NEW YORK, NY (March 13, 2025) – The American Kennel Club® (AKC®) is pleased to announce the judging panel for the 25th AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin to be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, December 13 and Sunday, December 14, 2025.
The 2025 event will showcase the top canine athletes and will also include popular attractions such as the Best Bred-by-Exhibitor competition, the AKC National Owner-Handled Series Finals, and the AKC Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy and Junior Stakes. The show will once again take place alongside the AKC Agility Invitational, the Obedience Classic and the AKC RACH Invitational, with junior events in Conformation, Agility, Obedience and Rally, as well as special attraction North America Diving Dogs (NADD) Santa Splash.
Leading the charge as Best in Show judge for the 2025 National Championship is Mrs. Rosalind Kramer of High Point, NC and Mr. Thomas Coen of Great Barrington, MA will judge Best Bred-by-Exhibitor in Show. The judges for the National Owner-Handled Series Finals and the AKC Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy and Junior Stakes will be announced at a later date.
“The AKC National Championship has had remarkable judges for 25 years, and this year is no exception,” said Dennis Sprung, Show Chair, President and CEO of AKC. “With Roz and Thomas at the helm, this year’s show is sure to be an exhilarating display of quality competition for breeders, exhibitors and judges.”
SPORTING – Dr. Donald Sturz, Jr. – Brooklyn, NY
HOUND – Ms. Deirdre Petrie – Strasburg, PA
WORKING – Rita J. Biddle, Esq. – Eagle, MI
TERRIER – Elizabeth “Beth” Sweigart – Bowmansville, PA
TOY – Patricia Proctor – Yarmouth Port, MA
NON-SPORTING – Mr. Fred Basset – Broken Arrow, OK
HERDING – Mr. Carl Gene Liepmann – Flushing, MI
MISCELLANEOUS CLASSES – Mr. Michael Canalizo – Mill Neck, NY
BEST JUNIOR HANDLER – Ms. Patricia Anne Keenan – Chehalis, WA
JUNIOR PRELIMS – Amanda Swanson and Angela Lloyd
SPORTING – Mr. David Kittredge – Rochester, NY
HOUND – Mr. Richard Reynolds – Tenafly, NJ
WORKING – Barbara Bruns – Winsen Niedersachsen Lowe, GER
TERRIER – Mrs. Allison Sunderman – Hanover, MI
TOY – Pamela Bruce – Niagara Region, CN
NON-SPORTING – Mr. Desmond Murphy – Monroe, NY
HERDING – Ms. Janina Laurin – Ashford, CT
| SPORTING GROUP | BREED ASSIGNMENTS |
| Ms. Britt Jung | Barbet, Bracco Italiano, Lagotto Romagnolo, Pointer, Vizsla, Wirehaired Pointing Griffon, Wirehaired Vizsla |
| Beth Sweigart | Brittany, Retriever (Labrador) |
| Mr. Frank Kane | Retriever (Chesapeake Bay), Retriever (Curly-Coat), Retriever (Flat-Coated), Spaniel (Welsh Springer), Spinone Italiano, Weimaraner |
| Ms. Elizabeth Muthard | Pointer (German Shorthaired) |
| Ms. Patricia Anne Keenan | Pointer (German Wirehaired), Spaniel (English Cocker), Spaniel (English Springer), Spaniel (Field), Spaniel (Irish Water), Spaniel (Sussex) |
| Ms. Cynthia Collins | Retriever (Golden) |
| Mrs. Mary Ann Alston | Retriever (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling), Setter (English), Setter (Gordon), Setter (Irish), Setter (Irish Red & White) |
| Mrs. Meghen Riese-Bassel | Nederlandse Kooikerhondje, Spaniel (American Water), Spaniel (Boykin), Spaniel (Clumber), Spaniel (Cocker – all varieties) |
| HOUND GROUP | BREED ASSIGNMENTS |
| Mr. Michael Canalizo | Afghan Hound, Whippet |
| Mr. Daniel J. Smyth, Esq. | American English Coonhound, American Foxhound, Azawakh, English Foxhound, Redbone Coonhound, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Saluki, Treeing Walker Coonhound |
| Dr. Donald Sturz, Jr. | Basenji, Bloodhound, Bluetick Coonhound, Borzoi, Cirneco dell’Etna, Greyhound, Harrier, Irish Wolfhound, Plott Hound, Sloughi |
| Mr. Frank Kane | Basset Hound |
| Mrs. Debbie Melgreen | Beagle (both varieties), Black and Tan Coonhound, Ibizan Hound, Norwegian Elkhound, Otterhound, Scottish Deerhound |
| Mrs. Jane Fowler | Dachshund (all varieties) |
| Dana Cline | Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen, Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen, Portuguese Podengo Pequeno |
| Mr. Dominic Carota | Pharaoh Hound |
| WORKING GROUP | BREED ASSIGNMENTS |
| Mrs. Linda Clark | Akita, Alaskan Malamute, Bullmastiff |
| Ms. Elizabeth Muthard | Anatolian Shepherd Dog, Black Russian Terrier, Danish-Swedish Farmdog, Dogo Argentino, Giant Schnauzer, Mastiff, Neapolitan Mastiff, Standard Schnauzer |
| Andrew Ritter | Bernese Mountain Dog, Boerboel, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Komondor, Kuvasz, Leonberger, Newfoundland, St. Bernard, Tibetan Mastiff |
| Mrs. Vicki Seiler-Cushman | Boxer, Cane Corso, Dogue de Bordeaux, German Pinscher, Great Pyrenees |
| Ms. Janina Lauren | Chinook, Doberman Pinscher, Great Dane, Rottweiler |
| Robin Stansell | Portuguese Water Dog, Samoyed, Siberian Husky |
| TERRIER GROUP | BREED ASSIGNMENTS |
| Ms. Kathy Ferris | Airedale Terrier, Bedlington Terrier, Norfolk Terrier, Norwich Terrier, Russell Terrier, Scottish Terrier, Sealyham Terrier, Skye Terrier, West Highland White Terrier |
| Grace Fritz | American Hairless Terrier, Cesky Terrier, Fox Terrier (Smooth), Fox Terrier (Wire), Parson Russell Terrier, Rat Terrier |
| Mr. Fred Basset | American Staffordshire Terrier, Bull Terrier (both varieties), Dandie Dinmont Terrier, Glen of Imaal Terrier, Irish Terrier, Kerry Blue Terrier, Miniature Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier |
| Ms. Patricia Anne Keenan | Australian Terrier, Lakeland Terrier, Manchester Terrier (Standard), Miniature Schnauzer, Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, Welsh Terrier |
| Mr. Richard Reynolds | Border Terrier, Cairn Terrier |
| TOY GROUP | BREED ASSIGNMENTS |
| Pamela Bruce | Affenpinscher, Biewer Terrier, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Russian Toy |
| Mr. Ray Filburn, Jr. | Brussels Griffon, Chinese Crested, Shih Tzu |
| Mr. Tim Catterson | Chihuahua (both varieties), Italian Greyhound |
| Ms. Deirdre Petrie | English Toy Spaniel (all varieties), Havanese, Pomeranian, Silky Terrier |
| Beth Sweigart | Japanese Chin |
| Dr. Steven Keating | Maltese, Miniature Pinscher, Pekingese, Pug, Toy Fox Terrier |
| Ms. Patricia Anne Keenan | Manchester Terrier (Toy) |
| Mrs. Angela Pickett | Papillon |
| Dana Cline | Poodle (Toy) |
| Robin Stansell | Yorkshire Terrier |
| NON-SPORTING GROUP | BREED ASSIGNMENTS |
| Grace Fritz | American Eskimo Dog, Chinese Shar-Pei, Chow Chow, Coton de Tulear, Keeshond, Lhasa Apso, Norwegian Lundehund, Schipperke |
| Dr. Valeria Rickard | Bichon Frise, Boston Terrier, Bulldog |
| Dr. Charles Garvin | Dalmatian |
| Ms. Elizabeth Muthard | Finnish Spitz, Löwchen, Tibetan Spaniel, Tibetan Terrier, Xoloitzcuintli |
| Mrs. Angela Pickett | French Bulldog |
| Dana Cline | Poodle (Miniature & Standard), Shiba Inu |
| HERDING GROUP | BREED ASSIGNMENTS |
| Dr. Thomas Davies | Australian Cattle Dog, Belgian Laekenois, Belgian Malinois, Belgian Sheepdog, Belgian Tervuren, Bergamasco, Berger Picard, Polish Lowland Sheepdog, Pyrenean Shepherd |
| Dr. Steven Keating | Australian Shepherd |
| Dana Cline | Bearded Collie, Beauceron, Briard, Canaan Dog, Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Entlebucher Mountain Dog |
| Mrs. Linda Clark | Border Collie, Bouvier des Flandres |
| Ms. Marie Ann Falconer | Collie (both varieties), Shetland Sheepdog, Spanish Water Dog, Swedish Vallhund |
| Mr. Ray Filburn, Jr. | Finnish Lapphund, Icelandic Sheepdog, Norwegian Buhund |
| Pamela Bruce | German Shepherd Dog, Lancashire Heeler, Miniature American Shepherd, Mudi, Puli, Pumi |
| Ms. Elizabeth Muthard | Old English Sheepdog |
| Beth Sweigart | Pembroke Welsh Corgi |
*Panel subject to final approval.
About Best in Show judge Mrs. Rosalind Kramer: Rosalind Kramer started in the sport as a child showing her Wire Fox Terriers. She has bred National Specialty, Best in Show winners, and many top-ranked dogs over the years. She handled top-winning Terrier and Toy dogs.
After ending her career as a professional handler, Mrs. Kramer went to work for the American Kennel Club as an Executive Field Representative and Judges Education Chair. She retired from the AKC when she married Dr. Andrew Kramer, a fellow Terrier enthusiast, and began her judging career. She has judged the Terrier Group, Toy Group and Best in Show at Westminster Kennel Club, as well as BIS at Montgomery County Kennel Club, and the Terrier and Toy Groups at the American Kennel Club National Championship, as well as numerous shows internationally.
Mrs. Kramer is a long-time member of the American Fox Terrier Club, Wire Fox Terrier Club of the Central States, Middle Peninsula Kennel Club, and the Virginia Terrier Club.
About Best Bred-By-Exhibitor judge Mr. Thomas Coen: Tom Coen became interested in the world of purebred dogs at the age of 12 and whelped his first Sheltie litter in 1964 while still in high school on Long Island. Over the past the past six decades, Macdega has bred or owned eight National Specialty Best of Breed winners, eight All- Breed Best in Show winners and more than 20 Register of Merit producers, including the breed’s All-Time Top Sire. In 2004, Tom and his wife, Nioma, were named AKC Herding Group Breeders of the Year.
After graduating from college, Mr. Coen taught art on the Junior High level outside of Woodstock, New York. In 1970 he applied for his handler’s license and that was the beginning of an exciting career that spanned 30 years. He retired from handling and received his judge’s license in 2000. He judges all Herding Breeds, Dachshunds, and Best in Show. Mr. Coen has had the honor of judging Best of Breed at the Collie National, the Australian Shepherd National, the Pumi National and twice at the Sheltie National. His assignments and his seminar “Quest For Quality” have taken him to Canada, Japan, China, Denmark, Norway and Brazil. He lives with his wife, Nioma, in the Berkshire Hills of Western Massachusetts.
