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147TH ANNUAL
WESTMINSTER KENNEL CLUB DOG SHOW NAMES 2023
BEST IN SHOW JUDGE
Geir Flyckt-Pedersen, world-renowned judge and breeder, has
been chosen
to award America’s Dog
The Westminster
Kennel Club Dog Show presented
by Purina Pro Plan, America’s second-longest continuously
held sporting event after the Kentucky Derby, announced that
Geir Flyckt-Pedersen, one of the most prominent judges in
the U.S., will select Best in Show at the 147th Annual
Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at USTA
Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on
May 9, 2023.
Flyckt-Pedersen ascended to the highest echelon of breeders
and handlers following a lifetime of involvement in the
sport. Originally hailing from Norway, Flyckt-Pedersen now
resides in Pepper Pike, Ohio. Throughout his career in dogs
he has been awarded a slew of coveted honors which include
becoming the first person to win both the Swedish and
Norwegian Dog of the Year titles in the same year.
Geir Flyckt-Pedersen’s success in the show ring is
extensive. Beyond piloting his Welsh Terrier to Top Dog in
Norway and Sweden, he and his late wife Gerd teamed up to
achieve several notable wins. The following are included
among the pair’s accolades:
● The team received the Tom Horner/Dog World’s Award of
Excellence for contributing to the British dog world;
● The team also won Best in Show at the prestigious
all-terrier competition at Skansen, Sweden three times, and
the Pup of the Year twice in England;
● Flyckt-Pedersen won Best in Show over 4,000 dogs with
his Wire Fox Terrier in Helsinki, Finland, while Gerd won
Reserve Best in Show with an English Cocker Spaniel at the
same show; and
● They bred more than 100 Wire Fox Terrier champions and
had Best in Show winners in five countries on the same day,
making Louline, his Wire Fox Terrier kennel, world-famous.
While handling dogs in the show ring, Geir owned several
breeds, including English Cocker Spaniels, Greyhounds,
Whippets, Airedales, Norfolk Terriers, Lakeland Terriers,
Smooth Fox Terriers, Standard and Giant Schnauzers.
As a judge, Flyckt-Pedersen has officiated around the world,
including Crufts in England. This will be his fifth
Westminster assignment, and he has officiated at the AKC
National Championship and The Kennel Club of Philadelphia
events.
His professional life included farming and serving as an
executive with Skandia Transport. He is now retired and
living with his two Norfolk Terriers.
2023 JUDGING PANEL
Seven Group
Judges will
select their picks for the Best in Show competition over two
nights at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
On Monday, May 8, the following judges will
select four group winners to advance to the Best in Show
competition: Edmund Dziuk of Columbia, Missouri for the Hound Group;
Cindy Vogels of Greenwood Village, Colorado for the Toy Group;
George Milutinovich of Fresno, California for the Non-Sporting Group;
and Thomas W. Coen of Great Barrington, Massachusetts for
the Herding Group.
On Tuesday, May 9, the following judges will
select the remaining three group winners to advance to Best
in Show: Frank Kane of Cleveland, England for the Sporting Group;
Paula Nykiel, of Washington, Missouri for the Working Group;
and Connie H. Clark of Rio Del Mar, California, for the Terrier Group.
The Best
Junior Handler award
will be decided on Tuesday, May 9 at Arthur Ashe Stadium by
Junior Showmanship Finals Judge, Vicki Seiler-Cushman of
Xenia, Ohio. The eight junior showmanship finalists will be
determined in preliminary rounds by judges Lydia Armstrong
Frey of Wellington, Florida, and Rachel Robertson of
Charlotte, North Carolina.
The 10th Anniversary
of the Masters Agility Championship at Westminster on
Saturday, May 6, will be judged by Andrew Dicker of Reading,
Berkshire, England, and Lori Sage of Oregon City, Oregon.
Alice A. Peterson of Boise, Idaho, will officiate the 8th Annual
Masters Obedience Championship at Westminster on
Saturday, May 6, 2023.
Pending American Kennel Club approval, the
judging panel for the Best
of Breed or Variety competitions
includes:
SPORTING BREEDS AND VARIETIES
● Jean-Louis
Blais of St. Gilles, Quebec, Canada: Golden Retrievers,
Labrador Retrievers.
● Wayne R. Cavanaugh of Kalamazoo, Michigan: German
Shorthaired Pointers, German Wirehaired Pointers, English
Setters, Gordon Setters, Irish Setters, Irish Red and White
Setters, Pointers.
● Britt E. Jung of Houston, Texas: Brittanys, Lagotti
Romagnoli, Spinoni Italiani, Vizslas, Weimaraners,
Wirehaired Pointing Griffons.
● Meghen Riese-Bassel of Social Circle, Georgia: American
Water Spaniels, Boykin Spaniels, Clumber Spaniels, Cocker
Spaniels (all Varieties), English Cocker Spaniels, English
Springer Spaniels, Field Spaniels, Irish Water Spaniels,
Sussex Spaniels, Welsh Springer Spaniels.
● Dr. Michael J. Woods of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada:
Barbets, Bracco Italiano, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers,
Curly-Coated Retrievers, Flat-Coated Retrievers, Nederlandse
Kooikerhondjes, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers,
Wirehaired Vizslas.
HOUND BREEDS AND VARIETIES
● Mark
Cocozza of London, England: Afghan Hounds, Borzois, Grand
Basset Griffon Vendéens, Petit Basset Griffon Vendéens,
Portuguese Podengo Pequenos, Rhodesian Ridgebacks.
● Denise Flaim of Sea Cliff, New York: Azawakhs,
Basenjis, Cirnechi dell'Etna, Harriers, Ibizan Hounds,
Norwegian Elkhounds, Pharaoh Hounds, Sloughis.
● Valerie
Hamilton of Brush Prairie, Washington: Greyhounds, Irish
Wolfhounds, Salukis, Scottish Deerhounds, Whippets.
● Jason Hoke of Madison, Wisconsin: Basset Hounds,
Beagles (both Varieties), Dachshunds (all Varieties).
● Polly Smith of St. Stephens Church, Virginia: American
English Coonhounds, American Foxhounds, Black and Tan
Coonhounds, Bloodhounds, Bluetick Coonhounds, English
Foxhounds, Otterhounds, Plotts, Redbone Coonhounds, Treeing
Walker Coonhounds.
WORKING BREEDS
● Sandra
Pretari Hickson of San Bruno, California: Akitas, Bernese
Mountain Dogs, Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, Saint Bernards,
Tibetan Mastiffs.
● Joan Luna Liebes of Peyton, Colorado: Alaskan
Malamutes, Bullmastiffs, Komondorok, Kuvaszok, Leonbergers,
Siberian Huskies.
● Denise Flaim of Sea Cliff, New York: Anatolian Shepherd
Dogs, Boerboels, Cane Corsos, Dogo Argentinos, Dogues de
Bordeaux, Great Pyrenees, Neapolitan Mastiff.
● Robert L. Vandiver of Simpsonville, South Carolina:
Black Russian Terriers, Chinooks, Doberman Pinschers, German
Pinschers, Mastiffs, Newfoundlands, Portuguese Water Dogs,
Samoyeds.
● Ann Ingram of Rochestown, Cork, Ireland: Boxers, Giant
Schnauzers, Great Danes, Rottweilers, Standard Schnauzers.
TERRIER BREEDS AND VARIETIES
● Kathleen
J. Ferris of Holland, Pennsylvania: Bedlington Terriers,
Border Terriers, Cesky Terriers, Glen of Imaal Terriers,
Irish Terriers, Miniature Schnauzers.
● David J. Kirkland of Sanford, North Carolina: American
Hairless Terriers, Dandie Dinmont Terriers, Parson Russell
Terriers, Rat Terriers, Russell Terriers, Scottish Terriers,
Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers, Standard Manchester Terriers.
● Dr. Jerry Klein of Chicago, Illinois: Airedale
Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Bull Terriers
(both Varieties), Kerry Blue Terriers, Lakeland Terriers,
Miniature Bull Terriers, Smooth Fox Terriers, Staffordshire
Bull Terriers, Welsh Terriers, Wire Fox Terriers.
● Louise Leone of Franktown, Colorado: Australian
Terriers, Cairn Terriers, Norfolk Terriers, Norwich
Terriers, Sealyham Terriers, Skye Terriers, West Highland
White Terriers.
TOY BREEDS AND VARIETIES
● Ted
W. Eubank of Dallas, Texas: Cavalier King Charles Spaniels,
English Toy Spaniels (both Varieties), Havanese, Miniature
Pinschers, Pekingese, Pomeranians, Pugs.
● Ann Ingram of Rochestown, Cork, Ireland: Toy Poodles.
● Douglas A. Johnson of Bloomington, Indiana: Chihuahuas
(both Varieties), Chinese Cresteds, Italian Greyhounds,
Papillons, Russian Toys, Shih Tzu, Toy Fox Terriers.
● Sandra M. Lex of Toronto, Ontario, Canada:
Affenpinschers, Biewer Terriers, Brussels Griffons, Japanese
Chin, Maltese, Silky Terriers, Toy Manchester Terriers,
Yorkshire Terriers.
NON-SPORTING BREEDS
● Dr.
Joyce Dandridge of Washington D.C.: American Eskimo Dogs,
Chinese Shar-Pei, Chow Chows, Finnish Spitz, Keeshonden,
Schipperkes, Shiba Inu, Xoloitzcuintlis.
● Ann Ingram of Rochestown, Cork, Ireland: Boston
Terriers, Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, Miniature Poodles,
Standard Poodles.
● Patricia A. Sosa of Madisonville, Louisiana: Bichon
Frises, Cotons de Tulear, Dalmatians, Lhasa Apsos, Lowchen,
Norwegian Lundehunds, Tibetan Spaniels, Tibetan Terriers.
HERDING BREEDS AND VARIETIES
● Peggy
Beisel-McIlwaine of Ann Arbor, Michigan: Australian
Shepherds, Bearded Collies, Beaucerons, Bergamasco
Sheepdogs, Berger Picards, Briards, Collies (both
Varieties).
● Carrie A. Chase of Martinsburg, West Virginia: Border
Collies, Bouvier des Flanders, Canaan Dogs, Cardigan Welsh
Corgis, Norwegian Buhunds, Pembroke Welsh Corgis, Shetland
Sheepdogs, Swedish Vallhunds.
● Stephanie S. Hedgepath of Lexington, South Carolina:
Australian Cattle Dogs, Belgian Laekenois, Belgian Malinois,
Belgian Sheepdogs, Belgian Tervuren, German Shepherd Dogs,
Pyrenean Shepherds.
● Barbara A. Pessina of Putnam Valley, New York:
Entlebucher Mountain Dogs, Finnish Lapphunds, Icelandic
Sheepdogs, Miniature American Shepherds, Mudik, Old English
Sheepdogs, Polish Lowland Sheepdogs, Pulik, Pumik, Spanish
Water Dogs.
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About the Westminster Kennel Club
The Westminster Kennel Club, established
in 1877, is America's oldest organization dedicated to the
sport of dogs. It hosts the iconic, all-breed Westminster
Kennel Club Dog Show, the second-longest, continuously held
sporting event in the U.S. after the Kentucky Derby, and
since 1948, the longest nationally televised live dog show.
The Club’s mission, which enhances the lives of all dogs,
celebrates the companionship of dogs and promotes
responsible dog ownership and breed preservation. The Club
advocates for purpose-bred dogs, with an understanding that
each breed has a legacy and history that deserves to be
taught, honored, and preserved. The Club uses education to
raise awareness and encourage owners to conscientiously
select dogs that are the right match for their families. The
annual dog show—a conformation competition for purpose-bred
dogs—and the Masters Agility Championship and Masters
Obedience Championship—where dogs from all backgrounds are
eligible to compete—make Westminster Week with over 3,000
dogs from the U.S. and around the world, a pinnacle
experience for any dog lover. America’s Dog Show has
captivated canine enthusiasts for more than a century.
WESTMINSTER. There's
only one.®
Visit us on, westminsterkennelclub.org,
on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
About Nestlé Purina PetCare
Nestlé Purina PetCare creates richer lives for pets and the
people who love them. Founded in 1894, Purina has helped
dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives by offering
scientifically based nutritional innovations. Purina
manufactures some of the world's most trusted and popular
pet care products, including Purina ONE, Pro Plan, Fancy
Feast and Tidy Cats. Our more than 8,700 U.S. associates
take pride in our trusted pet food, treat and litter brands
that feed 51 million dogs and 65 million cats every year.
More than 500 Purina scientists, veterinarians, and pet care
experts ensure our commitment to unsurpassed quality and
nutrition. Purina Pro Plan is a leader in the advanced
nutrition category, with more than 140 targeted formulas to
help your pet thrive throughout every stage of life. It is
also the food of choice for 15 of the past 16 Westminster
Best in Show winners*. For more information, visit www.proplan.com or
follow @ProPlan on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.
Purina promotes responsible pet care through our scientific
research, our products and our support for pet-related
organizations. Over the past five years, Purina has
contributed more than $150 million towards organizations
that bring, and keep, people and pets together, as well as
those that help our communities and environment thrive.
Purina is part of Nestlé, a global leader in Nutrition,
Health and Wellness. For more information, visit purina.com or subscribe
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*The handler or owners of these champions may have received
Purina Pro Plan dog food as Purina ambassadors.
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