NEWS
THE WESTMINSTER
KENNEL CLUB
www.westminsterkennelclub.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: David Frei (212) 213-3212
david@westminsterkennelclub.org
CANADIAN DR. RICHARD MEEN HEADS
WESTMINSTER 2016 PANEL AS BEST IN SHOW JUDGE
Masters Agility judges also announced
NEW YORK – Dr. Richard Meen of Toronto has been selected to judge Best In Show at
the 140th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show February 15-16, 2016.
He will become the sixth foreign judge and third Canadian to make the selection of the top
award in the sport’s most prestigious event.
Dr. Meen became actively involved with purebred dogs in 1965 and has bred and exhibited
a number of breeds under his prefix Kishniga. His homebred Borzoi was top dog All
Breeds in Canada in 1977, and he bred and co-owned the top Terrier in Canada in 2011 –
a Skye Terrier.
Past President and Chairman of the Board of the Canadian Kennel Club, he is active in
many dog organizations in Canada and the U.S., and judges all over the world. He has
judged at Westminster on four other occasions, including the Terrier Group in 2007.
Dr. Meen practices psychiatry in Toronto.
He will head a panel of 37 judges from 17 states, Canada and Ireland who will officiate at
the dog show, held at Madison Square Garden and Piers 92/94 in New York. The panel
includes 12 judges who have judged Groups in the past, and 14 who are judging for their
first time at Westminster.
Group judges are Ms. Bonnie Threlfall of Cary, NC, Sporting; Ms. Virginia Lyne of
Saanichton, B.C., Canada, Hound; Mr. Norman Kenney of Crossroads, TX, Working; Mr.
Geir Flyckt-Pedersen of Pinehurst, NC, Terrier; Mr. Jason Hoke of Madison, WI, Toy; Mr.
Luc Boileau of Lake Geneva, WI, Non-Sporting; and Ms. Dorothy Collier of Sapphire, NC,
Herding. Dr. Wyatt Delfino of New York, NY, will judge the Junior Showmanship finals.
Seven breeds will be eligible for Westminster for the first time in 2016: Lagotto Romagnolo
(Sporting Group), Cirneco dell’Ettna (Hound), Boerboel (Working), Berger Picard
(Herding), Miniature American Shepherd (Herding), Bergamasco (Herding), and Spanish
Water Dog (Herding). The addition of these breeds makes a total of 199 breeds and
varieties in competition.
The club also announced the judges for its 3rd Annual Masters Agility Championship at
Westminster to be held at Pier 94 on Feb. 13, the Saturday preceding the All Breed Show.
Those judges are Mr. Nalle Jansson of Haggeby, Sweden, and Ms. Kitty Bradley of
Boulder, CO.
Here is the entire 2016 Westminster Kennel Club judges panel and assignments
(subject to American Kennel Club approval):
SPORTING BREEDS AND VARIETIES (32):
Mr. Jack Gohde, Toms River, NJ: English Setters, Gordon Setters, Irish Setters.
Mr. David Kittredge, Rochester, NY: Brittanys, Pointers, Cocker Spaniels (all Varieties),
English Cocker Spaniels, English Springer Spaniels.
Mr. Carl Liepmann, Flushing, MI: Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Curly Coated Retrievers,
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers, American Water Spaniels, Boykin Spaniels, Clumber
Spaniels, Field Spaniels, Irish Water Spaniels, Sussex Spaniels, Welsh Springer Spaniels,
Spinones Italiano, Wirehaired Pointing Griffons,
Mrs. Virginia Murray, Island Lake, IL: German Shorthaired Pointers, German Wirehaired
Pointers, Flat Coated Retrievers, Vizslas, Weimaraners, Wirehaired Vizslas.
Mrs. Polly Smith, St. Stephens Church, VA: Lagotto Romagnolo, Irish Red and White
Setters.
Ms. Lisa Weiss, Huntington, NY: Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers.
HOUND BREEDS AND VARIETIES (32):
Ms. Barbara Pepper, Swannanoa, NC: Basenji, Basset Hounds, Borzoi, Harriers, Ibizan
Hounds, Petit Bassets Griffons Vendeen, Pharaoh Hounds, Portuguese Podengos
Pequeno.
Mrs. Polly Smith, St. Stephens Church, VA: Beagles (both Varieties), Dachshunds (all
varieties).
Dr. Robert Smith, St. Stephens Church, VA: American English Coonhounds, American
Foxhounds, Black & Tan Coonhounds, Bluetick Coonhound, Cirneco dell’Ettna, English
Foxhound, Plotts, Redbone Coonhounds, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Salukis, Treeing Walker
Coonhounds.
Mr. John J. Walsh, Athboy, County Meath, IRELAND: Afghan Hounds, Bloodhounds,
Greyhounds, Irish Wolfhounds, Norwegian Elkhounds, Otterhounds, Scottish Deerhounds,
Whippets.
WORKING BREEDS (30):
Mr. David Haddock, Nashville, TN: Akitas, Alaskan Malamutes, Giant Schnauzers,
Kuvaszok, Siberian Huskies, St. Bernards, Standard Schnauzers.
Mrs. Virginia Murray, Island Lake, IL: Portuguese Water Dogs.
Mr. Jay Richardson, Elgin, IL: Cane Corsos, Chinooks, German Pinschers, Great
Pyrenees, Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, Komondorok, Samoyeds.
Ms. Judith Ann Smith, Hendersonville, NC: Anatolian Shepherd Dogs, Bernese Mountain
Dogs, Boxers, Bullmastiffs, Dogues de Bordeaux, Neapolitan Mastiffs, Newfoundlands.
Mrs. Polly Smith, St. Stephens Church, VA: Boerboel.
Mr. John J. Walsh, Athboy, County Meath, IRELAND: Great Danes, Leonbergers,
Rottweilers.
Mr. John R. Walsh, Newbridge, County Kildare, IRELAND: Black Russian Terriers,
Doberman Pinschers, Mastiffs, Tibetan Mastiffs.
TERRIER BREEDS AND VARIETIES (31):
Mr. Ronald Menaker, Jupiter, FL: American Staffordshire Terriers, Australian Terriers,
Bedlington Terriers, Bull Terriers (both Varieties), Cesky Terriers, Dandie Dinmont
Terriers, Glen of Imaal Terriers, Miniature Bull Terriers, Rat Terriers, Staffordshire Bull
Terriers.
Mr. Richard Powell, Bainbridge, PA: Cairn Terriers, Miniature Schnauzers, Parson Russell
Terriers, Russell Terriers, Scottish Terriers, Sealyham Terriers, Skye Terriers, Standard
Manchester Terriers, West Highland White Terriers.
Ms. Betty-Anne Stenmark, Woodside, CA: Airedale Terriers, Border Terriers, Smooth Fox
Terriers, Wire Fox Terriers, Irish Terriers, Lakeland Terriers, Norfolk Terriers, Norwich
Terriers, Welsh Terriers.
Mr. John R. Walsh, Newbridge, County Kildare, IRELAND: Kerry Blue Terriers, SoftCoated Wheaten Terriers.
TOY BREEDS AND VARIETIES (23):
Ms. Joy Brewster, Newtown, CT: Chihuahuas (both Varieties), Japanese Chins, Toy Fox
Terriers.
Mr. Tim Catterson, New Castle, IN: Havanese, Italian Greyhounds, Maltese, Shih Tzu.
Ms. Charlotte Patterson, Destin, FL: Affenpinschers, Brussels Griffons, Cavalier King
Charles Spaniels, Chinese Cresteds, English Toy Spaniels (both Varieties).
Mr. Norman Patton, Mesa, AZ: Papillons, Pekingese, Pomeranians, Toy Poodles, Silky
Terriers, Toy Manchester Terriers.
Mr. Charles Scott, New Castle, IN: Miniature Pinschers, Pugs, Yorkshire Terriers.
NON-SPORTING BREEDS AND VARIETIES (21):
Mr. Mark Kennedy, Murrysville, PA: Chinese Shar-Pei, Chow Chows, Finnish Spitz,
Keeshonden, Lowchen, Norwegian Lundehund, Schipperkes, Tibetan Spaniels,
Tibetan Terriers, Xoloitzcuintli.
Ms. Mary Miller, Lexington, KY: Dalmatians, French Bulldogs, Lhasa Apsos, Shiba Inu.
Mr. Norman Patton, Mesa, AZ: Cotons de Tulear, Miniature Poodles, Standard Poodles.
Mr. Elliott Weiss, Middletown, DE: American Eskimo Dogs, Bichons Frise, Boston Terriers,
Bulldogs.
HERDING BREEDS AND VARIETIES (30):
Mrs. Peggy Beisel-McIlwaine, Ann Arbor, MI: Belgian Malinois, Belgian Sheepdogs,
Belgian Tervuren, Border Collies, Briards, Canaan Dogs, Cardigan Welsh Corgis,
Pembroke Welsh Corgis.
Mr. Michael Faulkner, Center Cross, VA: Entlebucher Mountain Dogs, Finnish Lapphunds,
German Shepherd Dogs, Icelandic Sheepdogs, Norwegian Buhunds, Polish Lowland
Sheepdogs, Pulik, Pyrenean Shepherds, Swedish Vallhunds.
Mr. Carl Liepmann, Flushing, MI: Beauceron, Bouviers des Flandres.
Mrs. Polly Smith, St. Stephens Church, VA: Australian Cattle Dogs, Bergamasco, Spanish
Water Dogs.
Dr. Robert Smith, St. Stephens Church, VA: Bergers Picard, Miniature American
Shepherds.
Mr. John R. Walsh, Newbridge, County Kildare, IRELAND: Australian Shepherds, Bearded
Collies, Collies (both Varieties), Old English Sheepdogs, Shetland Sheepdogs.
JUNIOR SHOWMANSHIP PRELIMINARIES: Mr. Blake Hansen of Merritt Island, FL, and
Mrs. Karen Mammano of Webster, NY.
The Westminster Kennel Club is America's oldest organization dedicated to the sport of purebred
dogs. Established in 1877, Westminster's influence has been felt for more than a century through its famous
all breed, benched dog show held every year at New York's Madison Square Garden. The show is
America’s second longest continuously held sporting event, behind only the Kentucky Derby. For additional
information, log on to www.westminsterkennelclub.org.
www.facebook.com/wkcdogshow
www.twitter.com/Wkcdogs
www.westminsterkennelclub.org
FOREIGN BEST IN SHOW JUDGES AT WESTMINSTER
Here are the previous foreign Best In Show judges who have officiated at Westminster.
There was no Best In Show Award made in the first 30 years of the show (1877-1906).
Best In Show was awarded for the first time in 1907 and has been made every year since,
except for 1923, for a total of 108 awards in the show’s 139-year history.
This list does not include those years when BIS was determined by a panel of judges and
does not include 1907-1911, when the name(s) of the judge(s) were not recorded.
1914 – Midgely Marsden, Whaley Bridge, England
1929 – Dr. Carleton Y. Ford, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
1930 – W.L. McCandlish, Foxlydiate, Redditch, England
2006 – James Reynolds, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
2011 – Paolo Dondina, Monterchi (AR), Italy
NEW BREEDS AT WESTMINSTER IN 2016
The following breeds will be eligible for the first time to compete at Westminster in 2016,
making a total of 199 breeds and varieties eligible to enter.
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Lagotto Romagnolo (Sporting Group)
Cirnecco dell’Ettna (Hound Group)
Boerbel (Working Group)
Berger Picard (Herding Group)
Miniature American Shepherd (Herding Group)
Bergamasco (Herding Group)
Spanish Water Dog (Herding Group)