AKC Announces 2021 National Championship Judging Panel
The American Kennel Club has announced the judging panel for the 2021 AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, Dec. 18 and Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021.
The 2021 event will showcase the top canine athletes and will also include popular attractions such as the Best Bred-by-Exhibitor competition, the AKC National Owner-Handled Series Finals, and the AKC Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy and Junior Stakes. The show will once again take place alongside the AKC Agility Invitational and the Obedience Classic, with junior events in Conformation, Agility, Obedience and Rally.
Leading the charge as Best in Show judge for the 2021 National Championship is Mr. Dana P. Cline of Albany, GA and Mr. Elliott B. Weiss of Novelty, OH will judge Best Bred-by-Exhibitor in Show. The judges for the National Owner-Handled Series Finals and the AKC Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy and Junior Stakes will be announced at a later date.
Breeding has always been a favorite aspect of this sport for Cline and he currently breeds and exhibits Tibetan Mastiffs and Italian Greyhounds. He has bred nearly 100 champions in a variety of breeds, primarily Great Danes, but also Borzoi, German Wirehaired Pointers, Miniature Bull Terriers, Beagles, Italian Greyhounds and Tibetan Mastiffs and is also a Breeder of Merit. He was a long-time member of the Great Dane Club of America and is currently a member of The American Tibetan Mastiff Association.
Cline is an All-Breed Judge. He has judged in a number of foreign countries, multiple National Specialties, as well as many of the country’s top shows. He was also the Recipient of the 2017 AKC Judge of the Year.
Weiss began exhibiting dogs in 1963, and from 1965 through 1968 he was an apprentice handler to the late Ted Young Jr. Weiss became a licensed professional handler in 1969. In a 1985 Kennel Review poll, the fancy voted Weiss among the top 10 handlers of the time. He has owned and bred Cocker Spaniels, Clumber Spaniels, Giant Schnauzers, Pointers and English Setters. He was a charter member and founding president of the Monticello New York Kennel Club.
Weiss retired from handling in 1993 and began his judging career the following year. He is approved to judge Best in Show; Sporting, Hound, Terrier, Toy and Non-Sporting groups; and several additional breeds from the Working and Herding groups. He judged Best in Show in 2018 and the Terrier group in 2020 at the AKC National Championship. Mr. Weiss owns, exhibits and occasionally breeds English Setters under the Wyndswept banner.
“The AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin continues to be a world-class event and with Dana and Elliott heading the panel, this year will be no different,” said Show Chairman Dennis B. Sprung. “The 2021 event promises to be an exciting competition for breeders, exhibitors and judges.”
Judges for the seven variety groups and the Miscellaneous Classes at the AKC National Championship are:
SPORTING – Elizabeth “Beth” Sweigart – Bowmansville, PA
HOUND – Mr. Luc Boileau – Lake Geneva, WI
WORKING – Mr. Norman B. Kenney – Crossroads, TX
TERRIER – Mr. Edd E. Bivin – Ft. Worth, TX
TOY – Mr. James A. Moses – Roswell, GA
NON-SPORTING – Mrs. Susan St. John Brown – Divide, CO
HERDING – Mr. Charles L. Olvis – Lake Wales, FL
MISCELLANEOUS CLASSES – Pamela S. Lambie – Phoenix, AZ
BEST JUNIOR HANDLER – Mrs. Debbie L. Melgreen – Yates City, IL
JUNIOR PRELIMS – Miss Kimberly A. Langlands and Jeffrey M. Hanlin, Jr.
Judges for the seven Bred-by-Exhibitor variety groups are:
SPORTING – Mrs. Debbie L. Melgreen – Yates City, IL
HOUND – Pamela S. Lambie – Phoenix, AZ
WORKING – Mr. Terry Stacy – Chapel Hill, NC
TERRIER – Mr. Lawrence Cornelius – Palm Springs, CA
TOY – Dr. Gareth Morgan-Jones – Auburn, AL
NON-SPORTING – Mr. Timothy Catterson – New Castle, IN
HERDING – Mrs. Cathy H. Daugherty – Hot Springs, AR
A complete listing of breed judging for the AKC National Championship is available at the AKC website (https://www.akc.org/press-releases/2021-akc-national-championship-judging-panel-now-available/).