David R. Miller: To be selected to judge breeds at the AKC National Championship event is truly an honor. To have the opportunity to judge a generous cross section of entries in the breeds you are chosen to judge affords the judge an opportunity to focus upon many of the salient features of the particular breed. This privilege increases and sharpens the perspective of the breed in terms of the Breed Standard. Many times, the judges walk away from such an assignment with an abundance of knowledge gained as well as an increased opportunity to revisit the breed prerequisites and continue the never-ending learning process. Therefore, such an assignment is paramount to a judge’s formation and focus to that particular breed.
Needless to say, it is a great honor to officiate at such an event. When the American Kennel Club calls upon a judge to participate in their National Championship event, it makes a statement that the judge is a trusted individual within the judging community as well as having a certain confidence in the individual to professionally and adequately make decisions on the breed in the ring. That is a great distinction.
David R. Miller: My thoughts upon the various Breed assignments are quite positive within the hounds I judged. Some of the hounds were low entry. To be able to witness several specimens within the low-entry breeds was a pleasure and delight. These were mainly the American English Coonhounds, American Foxhounds, Bluetick Coonhounds, Treeing Walker Coonhounds, and the Black and Tan Coonhounds. Such an assuring sight to see an adequate entry from which to judge. I was particularly stunned by the veteran American English Coonhound who eventually was awarded Best of Breed. A young, very promising Bluetick Coonhound was awarded Best of Breed from the classes. And the beautiful line-up of Black and Tan Coonhounds was indeed spectacular.
Whippets enjoyed a fabulous entry of around 80. Making decisions among them was a privilege to behold and a lot of difficult decisions were made. I was happy to see the Best of Breed Whippet was awarded a Group 2 in a powerful Hound Group.
David R. Miller: The 2024 show year was a particularly busy year for me, with many domestic and international assignments. Quite frankly, any year in itself in the canine world is an opportunity for growth. Educating oneself to the many breeds is a rewarding experience, and learning more and more is an ongoing process. It is my prayer that in 2025 the shows and sport continue on an upward trend. Our canine friends deserve and need our support for the betterment of purebred dogs and the betterment of all canines in every aspect.
