CONGRATS TO ALL THE NOMINEES
THANK YOU FOR HELPING US RECOGNIZE THE HARDEST WORKING, RESPECTED, AND MOST DEVOTED MEMBERS OF THIS SPORT, AND TO THE DOGS WE LOVE.
BREEDER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
Lorrie Carlton & Larry Letsche
Lorrie Carlton’s introduction to the Bichon Frise started by pure accident when she was working as an assistant to her father, George Carlton. She was asked to show a dog known as Sam (CH Jadeles The Kid HH Pride) and guided him to a Best in Show in 1976. Lightning struck twice with Lorrie’s second Bichon special, CH Rank’s Raggedy Andy, who won the third Bichon Frise Club of America (BFCA) National Specialty in 1981. In the early 1980s, Lorrie started her Belle Creek bloodline, while also working as a professional handler. Larry’s introduction to the Bichon Frise was also by accident. A veterinarian, he treated a litter of puppies for Lorrie. The rest is history. The couple, who lives in Plymouth, Michigan, was married in 1989. After years of juggling breeding and handling, Lorrie retired from handling after winning the Hound Group at Westminster in 1993 with a Borzoi. To date, they have bred 215 champions, including multiple Best in Show, Group and National Specialty winners. Many dogs and bitches have become top producers in the U.S., as well as the foundation stock for top kennels in the U.S. and the world. A career highlight came in 2018 when Flynn, aka GCHP Belle Creek’s All I Care About Is Love, won Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club. Flynn captured 44 Bests in Show and in 2016 won Best of Breed at the BFCA National Specialty and Reserve Best in Show at the AKC National Championship. Lorrie and Larry share a deep devotion to the purebred dog and serve the fancy whenever they can. “We could not have gotten to this point without the love and support of many people,” Lorrie says. “We wish to thank our many friends and family who have been part of our journey.”
Kim Rudzik
Kim Rudzik of Westfield, Massachusetts, is the breeder behind Fraja EC Am Staffs. She was introduced to American Staffordshire Terriers in 1986 and never looked back. Kim was born into the dog show world and started showing Dalmatians with her mom at a very young age. The first litter she co-bred in 1987 produced the famous CH Fraja EC Winning Ticket, the first Am Staff to place in the Terrier Group at the Westminster and Montgomery County kennel clubs. She has been blessed to have loved, owned and shown the top-winning Am Staff of all time, GCHP Roadhouse’s Life of the Party CA DN CGCA RATN ATT, and the top-winning Am Staff bitch of all time, CH Castle Rocks Sbigstaff Mad About You. Their combined wins of 69 Bests in Show include three won at Montgomery County Kennel Club. She also piloted those two special dogs to a combined five Terrier Group placements at Westminster. Kim’s true passion has always been at home raising her Am staff puppies with proper love and care. She has bred over 70 Champions from a limited number of litters. Her greatest achievement is knowing that her puppies have been properly nurtured to thrive in their next adventure in loving homes.
Mike Stone & Alisa Syar
Mike Stone and Alisa Syar of Granite Bay, California, have a long history in the sport of purebred dogs. Before they joined forces in 1998, Mike was an esteemed all-breed professional handler, and Alisa bred, owned and handled Alaskan Malamutes under the SilverIce prefix. Together, they have bred and exhibited over 100 champion Alaskan Malamutes. With breeding partners, they have professionally campaigned multiple Group, Best in Show, Best in Specialty Show and National Specialty winners. They have had multiple Working Group winners at the AKC National Championship, Best of Breed winners at the Westminster Kennel Club and Top Twenty winners at the Alaskan Malamute Club of America National Specialty. Their breeding philosophy focuses on breeding healthy dogs with great temperaments that have Arctic breed type, correct structure and soundness. They are longtime members of the Alaskan Malamute Club of America, and Alisa is vice president and Mike is a member of the board of directors of the Northern California Alaskan Malamute Association. Through their participation in the rescue group MUSH (Malamutes Seeking Homes), they have rescued, rehabilitated and rehomed numerous Malamutes. They are members of the Golden Gate Kennel Club, through which they work with breed clubs to provide breed education for the public. They strive to educate the public, breeders and judges about their beloved Alaskan Malamute and are committed to improve the health and quality of the breed. SilverIce Kennels is dedicated to breed preservation and the heritage of the Alaskan Malamute. “We thank the committee for this nomination. It is truly an honor and dream for us,” Alisa says.
PROFESSIONAL HANDLER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
Robert R.C. Carusi
I was 15 years old, and my uncle, Bobby Fisher, was visiting at my childhood home. I went with him to the Bronx County and Queensboro kennel club shows that were held at the Nassau Coliseum. An Irish terrier named Rowdy Red piloted by Bobby won the Group under Ken McDermott and went on to receive Best in Show under Tom Gately. Seeing this animal ignited my passion for terriers. Since that day, I have dedicated my life to purebred dogs, specifically terriers, and have been running my own business in Oxford, Massachusetts, since 1992. I enjoy travelling the world for shows, and I am always in search of the next great one. I am honored to be nominated for Professional Handler of the Year. Thank you very much.
Tara Schultz
Tara Schultz of Bonita, California, began in the sport of dogs in an unconventional way via receiving rides to shows from a family friend. It wasn’t long before her love of dogs enticed her to compete in Junior Showmanship and apprentice under accomplished handlers. It became clear that there was nothing else she wanted to do besides show professionally and work alongside these amazing animals. It was serendipitous when an opportunity arose to move to California for her dream job. Tara’s best friend, Casandra Clark, helped convince her that it was the right choice! This move was the move of a lifetime both professionally and personally. In over 30 years in the sport, Tara has been fortunate to have been guided by the best in our industry, especially from her husband, Bruce Schultz. His unconditional support and incredible knowledge help her succeed every day. She is honored to be partners with Susan Hamil and Quiet Creek Bloodhounds. Together, they have bred and owned multiple Best in Show, National Specialty winners and champions. Her love of Golden Retrievers is also no secret. Tara is the breeder and co-breeder of many successful Goldens. Tara is beyond grateful for the opportunities she has had to present some unforgettable dogs including Freedom, Bob, Dazzle, Slammer, Hunter and so many more multiple Best in Show, national and specialty winners. The life of a handler is not the success of one individual but that of a village of loyal clients, inspirational mentors, knowledgeable breeders and supportive friends. “I am honored to be nominated for this award,” she says.
Tiffany Skinner
Tiffany Skinner of Stanwood, Washington, is a second-generation dog fancier. Back then, Tiffany was the “lil babe” on top of a dolly loaded with her parents’ Beagles headed to the ring. Her entrance to the dog show world began with whatever dog she could convince to join her for practice lured by a leash and treat. Her passion grew, and with patience and guidance from her first mentors, Ed and Carol Tyte, Tiffany began showing her own Beagle named Laverne. Although the struggle was real for a 7-year- old girl learning the ropes and nuances of her breed, Laverne became Tiffany’s first Bred-By Champion! As a teenager and young adult, Tiffany apprenticed for multiple professional handlers, which built her dedication to the sport and helped her learn the trade and husbandry of purebred dogs. After years of apprenticing, Tiffany sought and received the approval of her mentors, peers and community to go out on her own, and thus began her professional career. Over the past 20 years, Tiffany has handled dogs from all seven groups to Bests in Show and National Specialty wins, and many have been ranked at the top of their respective groups and had record-setting campaigns. In 2022, Tiffany handled Bogart, the Standard Schnauzer, who finished the year as the No. 1 Working dog and No. 2 dog all breeds. Tiffany strives to give back to the sport, and it is not uncommon to find her giving juniors, owner-handlers or seasoned veterans tips on handling and grooming or even a spirited pep talk. She gives just as much, if not more, to her canine companions, which is seen by the love they have for Tiffany in and out of the ring.
JUDGE OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
Eugene Blake
As a dog bather at The Pink Poodle Shop in Houston in 1954, I was introduced to the world of dogs. Hazel Hamm, my employer, whom I have always credited with recognizing my talent with dogs, along with Jimmy Andrews, encouraged me to continue on my life’s path working with dogs.
When I started showing dogs in 1956, segregation was practiced in sports, including dog shows. I stayed the course showing dogs. I got my big break in 1973 when I won the Hound Group at Westminster Kennel Club.
My long-term goal was to become an AKC licensed dog show judge. I started judging in 1990 with the Hound Group and progressively added the Non-Sporting, Toy and Sporting Groups and Best in Show. I have judged dog shows around the world, including many prestigious shows. If I was asked what show is my favorite to judge, my answer would be the next show I am judging. I am honored to be nominated for this award and sincerely congratulate the other nominees.
Jason Hoke
I began in the sport of dogs in my youth with German Shepherd Dogs and Great Danes under the Jamara prefix. We bred many champions, and it was the foundation that ultimately led to my becoming a judge. During my teenage and early college years, I was an apprentice to numerous all-breed handlers, which allowed me to learn about the form and function of breeds across every group.
In the midst of a successful handling career in partnership with David Fitzpatrick, I chose to go to culinary school. I worked in three Michelin-star restaurants including The Inn at Little Washington in Virginia. Eventually, I felt ready to embark on a judging career. My great adventure as a judge began with eight breeds. I now judge the Toy and Hound Groups and most of the Non-Sporting Group. I have served as president of the Great Dane Club of America, and I am a board member of the Pekingese Club of America and member of the American Whippet Club.
I have had the privilege of judging the Westminster Kennel Club three times, including judging the Toy Group in 2016. My judging career has taken me to 30 countries, and I was honored to be the only American to judge the Great Dane National in Germany. I also have been invited to judge at Crufts, the European Dog Show and this year at the World Dog Show in Geneva. The sport of dogs has been kind to me, and I cherish each day in the ring. Thank you for my nomination and considering me for Judge of the Year. Best of luck to each nominee.
Karen Wilson
Karen Wilson of Sperryville, Virginia, has had dogs all her life, however, her family got their first show dog in 1966. She was a lovely Irish Setter that was successful in the show ring, in obedience, in the field and in the whelping box. They were fortunate on their first try with a show dog to get such wonderful dogs, she says. All their dogs were owner-handled. Her husband, Gary, started with an Airedale Terrier at the same time and continued to show until Karen became a judge in 1992.
Karen is approved to judge the Sporting, Hound and Terrier Groups and Best in Show. Her judging has taken her to Asia, Brazil, Denmark, Canada and Australia, as well as all around the United States. The five times she judged at Westminster have been great memories, she says, as has judging at the AKC National Championship, the Morris & Essex show and a great variety of national and regional specialties. She is looking forward looking to judging Best in Show at the Montgomery County Kennel Club terrier show this October.
She and her husband continue to be active in dog clubs. They have many good friends in the dog fancy and are always willing to help out new exhibitors. Their love for dogs has carried over to their family, which includes two daughters, 11 grandchildren and, so far, 22 great-grandchildren, most of whom have dogs of their own.
OWNER / HANDLER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
Lydia Coleman Hutchinson
Lydia Coleman Hutchinson of Middletown, Maryland, is the breeder-owner-handler of Wolfpit Cairn Terriers. She attended her first dog show with her parents on her 10th birthday and was encouraged to show their dog. After 15 minutes of instruction from a family friend, the result was a fourth-place ribbon and the start of a lifelong passion for showing dogs. Lydia’s proudest achievement in Junior Showmanship was placing second at Westminster.
More than 70 years later, Lydia continues to actively breed and show her Cairns. She is thrilled that Wolfpit has finished nearly 300 Champions bred and/or owned by her and her parents. She encourages those who have acquired show-potential puppies from her to handle their dogs themselves, and many have done so successfully.
As a teenager, Lydia was invited to show-train puppies of the famous Hollycourt Miniature Poodles. In lieu of monetary payment, Lydia acquired and finished her first Mini. That “job” evolved into her becoming an employee at Hollycourt Kennels and learning to train, groom and show Poodles. Along the way, Anne Rogers Clark noticed Lydia and asked for her help preparing and sometimes handling Poodles at shows. After 15 years in Cairns, Lydia became an AKC judge in 1964. Not a show passes without at least one exhibitor telling her that they appreciate how she judges dogs with an insider’s understanding. Comments like those make her efforts worthwhile.
Rémy L. Smith-Lewis
Rémy L. Smith-Lewis of Menifee, California, fell in love with the sport of purebred dogs at age 10 when his mother took him to his first dog show, the Golden Gate Kennel Club show in San Francisco. He started competing in Junior Showmanship and working as an assistant for top handlers. This gave him experience in animal husbandry and learning to groom and train. He attributes his success in the sport to all the talented handlers, breeders and dog people who taught him the foundation of dogs and encouraged him to never stop learning. Most importantly, he learned early on that dogs always come first. This has been a guiding principle throughout his tenure in the sport.
Rémy is a preservation breeder-owner-handler of Portuguese Water Dogs under the Rémis Kennels prefix. He has had multiple Group-winning and Best in Show dogs as well as a National Specialty winner. Rémy is a Junior Showmanship judge. He is a board member of the Del Valle Dog Fanciers Association and a member of the Santa Barbara Kennel Club, Morris & Essex Kennel Club and Portuguese Water Dog Club of America.
A graduate of Saint Mary’s College of California, Rémy is the senior diversity & inclusion recruiting strategist & human resources business partner for a personal genomics and biotechnology company in Silicon Valley.
Janet York
Janet York of Manhattan and Pound Ridge, New York, fell in love with Cavalier King Charles Spaniels in 1986. Her passion for the toy spaniel breed has led to her training and showing in several dog sports with her beloved Cavaliers. Janet has attained Obedience Trial Championships, Master Agility Championships, breed championships and multiple Bests in Show with dogs she brought from Holland and dogs she has bred under the Piccadil prefix.
Janet has successfully shown many of her Cavaliers to No. 1 in breed and all-breed. Her Cavalier, Mondrian, won 15 Bests in Show, a breed record that stands today. As an avid exhibitor in the AKC’s National Owner-Handled (NOH) Series, Janet has handled three Cavaliers, Twist, Catcher and now Treasure, to No. 1 in breed. In 2017, Catcher, MBISS GCHP/CAN GCH Piccadil’s Dream A Little Dream Of Me CDX BN RE SWNE SHDN CGC TKC, was the No. 1 all-breed dog in the country in the NOH Series. This was a glorious achievement that Janet will cherish forever.
As an accomplished author, Janet wrote six children’s books using her own dogs as the main characters. Each book has a message to help children understand important social and cultural lessons. As a successful artist, Janet created realistic sculptures in bronze, stone and acrylic of two- and four-legged subjects that won acclaim at exhibitions in galleries in the U.S. and Europe. For many years, Janet exhibited at the annual art show of The Dog Fanciers Club, with several of her sculptures winning first place.
SHOW OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
Collie Club of America
The Collie Club of America (CCA) has a rich 137-year history that began with its founding on Aug. 26, 1886. The first CCA National Specialty was held in 1894. The centennial year National Specialty, held in 1986 in Chicago, drew a prestigious panel of judges, including five past presidents, and a respectable combined entry of 1,195 dogs. The 2023 event that will be held March 25 to April 1 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, marks the 129th year of the annual celebration. The diversity of activities, from conformation, obedience and rally to herding and agility, reflects the trainability, intelligence and loyalty of the Collie breed. The Top 20 Invitational showcases the top-ranked competitors from 2022 in conformation, Junior Showmanship, obedience, rally and agility. The Shining Star Collie Ambassador Award is given to an exemplary dog for work in service, search and rescue, therapy, education/library assistance or protection. Honors such as Breeder of the Year, the Right Stuff Award and Hall of Fame inductees pay tribute to those who have dedicated their lives to advancing the breed. Collectively, we celebrate our beloved Collie breed at our CCA National Specialty Show.
Kanadasaga Kennel Club
The Kanadasaga Kennel Club has served the dog fancy in the Finger Lakes region of central New York for nearly 70 years. We strive to advance all breeds through our dog shows, exhibitions, matches, obedience and agility trials. Puppy socialization, training and handling classes and seminars are ongoing activities. In 1986, we began the Wine Country Circuit show, held annually in late September, with three other clubs on Seneca Lake in Romulus, New York. It began as a small show and has grown to be one of the largest four-day shows in the country with 3,000 to 3,500 dogs a day. Many regional and national specialties take place during the cluster, as do the performance sports of agility, obedience, rally and lure coursing. The popularity of this show led state and park officials to provide a dedicated field that is groomed yearlong to accommodate the show site. Eye and heart health clinics and seminars are held every year. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine is our veterinary care provider, and we pair veterinary students with mentors to help them learn about the dog fancy and purebred dogs. We are pleased to work with two other clubs to preserve the classic Wine Country Circuit.
DFA of Oregon
The Dog Fanciers Association of Oregon (DFAO) has a long history in the Pacific Northwest, beginning in 1939. After holding its early all-breed shows at locations across the state, the club settled at the Portland Metropolitan Exposition Center 75 years ago. Today, the Expo Center has 330,000 square feet, ample space for the five-day Rose City Cluster that began more than three decades ago when Tualatin Kennel Club joined DFAO’s weekend. The 2023 show, held in late January, included 28 breed specialties, a group show and four all-breed shows. Trials and tests were offered for agility, obedience, rally, scent work, trick dog and Canine Good Citizen. Rose City Junior Handler of the Year with scholarships for the winners added to Junior Showmanship competition. Young dogs competed in the 4- to 6-month Puppy competition and the Future Star Spectacular. Regional TV networks and the print media covered the Rose City Classic throughout the event generating a large public attendance. Meet the Breeds featured 67 clubs promoting their breeds. The 25th Rose City Classic Student Art Classic drew hundreds of students, teachers and parents who enjoyed the student artwork on display and stayed to watch the dog show and dog sports. DFAO thrives on introducing the public to purebred dogs and the dog fancy.