Posted: February 17, 2010, 2 a.m. EST
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Photographs by Mary Bloom |
The top show dogs of 2009 were honored as more than 300 purebred dog fanciers gathered at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City Feb. 13 for the 55th Annual Show Dogs of the Year Awards dinner, presented by Dogs In Review magazine.
The awards, sponsored by Purina Pro Plan, are presented annually to the seven dogs that win the most Variety Group Firsts at American Kennel Club conformation dog shows during a calendar year, and to the single dog that wins the most Best in Show awards.
Also honored during the evening were the winners of the coveted Winkies for Annual Achievement, sponsored by Cherrybrook. Each year these winners are selected by votes from their peers.
Recognized for their impressive number of Group First wins were:
Best in Show Dog of the Year: The top prize went to the winner of the Show Dog of the Year Award for the Terrier Group, the Scottish Terrier, Ch. Roundtown Mercedes of Maryscot, better known as Sadie. Amelia and Dan Musser, Sadie's owners, joined her handler Gabriel Rangel and his wife, Ivonne, to collect her awards.
Sporting Group: Golden Retriever Ch. Toasty's Treasure Island. Her breeder/owners, Pam and Jerry Oxenberg, co-owners Carolee Douglas and Jane Bates and handler Clint Livingston proudly represented Treasure.
Hound Group: The Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen, Ch. Rokeena Carte Blanche. Ceejay was bred in Australia by Robyn Wallace, owned by Jose, Yvonne and Christina Herrera, and handled by Jane Myers.
Working Group: Doberman Pinscher Ch. Allure Blazing Star Alisaton, "CJ," bred by Gwen DeMilta and Carmen Pitts, owned by Nancy Bosley, Julie Porter and Carmen Pitts and handled by Carissa DeMilta Shimpeno.
Toy Group: The Toy Poodle, Ch. Smash JP Moon Walk. Walker, represented by owners Ron Scott and Debbie Burke, and handler Kaz Hosaka, was bred in Japan by Yukiko Omura.
Non-Sporting Group: Standard Poodle Ch. Hillwood Dassin De-Lovely. The award for Sissy was accepted by breeder/owner-handler Joseph Vergnetti as well as owners Ellen Charles, Wendell Sammet and Karen LeFrak.
Herding Group: The Puli, Ch. Cordmaker Field of Dreams. Conrad is handled by Linda Pitts for owners Jackie Beaudoin and Sue Huebner and was bred by Anna Quigley, Pat Turner and Alice and Steve Lawrence.
Three of the 2009 Winkie winners are from Florida: Judge of the Year Sandra Goose Allen, Best Professional Handler Larry Cornelius, and Outstanding Breeder Carol Harris of Bo-Bett Whippets and Italian Greyhounds.
The 2009 Best Owner-Handler was Jere Marder, who shows her Lambluv Old English Sheepdogs out of Illinois. Show of the Year Winkie went to the Atlanta Kennel Club.
Several industry awards were presented during the evening by the generous sponsors who joined Nestle Purina in hosting the evening.
- Cardinal Laboratories presented the Groomer of the Year Award to Afghan Hound breeder/owner-handler Beth Collins of Cloquet, Minn.
- The North Shore Animal League presented the Shelter of the Year Award to the Kent Animal Shelter of Calverton, N.Y.
- Summit VetPharm® honored Veterinarian of the Year, Jennifer Muller.
- Dog World magazine’s Trainer of the Year Award went to Victoria Stilwell, star of TV's “It’s Me or The Dog.”
Former professional handler Frank T. Sabella was inducted into the Anne Rogers Clark Hall of Fame. A select group of fanciers who have dedicated a major part of their lives to the sport of showing purebred dogs have been inducted into this Hall of Fame. Today Sabella is a judge of purebred dogs who is known worldwide for his expertise in the field.
Norman Ridker, chairman of the board of Bowtie Inc., which publishes the host Dogs in Review and Dog World magazines, plus other pet titles, books and websites, including DogChannel, thanked the guests at the black-tie event who joined in honoring the award recipients.