Showsight January 2018

AKC TOP BREEDERS

E very year, the AKC recognizes breeding programs from the Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding Groups as their Breeder of the Year Group Honorees. “The breeders honored with this award are truly commit- ted to excellence, consistency, breed standard and type,” said Dennis Sprung, AKC President and CEO. “They have made important contributions to the sport of purebred dogs, and dogs bearing the honorees’ kennel names are a testament to their fine breeding programs.” A canine portraitist is commissioned to commemorate a prominent dog from the Breeder of the Year’s kennel, and their name is added to the perpetual trophy and plaque on permanent display at the AKC headquarters in New York City. All Group recipients receive a medallion in recognition of their achievements. On Saturday, December 16, Helyne Medeiros of the acclaimed Seasyde Pointers was presented with the 2017 AKC Breeder of the Year Award. Medeiros has bred and/or owned and handled some of the sport’s all–time top-winning and top–producing Pointers, with numerous champions, West- minster winners, multiple BIS winners and the top–winning Pointer in breed history. In 2008, her Ch. Cookieland Seasyde Hollyberry went BIS at the AKC National Championship and the National Dog Show. Medeiros has had multiple National Specialty Best of Breed winners and owner–handled the first Pointer to win

both the American and Canadian National Specialties. Dogs of her breeding have won at the sport’s highest levels in the United Kingdom, Europe and South Africa. She has had sever- al Senior and Master Hunter titlists, along with the American Pointer Club’s award for top–producing sires and dams for several years. Medeiros has served the Cape Cod Kennel Club as an officer, director, and AKC delegate and was the club’s Good Sportsmanship Award winner for 2005–2006. THE OTHER DISTINGUISHED GROUP WINNERS WERE: Representing the Hound Group: Marie Cotton, Spring Val- ley Rhodesian Ridgebacks

Representing the Working Group: Zoila (Tina) and Dr. Wil- liam Truesdale, Hi–Tech Boxers

Representing the Terrier Group: Karen Fitzpatrick, Mead- owlake Border Terriers

Representing the Toy Group: Lou Ann King, Loteki Papillons

Representing the Non-Sporting Group: James Dalton, Fabelhaft French Bulldogs

Representing the Herding Group: Steve Leyerly and Bill Shelton, Coventry Pembroke Welsh Corgis.

“THEY HAVE MADE IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SPORT OF PUREBRED DOGS, AND DOGS BEARING THE HONOREES’ KENNEL NAMES ARE A TESTAMENT TO THEIR FINE BREEDING PROGRAMS.”