FROM THE EXECUTIVE EDITOR EMERITUS Joseph Neil McGinnis III AKC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP BREAKS ALL RECORDS
It is with great pride that I posed for this photo with Dennis B. Sprung, President & CEO of The American Kennel Club and Show Chairman for the AKC National Championship. To say that his work on this behalf is legion is an understatement; my admiration for him and his team knows no bounds. And it was with great pleasure that I attended my seventeenth such event, one for each year since its inception. I’ve watched this show grow from a great idea to a monumental addition to the sport of dogs, and I’m gratified to have been able to be there, ring- side, each step of the way.
Photo: Daniel J. Cartier
Everyone in attendance was stunned at the vast array of breed booths boasting of and celebrating purebred dogs. I could fill every page of this issue myself with thoughts on this show that ended a calendar year and set a new example for the future; fortunately we have many more voices and visions to share. Enjoy our coverage in addition to our regular, wonderful content. ShowSight’s eyes and ears were all over AKCNC. I do, though, want to say one more thing... Perhaps what’s most unique about this event is that it is our show. Each one of us who owns a purebred dog is a de facto member of the show-giving club. You don’t have to be a Delegate or a Board Member or an actual employee of AKC to derive pride and pleasure in this, our annual con- vention. This show can be compared to none other, and only has itself to top. I have no doubt it will continue to do so. As a guy who’s spent going on fifty years in this sport, from fledgling breeder/exhibitor to seasoned breeder/owner/handler to retired dog-magazine publisher to now AKC judge, I can only say that my enthusiasm hasn’t dimmed and my hopes for our future remain shining bright. I personally thank Mr. Sprung and all involved for their service to our world. And I wish you the very best of New Years as we enter a new calendar year full of dreams to be fulfilled and fun to be had with our dogs and our fellow fanciers. I’ve had fun all along the way,
Of course, it’s wrong to lay all the credit on the shoulders of one man; this undertaking has been a concerted, cohe- sive effort from day one. Although most of my experience with this show has been working with Mr. Sprung, Gina DiNardo, Michael Canalizo and Paula Spector, all of whose work in making AKCNC what it is today should be recog- nized by all, there are way too many to applaud and thank to mention here. Suffice it to say—and I regret that I cannot include every single name—that we all send gratitude and thanks. Should anyone question the relevance of this event, I simply say this: look at the numbers. We’re not that easy to please, so if this weren’t providing us a great deal in what- ever we look for as exhibitor, spectator, fancier, et cetera, they wouldn’t tally up the way they do. And do they ever. Numbers for each individual branch of this towering tree seem up from those previously recorded, and the newest addition to the ranks, the Puppy/Junior Stakes, blew through the predicted roof. Mrs. Kamie McHenry Eckart, President of sponsor Royal Canin, told me over dinner “We had hoped for five hundred entries. When we went over a thousand we were absolutely astounded.” With a total entry of 1229, its planners and fans have seen their vision vindi- cated, indeed. It was my distinct honor to again this year Chair the Best Booth Contest for AKC’s MEET THE BREEDS®, another event breaking records from times past and taxing the abil- ities of our stellar panel of judges. My admiration for the work of the parent and affiliated breed clubs on behalf of the dogs they favor is huge because believe me, their plan- ning and execution hours are long and enervating.
and I don’t intend to stop now. Join me. I’ll see you ringside.
46 • S how S ight M agazine , J anuary 2018
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