FROM AKC PRESIDENT & CEO DENNIS SPRUNG A WORD OR TWO
W e are here, once again, with an update about some excit- ing things occurring at AKC. We are honored to continue to share this information with our core constituency. Your unwavering commitment, dedication, continual contribu- tions, and volunteerism to AKC are vital and appreciated. First, it is our extreme pleasure to share with you that AKC Sports and Events has had another banner year! For the second consecutive year, S&E has set record numbers with 3,683,049 entries across 26,742 events. We cur- rently offer 28 sports that provide something for every lifestyle, with numerous opportunities to welcome newcomers into our world. Canine Sports help to grow the human bond and we are always happy that exhibitors, both long-term and new, find joy in participating in our sports. This May, we will celebrate National Purebred Dog Day (May 1). AKC’s Government Relations Department will host a reception in Washington, D.C. with elected government officials to meet several winners of the AKC National Championship. Educational outreach like this is important to building and maintaining relationships with our legislators and aid AKC in our ongoing efforts to protect our rights as responsible breeders and owners. We are pleased to share that we will host our annual AKC Detection Dog Conference on July 23-25 in Wilmington, Ohio. This conference will bring together experts speaking about the cutting edge of canine detection research, training, breeding, and handling as AKC contributes to the protection of our country. Attendees of this event will consist of members of the armed forces, USPCA, Secret Service, FBI, CIA, and local police departments. For more information on the conference, please visit: akc.org . Lastly, we are thrilled to congratulate the winners of the AKC Junior Ver- satility Scholarships. A total of $12,000 in scholarships are awarded to the top 10 Juniors who competed in a minimum of three different competitive AKC events. The scholarships are made possible by Carolyn and Gary Koch in memory of Pug GCHP Hill Country’s Let’s Get Ready To Rumble through the AKC Humane Fund, Elizabeth Fletcher in memory of Doris A. Wall, the North Carolina Triangle Judges Education Group, and the AKC® National Junior Organization. We congratulate these outstanding Juniors for their commitment to dog sports and their academic futures. Well done! I am appreciative of your contributions as responsible breeders, exhibitors, owners, and judges. You are truly what makes AKC great. I’m thankful to continue sharing more news with you!
© American Kennel Club
42 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, MARCH 2024
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