Ms. Patricia A. Darke

Patricia Darke is an AKC-approved judge for Cocker Spaniels and Junior Showmanship (Cockers), English Cocker Spaniels, Irish Setters, Golden Retrievers, English Setters, and English Springer Spaniels. She has been in good standing with the AKC since she began showing and judging decades ago, and her judging assignments include six times judging the American Spaniel Club National Specialty by member-elected vote, the Springer American Spaniel Club Show, the Canadian Nationals, and numerous international, all-breed, and specialty shows across the breeds for which she is approved.

As a breeder under the Darkehaven prefix, Patricia produced the top-winning ASCOB Cocker Spaniel in breed history, a record that stood for fifteen years, with 145 Group Firsts and 23 Best in Show wins; that dog, Ch. Darkehaven's Feast Your Eyes, finished at the National as a breeder/owner/handler entry. Darkehaven has bred ten additional all-breed Best in Show Cocker Spaniels and the sire of England's top dog all breeds, Ch. Afterglow's Douglas Fashion. Of more than 90 champions bred at Darkehaven, Patricia bred, owned, and handled 35 herself. Her program has produced three Best in Futurity winners at the American Spaniel Club (defeating fields of over 600 puppies), with Darkehaven sires and get adding three more BIF wins and three Best of Opposite to Best in Futurity wins. Darkehaven dogs have also taken multiple Winners Dog and Winners Bitch awards across all three Cocker Spaniel varieties at the American Spaniel Club, along with Best of Variety and multiple Best in Show wins. Over nearly twenty years of breeding, Patricia averaged one litter per year.

Patricia is a lifetime member of the American Spaniel Club, where she has served as national breed club mentor and as a member of the Standards Committee, Judges Education Committee, and Board of Directors. She is also active with the American Spaniel Club Foundation, where she has held the roles of President and Executive Director, Vice President, and Board Member/Director/Fundraising Chair.

Outside the ring, Patricia founded Darke & Associates LLC in 2005, a consulting practice she continues to lead today, and served as a Vistage CEO Peer Advisory Chair from 2022 to 2023.