Mrs. Carol C. Sommerfelt

Carol C. Sommerfelt grew up in Northwest Ohio in a small farming community where she was surrounded by dogs and livestock her entire life. After graduating from The Ohio State University in 1977, she obtained her first Vizsla. She became involved in Conformation as well as Field Trials and Obedience Trials with her first dog in 1977. She married Walter Sommerfelt in 1984 and together they have been involved in other breeds, including Pointers, Old English Sheepdogs, Bearded Collies, Border Terriers, Papillons, and American Foxhounds while continuing to be involved with their beloved Lorac Vizslas. Together, as AKC Breeders of Merit, they have owned and/or bred dogs in all seven Groups, producing and/or owning over 100 Champions, Grand Champions, Specialty Winners, Group Winners, Best in Show Winners, Dual Champions, Top-Producing Sires and Dams, and numerous performance-titled dogs. She has been judging since 1998. She is now approved by AKC to judge all Sporting breeds, all Herding breeds, 21 Toy breeds, two Terrier breeds, Miscellaneous breeds, Junior Showmanship, and Best in Show. She has had the honor of judging shows throughout the United States as well as in China and Australia. She’s also had the honor to judge numerous Specialties in Sporting and Herding breeds, including Vizslas, German Shorthaired Pointers, Pointers, Weimaraners, Golden Retrievers, English Springer Spaniels, English Setters, Irish Setters, Brittanys, Collies, and Border Collies over the years. Carol has been a member of the Vizsla Club of America for over 49 years as well as several other breed clubs and all-breed kennel clubs. She worked alongside her husband when he started the St Jude Showcase of Dogs in Memphis, Tennessee, where he served as the Show Chairman for the Greater Shelby Kennel Club. Carol was instrumental in coordinating over 40 different judge’s breed education seminars annually as part of this same venue. She currently serves as the Show Chairman for the Tennessee Valley Kennel Club in Knoxville, Tennessee, as well as President and Show Chairman for the Volunteer Vizsla Club of Tennessee. She has been honored to be awarded the AKC Sportsmanship Award for her work with the TVKC. By profession, Carol is a retired Laboratory Director/Senior Embryologist in the human infertility field where she assisted many couples in achieving their dreams of having a child. She has been married to Walter for 41 years and they have two grown children, both former Junior Handlers. They share their home with seven Vizslas and are still actively breed and occasionally exhibit their Lorac Vizslas.