NEWS RELEASE: THE AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB 2020 BREEDER OF THE YEAR GROUP HONOREES ANNOUNCED
Award of Merit wins. Unique has also been represented every year at PCA National and Regional shows, resulting in seven Winners Dogs or Bitches, 10 Select or Award of Merit , three Best Bred-By- Exhibitor in Show, and one National Best of Variety. Gail and Joan are equally proud of the many Performance titled dogs that have come from the Unique line. Over 49 Agility and Obedience titles were achieved by both Joan and Gail, and by many other Unique owners. Community services with nurs- ing homes, reading programs and therapy work are also among their accomplishments. HERDING GROUP: THOMAS (TIM) MATHIESEN, NEBRIOWA CORGIS Mr. Mathiesen has bred Pembroke Welsh Corgis since 1964 under the Nebriowa prefix. He has bred over 120 AKC champions as well as many AKC title holders in all areas of performance. Nebriowa corgis have won top awards at many specialties, includ- ing a Best of Breed and four Best of Opposites at the Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of America, and many Group and Best in Show wins. Mr. Mathiesen has bred and/or owned Register of Merit sires and dams and Register of Merit excellent sires and dams, including a top-ten sire and dam. Mr. Mathiesen has been licensed to judge Pembroke and Car- digan Welsh Corgis for over 30 years and has judged at cham- pionship level at most of the US Pembroke specialties, includ- ing the PWCCA National three times. He has judged in many other countries, including England (three times), Australia (three times), South Africa, Japan, Canada, as well as most of the Scan- dinavian countries. He has judged both breeds at the Westminster Kennel Club, and he judged Pembrokes at Crufts. Mr. Mathiesen has served as PWCCA president for four years and vice president for four years, and has had multiple terms on the board of directors. He has been active in the Golden Gate PWCC since 1964 and a member of the PWCC of Southern Cali- fornia since the late ’60s. He maintains a small hobby kennel in the wine country of Northern California. Learn more about the award and past honorees at www.akc.org/ about/awards-and-honors/breeder-of-the-year/.
Ms. Martin has been a member of the American Maltese Association for 50 years, serving in many different capacities, and was honored with the American Maltese Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award. She has been an AKC Gazette columnist, as well as longtime Chairman of the Education Committee, working to educate future judges about the Maltese. Ms. Martin also belongs to the American Shih Tzu Club, is a founding member of the Park Shore Kennel Club, a current mem- ber and officer of the Little Fort Kennel Club of Waukegan, and a member of Morris and Essex. Ms. Martin says, “Besides showing Maltese and competi- tion, there is nothing more satisfying than your pet homes loving your dogs.” NON-SPORTING GROUP: GAIL S. WOLANIUK AND JOAN E. MCFADDEN, UNIQUE STANDARD POODLES Unique Standard Poodles began in 1980 with the combined effort and passion of Joan McFadden and Gail Wolaniuk. They both have been longtime members of the AKC Breeder of Merit program. Joan has been a member of the Poodle Club of America (PCA) for over 20 years, holding various positions and Board Membership. She was presented The Good Sportsman’s Award at the National in 2018. She has also been past President and Board Member of her local all-breed club, the Delaware County Kennel Club. Gail is a second-generation dog show enthusiast. Her parents successfully exhibited and bred Toy Poodles. Her father, Frank, was a professional handler and then an AKC judge. Gail also has been a member of PCA for 20 years and a member and past Board member of the Delaware County Kennel Club. In the past 40 years, they have established a strong family of healthy, happy, white standard Poodles. Some of their accomplish- ments include 115 champions. Among the many top winners and top producers are six Best in Show dogs and seven Best in Special- ty dogs, collectively winning 34 Bests. Unique Poodles are repre- sented every year at the Westminster Kennel Club show, resulting in a Best of Variety and Group Second in 2001 with Ch. Unique Reach For The Rainbow, along with 11 other Best of Opposite or
ABOUT THE AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB Founded in 1884, the American Kennel Club is a not-for-profit organization which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promot- ing the sport of purebred dogs, and breeding for type and function. Along with its more than 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners, and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 22,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year, including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure cours- ing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Reunite, and the AKC Museum of the Dog. For more information, visit www.akc.org. Become a fan of the American Kennel Club on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @AKCDogLovers.
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, NOVEMBER 2020 | 49
Powered by FlippingBook