NEW YORK, NY (May 14, 2026) – The American Kennel Club (AKC®) today announced the judging panel for the 26th AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin, to be held December 12–13, 2026, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. The Club also released the judging panel for the AKC National Owner-Handled Series (NOHS) Finals. The panel for the AKC Royal Canin National All-Breed Puppy and Junior Stakes will be announced at a later date.
The 2026 event will showcase top canine athletes from across the country and feature popular competitions, including Best Bred-by-Exhibitor. The championship will again be held alongside the AKC Agility Invitational, Obedience Classic, and AKC RACH Invitational. Junior competitions in Conformation, Agility, Obedience, and Rally will also be offered, along with the North America Diving Dogs (NADD) Santa Splash.
Dr. Thomas M. Davies of Brimfield, Massachusetts, will serve as Best in Show judge. Mr. David J. Kirkland of Sanford, North Carolina, will judge Best Bred-by-Exhibitor in Show.
“The AKC National Championship continues to bring together the best of the best—exceptional canine athletes, exhibitors, and judges,” said Gina M. DiNardo, AKC President and Show Chair. “We are honored to have AKC Chairman Dr. Thomas Davies and Mr. David Kirkland leading the 26th show. It promises to be an exciting and highly competitive event.”
The AKC NOHS Finals will be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida as a part of the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin on Saturday, December 12 and Sunday, December 13, 2026.
Best in Show for the NOHS Finals will be judged by Mr. Daniel J. Smyth, Esq. of Bermuda Dunes, CA on Sunday evening.
| Sporting Group | Breed Assignments |
| David Kittredge | Barbet, Spaniel (Cocker – all varieties), Spaniel (English Cocker), Spaniel (Field) |
| Jamie Hubbard | Bracco Italiano, Lagotto Romagnolo, Nederlandse Kooikerhondje, Spaniel (American Water), Spaniel (Clumber) |
| Corinne Miklos | Brittany, Pointer (German Wirehaired), Retriever (Curly-Coated), Weimaraner, Wirehaired Pointing Griffon |
| Jon Cole | Pointer, Pointer (German Shorthaired), Retriever (Chesapeake Bay), Retriever (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling) |
| Rosalind Kramer | Retriever (Flat-Coated), Setter (English), Setter (Irish) |
| Paula Nykiel | Retriever (Golden), Spinone Italiano, Wirehaired Vizsla |
| Carl Gene Liepmann | Retriever (Labrador) |
| Linda Clark | Setter (Gordon), Setter (Irish Red & White), Spaniel (Boykin), Spaniel (English Springer), Spaniel (Irish Water) |
| Ann Ingram | Spaniel (Sussex), Spaniel (Welsh Springer) |
| Phoebe Jordan Booth | Vizsla |
| Hound Group | Breed Assignments |
| Patricia Clark | Afghan Hound, Greyhound, Scottish Deerhound |
| Pamela Lambie | American English Coonhound, American Foxhound, Basset Fauve de Bretagne, Black and Tan Coonhound, English Foxhound, Harrier, Otterhound, Pharaoh Hound, Plott Hound, Redbone Coonhound, Treeing Walker Coonhound |
| Dr. Steven Keating | Azawakh, Bluetick Coonhound |
| Rosalind Kramer | Basenji, Bloodhound, Cirneco dell’Etna, Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen, Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen |
| Ryan Horvath | Basset Hound, Dachshund (all varieties), Portuguese Podengo Pequeno |
| Harold “Red” Tatro III | Beagle (both varieties), Rhodesian Ridgeback |
| Mary Dukes | Ibizan Hound, Irish Wolfhound, Norwegian Elkhound, Saluki, Sloughi |
| Phoebe Jordan Booth | Whippet |
| Working Group | Breed Assignments |
| Dr. Joyce Dandridge | Akita, Alaskan Malamute, Great Dane, Kuvasz |
| Paula Nykiel | Anatolian Shepherd Dog, Bernese Mountain Dog, Black Russian Terrier, Boerboel, Boxer, Chinook, Danish-Swedish Farmdog, German Pinscher |
| Pamela Lambie | Bullmastiff, Dogo Argentino, Dogue de Bordeaux, Mastiff |
| Jon Cole | Cane Corso, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Komondor, Neapolitan Mastiff |
| Carolyn Herbel | Doberman Pinscher, Portuguese Water Dog, Rottweiler, St. Bernard, Standard Schnauzer |
| Ann Ingram | Giant Schnauzer, Great Pyrenees, Leonberger |
| Debbie Campbell-Freeman | Newfoundland |
| Clay Coady | Samoyed, Siberian Husky, Tibetan Mastiff |
| Terrier Group | Breed Assignments |
| April Clyde | Airedale Terrier, American Hairless Terrier, Cesky Terrier, Dandie Dinmont Terrier, Irish Terrier, Lakeland Terrier, Rat Terrier, Welsh Terrier |
| Jamie Hubbard | American Staffordshire Terrier, Glen of Imaal Terrier, Parson Russell Terrier, Russell Terrier, Sealyham Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier |
| Richard Powell | Australian Terrier, Fox Terrier (Smooth), Fox Terrier (Wire), Kerry Blue Terrier, Standard Manchester Terrier, Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier |
| Kathi Brown | Bedlington Terrier, Cairn Terrier, Scottish Terrier, Skye Terrier, West Highland White Terrier |
| Debbie Campbell-Freeman | Border Terrier, Cairn Terrier, Bull Terrier (both varieties), Miniature Bull Terrier, Miniature Schnauzer |
| Ann Ingram | Norfolk Terrier |
| Desmond Murphy | Norwich Terrier, Teddy Roosevelt Terrier |
| Toy Group | Breed Assignments |
| Patricia Proctor | Affenpinscher, Brussels Griffon, Japanese Chin, Papillon |
| Dr. Valeria Rickard | Biewer Terrier, English Toy Spaniel (all varieties), Russian Toy, Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka, Silky Terrier |
| Richard Powell | Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Maltese, Toy Manchester Terrier |
| Joe Walton | Chihuahua (both varieties), Shih Tzu |
| Margaret Reed | Chinese Crested, Italian Greyhound, Toy Fox Terrier |
| George Milutinovich | Havanese, Miniature Pinscher, Pug, Yorkshire Terrier |
| Clay Coady | Pekingese, Poodle (Toy) |
| Fred Bassett | Pomeranian |
| Non-Sporting Group | Breed Assignments |
| Angela Pickett | American Eskimo Dog, Coton de Tulear, Finnish Spitz, Lhasa Apso, Löwchen, Norwegian Lundehund, Shiba Inu, Tibetan Spaniel |
| Fred Bassett | Bichon Frise, Schipperke, Xoloitzcuintli |
| Debbie Campbell-Freeman | Boston Terrier, Chinese Shar Pei, Chow Chow, Keeshond, Tibetan Terrier |
| Phoebe Jordan Booth | Bulldog |
| Frank Kane | Dalmatian, French Bulldog |
| Clay Coady | Poodle (Miniature & Standard) |
| Herding Group | Breed Assignments |
| Amy Gau | Australian Cattle Dog, Bergamasco, Border Collie, Lancashire Heeler, Norwegian Buhund |
| Susan Landry-Whiticar | Australian Shepherd |
| Frank Kane | Bearded Collie, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Spanish Water Dog |
| Debbie Melgreen | Beauceron, Berger Picard, Entlebucher Mountain Dog, Finnish Lapphund, Icelandic Sheepdog, Miniature American Shepherd, Shetland Sheepdog, Swedish Vallhund |
| Fred Bassett | Belgian Laekenois, Belgian Malinois, Belgian Sheepdog, Belgian Tervuren |
| Clay Coady | Bouvier des Flandres, German Shepherd Dog |
| Thomas Coen | Briard, Canaan Dog, Collie (both varieties), Mudi, Puli, Pumi |
| Ann Ingram | Cardigan Welsh Corgi |
| Jon Cole | Old English Sheepdog, Polish Lowland Sheepdog, Pyrenean Shepherd |
*Panel subject to final approval.
About Best in Show judge Dr. Thomas Davies: Dr. Thomas M. Davies, of Brimfield, Massachusetts, became heavily involved in the world of purebred dogs after his college graduation. He is currently serving as Chairman of the AKC’s Board of Directors since 2020 and has served on AKC’s Board of Directors for many years, having held the position of Vice Chairman from 2009 -2012 and again from 2017- March 2019. He has served on numerous AKC related boards and committees, including the Chairman’s Committee on the Judging Approval Process, Public Relations Committee, the Events and Clubs Committee and the Breeders Committee.
Dr. Davies became president of the Bearded Collie Club of America and oversaw its acceptance into the AKC Stud Book. He is an honorary lifetime member of that club and is the author of the Bearded Collie standard. Dr. Davies has been extensively involved with Old English Sheepdogs, Bearded Collies, Siberian Huskies, Belgian Sheepdogs and Tervuren, Beagles and Xoloitzcuintli.
He and his wife, Roberta, have bred and finished numerous champions in many of their breeds. Dr. Davies judges Best in Show, Junior Showmanship, the Herding Group and 11 Working breeds. He has served as president and show chairman of the Springfield Kennel Club and has been the club’s AKC Delegate for more than 50 years. He is the longtime show chair for the Springfield Kennel Club and previously for the country’s first working group club, the Connecticut River Working Group Association, for which he is vice-president. Dr. Davies is retired after more than 30 years in various areas of scientific research, and product and market development.
About Best Bred-By-Exhibitor judge Mr. David Kirkland: David J. Kirkland of Sanford, NC attended his first dog show in 1973. Starting in Obedience, Mr. Kirkland thereafter acquired his first show dog, a Miniature Schnauzer. He has bred, owned and handled many to championship titles including Group and National Specialty winners. In 1994, Mr. Kirkland acquired his first Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. His love affair with the breed continues to the present. Mr. Kirkland has also owned and bred multiple champions in Japanese Chin and Tibetan Spaniels.
Mr. Kirkland became an AKC judge in 1995 and currently judges BIS, Junior Showmanship, the Working Group Schnauzers, the Hound, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding Groups. He has judged at the AKC National Championship show multiple times including judging a Group twice.
During his tenure in the dog fancy, Mr. Kirkland has enjoyed serving as an Officer, Board Member, Show Chairman and JEC Chairman for several all-breed and specialty clubs.
After 27 years, he retired from GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals. He shares his life with his partner Stephen and spends his time judging dog shows worldwide and working in the music ministry at his church.
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Founded in 1884, the American Kennel Club is a not-for-profit organization which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function. Along with its more than 4,900 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 28,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred and mixed breed dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, scent work, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests.
Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Reunite, the AKC Museum of the Dog, and the AKC Purebred Preservation Bank. For more information, visit www.akc.org.
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Brandi Hunter Munden
American Kennel Club
Alyssa Harrison
Royal Canin
