(PRESS RELEASE) The American Kennel Club announces the winner of the third AKC Virtual Top Dog Challenge. The event garnered 217 entries. CH Wildwoods I Can’t Drive 55 RI CGCA TKP a West Highland White Terrier known as “Hemi,” was awarded Best in Show by AKC Judge Mr. Michael Canalizo of Long Island, New York. “Hemi” is owned and bred by Deborah Sullivan, Lisa Pacheco, and Lou Pacheco. Best Puppy was awarded to Disyre What Dreams Are Made Of, a Papillon known as “Peanut,” also judged by Mr. Canalizo. “Peanut” is owned by Diana Sayre and Kim Moreno and bred by Diana Sayre. A donation of $2,200 from the entry fee will be donated to California Fire Foundation’s SAVE Program, which provides immediate assistance in the form of gift cards to victims of fire or other natural disasters so they may purchase necessities, such as food, clothing and medicine.
Dogs were judged in one of two classes: Puppy (at least 6 months and under 12 months) or Open Class (any entry including CH of record) in the appropriate breed and sex. Entries were judged by selected dog people with expertise in their respective breeds. Group judges were Mr. Douglas A. Johnson (Sporting), Mr. Eugene Blake (Hound), Mrs. Vicki Seiler-Cushman (Working), Mrs. Connie H. Clark (Terrier), Mr. David J. Kirkland (Toy), Mr. Steven Hayden (Non-Sporting), James J. Mitchell (Herding), and Mrs. Anne K. Catterson (Miscellaneous).
The winners are:
Open Class
- Reserve Best in Show: Bianca E’Dubronic, a Cocker Spaniel (ASCOB) owned and bred by Marco Paseta
Group Winners:
- Sporting: Bianca E’Dubronic, a Cocker Spaniel (ASCOB) owned and bred by Marco Paseta
- Hound: CH Cu Liath Windfall Worthington, a Scottish Deerhound owned by Loretta Chowning, Thelma Chowning, and Paula Hogan and bred by Paula Hogan and Lynn Kiaer
- Working: Ch. Malaczar’s Won-der-ful Enchantment, an Alaskan Malamute owned and bred by Jacquita Lind, Eddie Price and Jadyn Price
- Terrier: CH Wildwoods I Can’t Drive 55 RI CGCA TKP, a West Highland White Terrier owned and bred by Deborah Sullivan, Lisa Pacheco, and Lou Pacheco
- Toy: CH. Disyre Joy To The World, a Papillon owned by Kim Moreno and Diana Sayre and bred by Diana Sayre and Linda Fitzmaurice
- Non-Sporting: Cabochon I Am A Bobbi Dazzler, a Bichon Frise owned by Patricia McAllister and Patricia Dale Hunter and bred by P. McAllister, P.D. Hunter, and S.M. Sneddon
- Herding: GCH Cariadh Tea Party at Coventry, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi owned by Amy Jordan and bred by Patricia Smith
- Miscellaneous: Benchmark On Y Va My Sunshine, a Biewer Terrier owned by Whitney Aronson and bred by Barrie-Lynn Wood
- PUPPY CLASS
Reserve Best Puppy
- Jogoso’s Virtuoso, a Shiba Inu owned by Jeri Burnside, John Burnside, Lisa Sakashita, and Susanne Ozasa and bred by Susanne Ozasa, Li Chuan Huang, and Lisa Sakashita
Group Winners:
- Sporting: Celestial’s Tribal Cowgirl, an English Setter owned by Tammy and Roger Vann and bred by Tammy and Roger Vann and Taylor Baird
- Hound: Sincity Azure Fleur de la Coeur, a Whippet owned by Julie Troxel and bred by Yvette Chevalier Lopez
- Working: Lake Kathryn’s Strolling Down Grace Lane TKN, a Bernese Mountain Dog owned by Annie McDannold and bred by Andrea Bracikowski
- Terrier: No entries
- Toy: Disyre What Dreams Are Made Of, a Papillon owned by Diana Sayre and Kim Moreno and bred by Diana Sayre.
- Non-Sporting: Jogoso’s Virtuoso, a Shiba Inu owned by Jeri Burnside, John Burnside, Lisa Sakashita, and Susanne Ozasa and bred by Susanne Ozasa, Li Chuan Huang, and Lisa Sakashita
- Herding: Milas Tairis Bohemian Rhapsody, a Collie owned by Elaine Spaulding, Steve Spaulding, and Debra Jones and bred by Debra Jones, Lea Bertsch, Lynn Hyman Butler, and Lotta Hedman
- Miscellaneous: Benchmark On Y Va My Sunshine, a Biewer Terrier owned by Whitney Aronson and bred by Barrie-Lynn Wood
To enter, participants had to submit a video that included:
- Dog in stack from the front and side
- Breed appropriate display of the bite/mouth
- View of the dog gaiting (moving) down and back in a straight line
- Dog presented in free stack
- View of dog moving in profile around in a circle
For more information about the competition, click here.