Winners of the 62nd Annual Purina® Pro Plan® Show Dogs of the Year Awards Presented by Dogs in Review Announced
Top Dogs, Owners, Breeders and Handlers in the Country Recognized
During Exclusive Annual Event
IRVINE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Lumina Media™, a leading media company that connects brands with
passionate audiences of enthusiasts by providing iconic content across
all platforms, and Dogs in Review magazine, today announced the
winners of its 62nd
Annual Purina® Pro Plan® Show Dogs of the Year Awards event that
took place Saturday, February 11, 2017 at Gotham Hall in New York City.
Awards were presented at the Show Dogs of the Year black-tie,
invite-only event, which honors the top canine competitors in the
country. The awards were presented to the highest achievers in show dog
competition, top professionals and organizations in the canine sport, as
well as the Dogs in Review annual achievement awards, also known
as the Winkies.
“Our Show Dogs of the Year event is always one of the hottest tickets in
town during Westminster week, and this year was one of our best yet,”
said Susan Roark, senior vice president of sales and Dogs in Review
publisher for Lumina Media. “We would like to take this opportunity to
thank our sponsors again for their support in making this event such a
huge success.”
The awards and event were presented by Dogs in Review magazine
and sponsored by presenting sponsor, Purina® Pro Plan® that has
sponsored the awards since 2007. In addition, Purina® Pro Plan®
Veterinary Diets, Trupanion® and Vetericyn® Animal Wellness sponsored
and presented the special industry awards, including Veterinarian of the
Year, Shelter of the Year and Charity of the Year, respectively.
“Purina is proud to sponsor the Purina Pro Plan Show Dogs of the
Year Awards, as it represents the successful culmination of a year’s
journey for these dogs, their handlers and owners. For the Industry and
Achievement Award winners, it honors their lifetime devotion to dogs,”
said Ann Viklund, Director of Conformation for Purina. “How befitting
that we gather in New York right before the prestigious Westminster
Kennel Club Dog Show to celebrate these individuals and their
achievements.”
Famed handler and advocate of the sport, Joe Waterman, became the newest
inductee into the prestigious Anne Rogers Clark Hall of Fame.
Industry Award winners are:
-
Veterinarian of the Year – Dr. Cindi Bossart (owner and medical
director of Animal Hospital of Ft. Lauderdale specializing in canine
reproduction and surgery) -
Shelter of the Year – Blind Dog Rescue Alliance (since 2009,
BDRA volunteers have rescued just shy of 500 visually impaired dogs
across the United States and Canada) -
Charity of the Year – Animal Medical Center (based in New York
City, federally recognized nonprofit veterinary center that has been a
national leader in animal care since 1910)
Show Dog Award winners are:
-
Sporting Group – “Timothy” GCHP Cerise Blindside/English Springer
Spaniel- Finished 2016 as #4 All Breed, #2 Sporting Dog and #1 ESS
- Won 103 Sporting Group Firsts and 44 Bests in Show in 2016
- Owner & Breeder: Dorothy Cherry/Handler: Howard Huber, Jr.
-
Finished 2016 as #1 Hound and #7 among all breeds, winning 46
Bests in Show, 18 RBISs, and 90 Group Firsts -
Owners: M. Steele, A. Phelan, R. Tomlin, R. Gaudet/Breeders:
Melanie Steele, Rose Tomlin and Rindi Gaudet/Handler: Rindi Gaudet
- Finished 2016 as #1 Boxer, #1 Working Dog, #2 All Breed
- Won 61 Bests in Show, 21 RBISs and 110 Working Group Firsts in 2016
-
Owners: Mrs. Jack L. Billhardt – Woods End Boxers
and Mr.
Sergio Tenenbaum /Breeders: Michelle Yeadon, Peter Yeadon, Jr. &
Monika Pinsker /Handlers: Diego and Eve Garcia
- Finished 2016 as #1 Terrier and #4 All Breed
- Won 36 Bests in Show and 129 Terrier Group Firsts in 2016
-
Owner & Breeder: Victor Malzoni Jr./Handlers: Leonardo and Jody
Garcini
-
2016 was the Year of the Monkey and Emmitt finished 2016 as “King
of the Jungle” - Won 13 Bests in Show and 78 Toy Group Firsts in 2016
-
Owners: Doyle J. and Carol Girouard/Breeder: Tamarin
Kennels/Handlers: Alfonso Escobedo and Ashlie Whitmore
-
During his career, he won 67 Best in Shows, 44 RBISs, and 205
Terrier Group Firsts -
In 2016, Vinny was #8 All Breed, #1 Non-Sporting Group and #1
Boston Terrier -
Owners: Joseph & Carla Sanchez, Robert Looker and Sharon
Saberton/Breeder: Sharon Saberton/Handler: Jorge Olivera
- Finished 2016 as #1 Among All Breeds, #1 Herding Group and #1 Puli
- Preston won 83 Bests in Show and 159 Herding Group Firsts in 2016
-
Among his prestigious wins, he won Best in Show at the American
Kennel Club National Championship Show -
Owners: E. Charles, J. Beaudoin, L. Pitts, P. Kelly & S.
Huebner/Breeder: Sue Huebner/Handlers: Linda and Mike Pitts
The Obedience Winner:
-
Obedience Dog – “Tapper” OTCH Sunfire’s What’s On Tap UDX/Golden
Retriever-
Finished 2016 as the #1 Obedience Dog Of The Year and was the #2
dog in 2015 -
Owners: Joe & Lynn Heidinger/Breeders: Barb Biewer and Christine
Osborn/Handler: Lynn Heidinger
Winkies Annual Achievement Award winners, included:
-
Best Professional Handler – Janice Hayes, who is known for impeccably
presenting and caring for the dogs she handles -
Best Owner/Handler – Patricia Haines, DVM, who is well-known for her
success showing her Oncore Pointers to Group and Best in Show honors -
Outstanding Breeder – Douglas & Michaelanne Johnson, who breed Old
English Sheepdogs and Bouviers des Flandres under the
Bugaboo/Rocheuses prefixes -
Show of the Year – Morris & Essex Kennel Club, which is held every
five years, stands out for its tradition and heritage -
Judge of the Year – William P. Shelton, who is known for interacting
constructively with exhibitors as they discuss breeding and breed
traits
About Show Dogs of the Year Awards
The Show Dogs of the Year Awards have been celebrating the excellence of
the top group winning show dogs, along with their owners, handlers and
breeders for 62 years. The awards are presented at a black tie banquet
held in New York City immediately prior to the Westminster Kennel Club
show annually. Honored dogs must achieve the most group wins during a
single calendar year at American Kennel Club-sanctioned conformation
shows. Other awards are presented during the event to top professionals
within the show dogs industry, as well as the Dogs in Review
Annual Achievement Awards, affectionately known as the Winkies. The
awards and event are sponsored by presenting sponsor, Purina® Pro Plan®
and presented by Dogs in Review. For more information, visit: http://www.showdogsoftheyear.com.About Purina Pro Plan – Ninety-eight of the Top 100 Show Dogs*
choose Purina Pro Plan. Our goal is to give your dog the
nutrition to be his or her absolute best, helping him or her to be
energetic and resilient and to maintain an ideal body condition, healthy
skin and a stunning coat. Because being the best he can be means
something different for every dog, our wide range of dry and wet foods
and snacks, sold exclusively at pet specialty stores, can be found in
four specialized categories formulated for a dog’s unique needs. For
more information, visit www.proplan.com
or follow @ProPlan on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or Google+. The
brand is manufactured by Nestlé Purina PetCare, which promotes
responsible pet care, humane education, community involvement, and the
positive bond between people and their pets. A premier global
manufacturer of pet products, Nestlé Purina PetCare is part of
Swiss-based Nestle S.A., a global leader in nutrition, health and
wellness.*AKC Top DogsSM All Breed Competition through December 31,
2016The handler or owners of these champions may have received Purina Pro
Plan dog food as Purina ambassadors.About Trupanion
The Trupanion policy offers one simple accident and illness medical
insurance plan for dogs and cats. With a passion for pets and a policy
built by veterinarians, Trupanion helps pet owners provide their beloved
dogs and cats the best veterinary care possible, while reducing the
worry about the cost of that care. Trupanion is a registered trademark
owned by Trupanion, Inc. Underwritten in Canada by Omega General
Insurance Company and in the United States by American Pet Insurance
Company, 6100-4th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98108. Please visit http://AmericanPetInsurance.com
to review all available pet health insurance products.About Vetericyn®
Vetericyn makes innovative, safe, and effective animal wellness products
for skin, eye, ear, and coat care. The Plus® line of products are the
first line of defense in the management of skin abrasions, lacerations,
minor irritations, hot spots, and cuts on animals. Vetericyn Plus
products contain hypochlorous technology, the new standard in wound
care, setting the stage for optimal healing conditions. It is safe,
non-toxic, and contains no antibiotics or steroids. FoamCare® is
Vetericyn’s newest product line and offers a revolutionary spray-on,
foaming shampoo that is changing the grooming process for companion pets
and horses alike. FoamCare shampoo is formulated and optimized
specifically for the animal’s coat density. It provides a deeper clean
that nourishes the skin and rinses easily for optimal conditioning. In
addition to over-the-counter offerings, clinical strength formulas are
available and used by veterinarians worldwide. Vetericyn is manufactured
and bottled by Innovacyn, Inc. They can be found online at Vetericyn.com/.About Lumina Media
Lumina Media is a leading media company that connects brands with
passionate audiences of enthusiasts by providing iconic content across
all platforms. With extensive reach and experience, the company’s media
engages, informs and inspires, while its platforms ensure the right
media is delivered whenever, however and wherever audiences want it.
Founded in 2013, Lumina Media is headquartered in Irvine, Calif. For
more information, visit www.luminamedia.com.Contacts
Lumina Media
Cameron Triebwasser
949.679.1619
ctriebwasser@luminamedia.com -
Finished 2016 as the #1 Obedience Dog Of The Year and was the #2
