AKC National Championship 2018—Another One For The Books! BY DENNIS SPRUNG
T his year’s AKC National Championship Dog Show served our constituency bet- ter than ever before. Taking place on over 1 million square feet in the Orlan- do Orange County Convention Center, there were more than 5,000 entries competing for the title of Best in Show. Combined with the other weekend events including the AKC Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy and Junior Stakes, AKC Agil- ity Invitational, the AKC Obedience Classic, AKC National Owner-Handler Series Finals, NADD/AKC Diving Dogs Championship, and the Junior events, the totals top 9,023 entries, making this the largest dog event held in the United States. Competitors came from 49 states and more than 21 countries. In our 18th year, this show has become one of the premier dog show events in the country as Ameri- ca’s breeder showcase. The AKC National Championship Dog Show was designed to demonstrate the best of respon- sible breeding programs and to the celebrate the undying love for our canine companions. It is our goal, each year to make the show a memorable experience for breeders, exhibitors, judges, del- egates and dog lovers alike. We work to showcase the 192 AKC-recognized breeds and to educate the public on responsible dog ownership and choos- ing the right breed for their lifestyle. Proudly, many Parent Clubs are represented at the AKC Meet The Breeds. We honored breeders who have impacted the sport and committed to the responsible breeding of healthy, happy dogs with our annual Breeder of the Year award. We also honored five wonderful dogs with the AKC Humane Fund ACE Awards. These dogs are valuable parts of their communi- ties and continue to make a difference in each life they touch. In addition to the action at the event, we were able to livestream over 40 hours of content on AKC. TV, bringing viewers coverage of various sports including the Puppy and Junior Stakes, Dock Div- ing, Agility, Best in Show and more. As always, I thank our sponsor Royal Canin for their commitment to the show and the health of dogs. I commend the AKC Board and staff who work throughout the year to make this show pos- sible and continue to move our mission forward. We are excited for next year and look forward to having you join us again in 2019 in Orlando. ALL THE BEST, Dennis B. Sprung President & CEO of The American Kennel Club
“THE AKC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP DOG
SHOW WAS DESIGNED TO DEMONSTRATE THE BEST OF RESPONSIBLE BREEDING PROGRAMS AND TO CELEBRATE THE UNDYING LOVE FOR OUR CANINE COMPANIONS.”
S how S ight M agazine , J anuary 2019 • 239
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