The 150th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show Judging Panel

The 150th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show Judging Panel

Best in Show Judge
Mr. David Fitzpatrick

David Fitzpatrick has dedicated a lifetime to the sport of dogs, as a professional handler, exhibitor, breeder, club officer, and now as a judge. Beginning in 1970 as an assistant handler, 2025 marks David’s 55th consecutive year in purebred dogs.

Pekingese handled by, bred by, or owned by David have had the honor of winning Best in Show at Westminster in 2012 and 2021, as well as reserve BIS in 2023. On nine occasions, they have won the Toy group there. In 2010, 2015, and 2021, David’s dogs were awarded Best in Show at the historic Morris & Essex KC shows. They have also won BIS at the AKC National and twice BIS Bred By at the AKC National. On 18 occasions, his dogs were Best in Show at the Progressive Dog Club for toy breeds only. Several have been Top Dog all-breeds and many times Top Toy dog. Over 100 champions have been bred under the Pequest prefix, 19 have been Best in Show winners.

Personal honors have been the Dogs in Review “Winkie” award for Best Handler in 2006, AKC Toy Group Breeder of the Year in 2009, AKC Breeder of the Year in 2021, as well as awards for Mentor of the Year and Good Sportsmanship.

David also serves on the board of the Pekingese Club of America, the Progressive Dog Club, is President of the Pekingese Club of New Jersey, and is a member of the Maryland KC, the American Maltese Association, and the Pekingese Club of Georgia.

David enjoys traveling, keeping a garden, collecting dog models and art, and keeping a canine library of over 400 books.

David began judging in the United Kingdom in 2008 and has since awarded Challenge certificates on three occasions. Retired from handling professionally, he is now judging all Toy and Non-Sporting breeds in the USA.

Judging Panel

Masters Agility Championship

• Ms. Heather Dickinson
• Mr. Daniel Wolfson

Junior Showmanship

Junior Showmanship Preliminary Judges:

• Mr. Jason Hoke
• Mrs. Valerie Nunes-Atkinson

Junior Showmanship Finals Judge:

• Mr. Michael Faulkner

Hound Group and Breed

Hound Group Judge:

• Mr. Michael Canalizo

Hound Breeds Judges:

• Ms. Denise Flaim: Black and Tan Coonhounds, Bloodhounds, Bluetick Coonhounds, English Foxhounds, Harriers, Irish Wolfhounds, Norwegian Elkhounds, Otterhounds, Rhodesian Ridgebacks.
• Mr. David Miller: American English Coonhounds, American Foxhounds, Azawakhs, Basenjis, Cirnechi dell’Etna, Pharaoh Hounds, Plotts, Portuguese Podengo Pequenos, Redbone Coonhounds, Salukis, Sloughis, Treeing Walker Coonhounds.
• Mr. Gavin Robertson: Basset Hounds, Beagles (both varieties), Grand Basset Griffon Vendéens, Petit Basset Griffon Vendéens.
• Ms. Patricia Trotter: Dachshunds (all varieties).
• Mr. Raymond Yurick: Afghan Hounds, Borzois, Greyhounds, Ibizan Hounds, Scottish Deerhounds, Whippets.

Toy Group and Breed

Toy Group Judge:

• Ms. Charlotte Patterson

Toy Breeds Judges:

• Mr. Timothy Brazier: Toy Poodles.
• Mrs. Connie Clark: Chihuahuas (both varieties), Chinese Cresteds, Havanese, Italian Greyhounds, Japanese Chin, Maltese, Miniature Pinschers.
• Dr. Ian Howell Gabriel: Pekingese, Toy Manchester Terriers.
• Mr. George Milutinovich: Brussels Griffons, Pomeranians, Shih Tzu, Silky Terriers, Toy Fox Terriers.
• Ms. Patricia Proctor: Affenpinschers, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, English Toy Spaniels (both varieties), Papillons, Pugs, Russian Toys, Yorkshire Terriers.
• Mr. Ekarat Sangkunakup: Biewer Terriers.

Non-Sporting Group and Breed

Non-Sporting Group Judge:

• Mr. Eugene Blake

Non-Sporting Breeds Judges:

• Mr. Timothy Brazier: Miniature Poodles, Standard Poodles.
• Ms. Edna Gonzalez: American Eskimo Dogs, Cotons de Tulear, Dalmatians, Finnish Spitz, Keeshonden, Lowchen, Norwegian Lundehunds, Schipperkes, Shiba Inu, Tibetan Spaniels, Xoloitzcuintlis.
• Mr. George Milutinovich: Bichon Frises, Boston Terriers, Bulldogs.
• Mr. Ekarat Sangkunakup: Chinese Shar-Pei, Chow Chows, French Bulldogs, Lhasa Apsos, Tibetan Terriers.

Herding Group and Breed

Herding Group Judge:

• Mrs. Sheree Moses Combs

Herding Breeds Judges:

• Mr. Thomas Coen: Australian Cattle Dogs, Bearded Collies, Bouvier des Flandres, Icelandic Sheepdogs, Miniature American Shepherds, Mudik, Norwegian Buhunds, Shetland Sheepdogs.
• Dr. Ian Howell Gabriel: Lancashire Heelers.
• Mrs. Sharon Ann Redmer: Beaucerons, Belgian Laekenois, Belgian Malinois, Belgian Sheepdogs, Belgian Tervuren, Bergamasco Sheepdogs, Berger Picards, Spanish Water Dogs, Swedish Vallhunds.
• Mr. Joseph Reno: Border Collies, Briards, Canaan Dogs, Collies (both varieties), Entlebucher Mountain Dogs, Finnish Lapphunds, Polish Lowland Sheepdogs, Pumik, Pyrenean Shepherds.
• Mr. Channing Sheets: Australian Shepherds, Cardigan Welsh Corgis, German Shepherd Dogs, Old English Sheepdogs, Pembroke Welsh Corgis, Pulik.

Sporting Group and Breed

Sporting Group Judge:

• Mr. Douglas Johnson

Sporting Breeds Judges:

• Mr. Tyron Atkinson: Pointers, German Shorthaired Pointers, English Cocker Spaniels, English Setters, Gordon Setters, Irish Red and White Setters.
• Mr. Jose M. Doval: Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers.
• Mr. Edmund Dziuk: Barbets, Brittanys, Lagotti Romagnoli, American Water Spaniels, Boykin Spaniels, English Springer Spaniels, Field Spaniels, Irish Water Spaniels, Sussex Spaniels, Spinoni Italiani, Vizslas, Wirehaired Pointing Griffons.
• Mr. Gavin Robertson: German Wirehaired Pointers, Clumber Spaniels, Welsh Springer Spaniels, Weimaraners, Wirehaired Vizslas.
• Mrs. Cindy Vogels: Bracco Italiano, Nederlandse Kooikerhondjes, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Curly-Coated Retrievers, Flat-Coated Retrievers, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers, Cocker (ASCOB) Spaniels, Cocker (Black) Spaniels, Cocker (Parti) Spaniels, Irish Setters.

Working Group and Breed

Working Group Judge:

• Mrs. Sioux Forsyth-Green

Working Breeds Judges:

• Ms. Judy A. Harrington: Anatolian Shepherd Dogs, Great Danes, Komondorok, Kuvaszok, Leonbergers, Mastiffs, Newfoundlands, Portuguese Water Dogs, Standard Schnauzers.
• Mrs. Sandra Pretari Hickson: Akitas, Black Russian Terriers, Boxers, Bullmastiffs, Chinooks, Dogos Argentinos, Dogues de Bordeaux, German Pinschers, Giant Schnauzers.
• Mrs. Faye Strauss: Bernese Mountain Dogs, Danish-Swedish Farmdogs, Rottweilers, Saint Bernards, Samoyeds, Siberian Huskies, Tibetan Mastiffs.
• Mr. Adrian W. Woodfork: Alaskan Malamutes, Boerboels, Cane Corsos, Doberman Pinschers, Great Pyrenees, Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, Neopolitan Mastiffs.

Terrier Group and Breed

Terrier Group Judge:

• Ms. Polly Smith

Terrier Breeds Judges:

• Dr. Ian Howell Gabriel: Border Terriers, Dandie Dinmont Terriers, Fox Terriers (Smooth), Fox Terrier (Wire), Norfolk Terriers, Norwich Terriers, Sealyham Terriers, Standard Manchester Terriers, Russell Terriers.
• Mrs. Rosalind Kramer: Airedale Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Bull Terriers (both varieties), Irish Terriers, Kerry Blue Terriers, Lakeland Terriers, Miniature Bull Terriers, Parson Russell Terriers, Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Welsh Terriers, West Highland White Terriers.
• Mr. Bruce Schwartz: American Hairless Terriers, Australian Terriers, Bedlington Terriers, Cairn Terriers, Cesky Terriers, Glen of Imaal Terriers, Miniature Schnauzers, Rat Terriers, Scottish Terriers, Skye Terriers.