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ACA celebrates 60 years with a dazzling National Specialty weekend of shows, trophies, and Affens in San Antonio, Texas.
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With the theme of “AFFENS AND BLING, IT’S A 60TH THING,” the Affenpinscher Club of America (ACA) celebrated its 60th Anniversary at its National Specialty, held during the River City Cluster in San Antonio, Texas, the weekend of July 11-13, 2025. The Bexar County Kennel Club (BCKC) served as our host for the weekend. ACA held its National on Saturday, a Concurrent Specialty on Sunday, and three Supported Entries at the BCKC All-Breed Shows on Friday and Sunday and the Alamo Area Toy Club (AATC) on Friday. Five shows in three days made for a packed weekend for all who attended.
The weekend kicked off with the Welcome Party at the host hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn, on Thursday. Attendees were treated to a Texas Spud Bar, courtesy of ACA, and an evening of socializing. Welcome Bags were distributed, as well as dog food and treats provided by our sponsor, Pet Supplies Plus. We were thrilled to have guests from Australia, India, Japan, England, and Canada, as well as from across the US, join us for the weekend.
Friday morning competition began with the AATC Sweepstakes, judged by Jerome Elliott. Out of 22 entries, Best in Sweepstakes was awarded to Ferlin Gizmo’s Worth An Affair To Remember, bred and owned by Linda Ferris, Kathie Timko, and Evelyn Shoemaker.
The AATC Junior Showmanship Classes had an entry of eight Juniors showing their Toy dogs to Judge Dale Martenson. Best Junior Handler was awarded to Addison Lancaster handling the Affen GCHB Kellys Steels The X Factor @ BCF, with Reserve Best Junior Handler going to Larkynn Conway showing the red Affen CH Simian’s Tamarin Terry. Mason Price won the Novice Senior Class with the Affen Mandrill’s Be Like Michele Mouton.
Breed judging followed, with Toy Breeder-Judge Dale Martenson overseeing an entry of 24. He selected Ferlin Gizmo’s Worth An Affair To Remember as Winners Dog, Best of Winners, Best Owner-Handled, and Best of Breed from the Bred-by-Exhibitor Adult Class. He was then awarded Group 1 by Judge Marge Calltharp and NOHS (National Owner-Handled Series) Group 1 by Judge Martenson. Best of Opposite Sex was awarded to the belge Winners Bitch Tamarin Tax Time, owned by Sandra Danhoff, bred by Sandra and Tamarin Kennels. Select Dog was CH Simian’s TKO, bred by Chelsea Conway and Samantha Beswick.
CH Gizmo Ferlin’s Play The Game, bred and owned by Kathie Timko, Linda Ferris, and Katie Timko, was picked as Select Bitch. Reserve Winners Dog was from the 9–12 Month Class, DGS Buyable Boyfriend, bred and owned by Janet Rahn and Addison Lancaster. Reserve Winners Bitch went to Simian’s T-Rex, owned by Chelsea Conway and bred by Chelsea Conway and Samanatha Beswick.
At the BCKC Supported Entry show, Tamarin Tax Time was selected as Winners Bitch, Best of Winners, and Best of Breed from the 12–18 Month Class by Judge Sharon Newcomb out of an entry of 25. She went on to win Group 1 under Judge Shelley Hennessy. Best of Opposite Sex was awarded to CH Limelite’s Mister Pompadour, owned by Linda Baker, bred by and co-owned with Matt Mullin. The red CH Simian’s Tamarin Terry, bred by Chelsea Conway and Tamarin Kennel and owned by Chelsea Conway, was picked as Select Dog. Select Bitch and Best Owner-Handled went to CH Gizmo Ferlin’s Play The Game.
She was later awarded NOHS Group 3 by Judge Sharon Newcomb. Winners Dog went to Beameup Art Of The Deal At Simian, bred by Dorene and Rebecca Cross, owned by Chelsea Conway. Reserve Winners Dog was awarded to DGS Buyable Boyfriend, and Simian’s T-Rex was selected as Reserve Winners Bitch. Addison Lancaster, handling GCHB Kellys Steels The X Factor @ BCF, was selected Best Junior Handler by Judge Lori Livingston.
Friday afternoon was highlighted by a lively discussion of differing Breed Standards in the UK and FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale) countries versus the US. Attendees enjoyed root beer floats and snacks surrounded by decorations celebrating the 60th Anniversary with a Texas twist, complete with a photo-op spot and an archway festooned with yellow roses and Texas bluebonnets. Friday evening was left free for attendees to explore the sights and amenities that San Antonio has to offer. Several people took boat rides on the River Walk, enjoying dinner at one of the many restaurants that line the popular tourist destination.
Saturday morning brought everyone to the main event: the National, with an entry of 30 from across the US and Canada. First up was Sweepstakes, judged by Robert E. Stein. Skyfall Wednesday Adams, bred and owned by Matheus Dos Santos Chagas and Olga Ledyan, was selected as Best in Sweepstakes, with Ferlin Gizmo’s Worth An Affair To Remember awarded Best of Opposite in Sweeps. Best Veteran in Sweeps went to CH Mach Ferlin’s Black Jaguar CAX FCAT CGCU, owned by Sharon Rafferty and Linda Ferris, bred by Linda Ferris.
Affen Breeder-Judge Pam Peat was selected by the ACA membership to judge the National. She rose to the challenge presented by the beautiful line up, awarding Best of Breed and Best Owner-Handled to CH Limelite’s Mister Pompadour. He went on to Group 3 under Judge Kimberly Anne Meredith, NOHS Group 1 under Pam Peat, and NOHS Reserve Best in Show under Sharon Newcomb. Best of Opposite Sex was awarded to new CH Tamarin Tax Time.
Select Dog went to CH Simian’s Tamarin Terry. Select Bitch went to GCH Tamarin Timeless, bred by Barbara Barth and Tamarin Kennels, owned by Barbara Barth. Awards of Merit were presented to: CH Tamarin Tak, bred by Barbara Barth and Tamarin Kennels, owned by Sharon Rafferty; GCHB Kellys Steels The X Factor @ BCF, bred by Geraldine Kelly and Suzanne Steele, owned by T. McCarthy, S. Steel, R. Hitesman, and Addison Lancaster; and CH Mandrill’s Aston Martin Vantage GT3, bred by Tina Price and owned by Tina and Mason Price.
Winners Dog and Best of Winners were awarded to Gizmo Ferlin’s Player’s Gonna Play from the Amateur Owner-Handled Class, owned by Jem Cocoran, Jay Farrell, and Kathie Timko, bred by Kathie Timko, Linda Ferris, and Katie Timko. DGS Buyable Boyfriend was picked as Reserve Winners Dog from the Open Class. Winners Bitch went to the belge Bred-by-Exhibitor Adult Gizmo Ferlin’s Just Push Play, owned by Kathie and Katie Timko, bred by Kathie Timko, Linda Ferris, and Katie Timko. Reserve Winners Bitch, Tamarin Tassi At Four Tens, was bred and is owned by Cindy Fortin.
In the Non-Regular Classes, Beameup’s Monkey In The Middle, bred by Dorene and Rebecca Cross and owned by Megan Hof, was picked as Best Puppy; Ferlin Gizmo’s Worth An Affair To Remember was awarded Best Bred-by-Exhibitor. CH Simian’s Tamarin Terry was selected as Best Stud Dog, GCHB Tamarin Tansy was awarded Best Brood Bitch, and the team of CH Gizmo Ferlin’s Play The Game and Gizmo Ferlin’s Player’s Gonna Play won the Brace Class.
Addison Lancaster, handling GCHB Kellys Steels The X Factor @ BCF, was awarded Best Junior Handler by Judge Brian Livingston.
The annual meeting and lunch followed Breed judging. President Kevin Lind reviewed plans for the 2026 National to be held in Maryland next April, as well as the Supported Entry at Morris & Essex on October 1, 2025 and the Concurrent Specialty and Supported Entry at Palm Springs on January 1 and 2, 2026. After watching CH Limelite’s Mister Pompadour win Toy Group 3 and NOHS Reserve Best in Show, the focus shifted to that evening’s banquet and annual auction fundraising event at the host hotel. Show Chair Kathie Timko welcomed everyone and thanked all of the volunteers and trophy sponsors for their support. A moment of silence was held to pay respect to recently lost longtime members: Nancy Baybutt (Sienna Gold Affenpinschers) and Jackie Stacy (Tamarin Kennels). These ladies were instrumental in building up the ACA and promoting the Affenpinscher breed for decades. After a delicious buffet dinner, the revelry began with our auctioneer extraordinaire, Doug Wolfe, taking charge of this fun and energetic event.
Sunday was another busy day, starting off with the ACA Concurrent Specialty judged by Cindy Vogels. The belge CH Tamarin Tax Time was selected Best of Breed over an entry of 27. Winners Dog, Best of Winners, and Best of Opposite Sex went to DGS Buyable Boyfriend from the Open Class. Reserve Winners Dog went to Gizmo Ferlin’s Player’s Gonna Play. GCHB Kellys Steels The X Factor @ BCF was Select Dog and CH Gizmo Ferlin’s Play The Game won Select Bitch. Awards of Merit were presented to GCHG Empee’s Black Panther, bred and owned by Mario Panlilio and Maria Ingco, and CH Mandrill’s Aston Martin Vantage GT3. Winners Bitch and Best Bred-by-Exhibitor went to Ferlin Gizmo’s Worth The Scandal, bred and owned by Linda Ferris, Kathie Timko, and Evelyn Shoemaker. Reserve Winners Bitch was awarded to Tamarin Tasty Trifle, bred by Sandra Danoff and Tamarin Kennel, owned by Sandra Danoff. Limelite’s Light In The Loafers, bred and owned by Matt Mulin and AJ Tavares, was Best Puppy. Addison Lancaster, showing GCHB Kellys Steels The X Factor, was awarded Best Junior Handler. Larkynn Conway was Reserve Best Junior Handler with CH Simian’s Tamarin Terry.
Later that afternoon, Peggy Beisel-McIlwaine adjudicated the Supported Entry of 26 at the BCKC All-Breed Show. Best of Breed once again was awarded to CH Tamarin Tax Time, who then went on to Group 1 under Judge Sharon Newcomb and Reserve Best in Show under Judge Timothy Robbins. Best of Opposite Sex and Best Owner-Handled went to CH Limelight’s Mister Pompadour. CH Simian’s TKO repeated as Select Dog. Select Bitch was again awarded to CH Gizmo Ferlin’s Play The Game. Winners Dog went to the Bred-By-Exhibitor Puppy, Limelite’s Light In The Loafers, with Reserve Winners Dog going to Beameup Art Of The Deal At Simian from the 6–9 Month Puppy Class. Ferlin Gizmo’s Worth The Scandal repeated as Winners Bitch, with Reserve going to Tamarin Tasty Trifle. Addison Lancaster, showing GCHB Kellys Steels The X Factor, rounded out the weekend with a clean sweep by again winning Best Junior Handler under Judge Ang Claire Lester.
Mention must be made of the beautiful trophy tables designed by Lori Graham, which conveyed the Texas theme on Friday and Sunday complete with a cowboy hurling a lasso over the prizes sponsored by club members. Lori and Roxi Baldwin graciously manned the trophy table all weekend for ACA, ensuring that all the prizes and rosettes were elegantly displayed for all to see.
For the National on Saturday, Lori created a stunning display of silver and blue in honor of ACA’s 60th (Diamond) Anniversary. The perpetual Best of Breed Trophy and Best of Opposite Sex Challenge Trophy were the centerpieces, surrounded by commemorative plaques for Best of Breed, Best of Winners, Select Dog, Select Bitch, Best Veteran, and the Terry Graham Memorial Plaque for Winners Bitch. A beautiful arrangement of Affenpinscher statues crafted by artist Katie Tenery, each of which was adorned with an ACA 60th Anniversary ribbon and commemorative medallion, covered the tables. The Best of Breed, Best of Winners, Select Dog, Select Bitch, Stud Dog, Brood Bitch, and Brace trophies were mounted on a Texas mesquite base, with First in each class awarded a statue to treasure. Second through Fourth in each class won a slip lead featuring a commemorative medallion. Beautiful custom rosettes were decorated with crystals in keeping with the “bling” theme. In addition, two of our guests from Australia, Kerry McKinnon and Michelle Doe of Swayd Affenpinschers, graciously donated two stunning rosettes—one framed for Best of Breed and a large one for the Breeder of Best of Breed in memory of Gish Lesh of Strongfort Affenpinschers. Each entrant exiting the ring was given an ACA logoed shammy. As the National was dedicated to longtime member Nancy Baybutt, a beautiful display stood next to the trophy table for all to view.
The Concurrent Specialty trophy table, overseen by our favorite cowboy, displayed beautiful buckets in colors to match the respective rosette from First in each class up to Best of Breed, each adorned with the custom ACA Concurrent Specialty logo. Reserve Winners Dog and Bitch won custom-designed crate cups created by Lori Graham. Prizes for the Supported Entries ranged from dog dishes to grooming tools, and supplies for Best of Breed down through First in each class.
The Affenpinscher Club of America thanks the exhibitors, its membership, and guests for their support of time, talent, and treasure. A special thanks to the Bexar County Kennel Club for hosting us. Kathy Krnavek, Cluster Chair, provided tremendous help and guidance for this special event. We’d also like to thank the Alamo Area Toy Club for their support. Our sincere appreciation goes out to our National Judge Pam Peat, Concurrent Judge Cindy Vogels, and Sweepstakes Judge Robert Stein. And last, but not least, a HUGE thank you to Onofrio Dog Shows for all of the help in putting this show weekend together. Your professional team went out of the way to help us with grooming space, ring time requests, and addressing questions and concerns along the way.