Danelle Brown reflects on judging the National Owner-Handled Series Non-Sporting and Herding Groups at the 2025 AKC National Championship.
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Danelle Brown: I was surprised, happy, and deeply honored. I love Orlando and love supporting my fellow owner-handlers.
Danelle Brown: Nothing is quite like it. The Best of the Best are present in every breed. The competition is stiff and the quality is deep.
Danelle Brown: From the moment you walk in, you can feel the energy. It’s not just Conformation, it’s Agility, Rally, Obedience, Dock Diving, and multiple Specialties. The venue is huge, the judges are top-notch, and the event is so well run. The fact that it brings the top dogs, not just from the local area but from all across the nation, makes it special. AKC Staff and Royal Canin do an amazing job organizing everything. The little extra perks, like grooming towels in the exhibitor setups, are fun.
Danelle Brown: Excitement and a bit of anxiety. Having judged the breeds, I knew the quality was extremely deep and my choices would be challenging.
Danelle Brown: Definitely a different vibe in the air. The handlers and the dogs both felt it. When it was their turn, they each shined. The crowd was deep around the Group ring and the cheering for every dog made my heart happy. The support given to all was refreshing.
Danelle Brown: As I mentioned above, the quality was deep, which made my assignments difficult but also much more fun. When the quality is so deep, you generally get to find what you are really looking for in each breed. My selection process was pretty much the same as usual; look at each dog and, in my estimation, find the one that most closely fits the Breed Standard. Often, it just came down to a minor difference between the winner and the almost winners.
Danelle Brown: The Bichon Frise that won my Non-Sporting Group, and went on to NOHS RBIS, is a lovely young bitch. I felt she excelled in type and structure, and her correct coat texture, which is very important in the breed, was outstanding. In the Herding Group, my final nod went to the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, a breed that I have been involved with for 40 years. Being so familiar with the breed, I am often even harder on them. But I felt this girl couldn’t be denied. Her outline, standing and on the move, was picture-perfect. She moved cleanly in all directions and she just oozed breed type. As far as my other placements, they were all outstanding. The fact that there were a few dogs I couldn’t even put into my Group cuts, that I have given regular Group placements to in the past, speaks volumes. I really couldn’t have gone wrong pointing to any one of them!
Danelle Brown: I can’t thank Royal Canin and the AKC enough for this wonderful event. As a show chair for a couple clusters, I know how much work goes into those. I can’t even imagine what is required for an event like this. Personally, I’d like to send special “thank yous” to AKC Staff: Guy Fischer, Michael Canalizo, Glynn Lycan, and Paula Spector.
Danelle Brown: I think NOHS encourages people, especially the newer participants, to continue showing and learn more about the sport and breeds.
Danelle Brown: It was a busy and fun year that seemed to fly by. I was on the road quite a bit and went everywhere from Alaska to Hawaii. I’ve accepted far fewer assignments next year and plan to do more traveling, for fun, with my husband and my 90-year-old Father.
American Kennel Club (AKC)
