German Shorthaired Pointer
Handler: Dan Hoke
Owner: Terry Quinn of Potlatch Idaho
4. FC San-Dee’s Blazing Shane, Brittany
Handler: Paul Doiron
Owners: Don & Pat Ball or Portola, Calif.
AKC Non-Retrieving Championship Stake
1. FC San-Dee’s Blazing Shane, Brittany
Handler: Paul Doiron
Owners: Don & Pat Ball of Portola, Calif.
2. NAFC/FC/AFC Miss Millennium von Greiwe, German Shorthaired Pointer
Handler: Don Fidler
Owners: Don & Connie Fidler of Bonsall, Calif.
3. FC/AFC Megasmoke Grand Finale, Brittany
Handler: Paul Doiron
Owner: Myra-Dawn Ellis of Riverside, Calif.
4. FC/AFC MTB CaboRita de Scipio, Brittany
Handler: Paul Doiron
Owners: Tom White & Margaret Horstmeyer of San Bernardino, Calif.