Helen Winski Stein: It is always an honor to judge at the AKC National Championship, so I was very pleased to receive an invitation to judge this year.
Helen Winski Stein: One can always expect to see good dogs at the AKC-sponsored events in Orlando on this show week, in all areas of competition.
Helen Winski Stein: Since few dog events in the country include invitations to top-ranked dogs (in various competitions) a show of this type is very likely to have several competitive dogs in most breeds. Also, it’s usually an opportunity to see a good representation of many of the rare breeds, since the top dogs have received invitations to compete.
Helen Winski Stein: Having judged all of those breeds in NOHS on the day, I knew that I had a number of good dogs to choose from. That is very gratifying and I was looking forward to seeing the Breed winners in the ring together.
Helen Winski Stein: Definitely, the competitors in both Breed and Group were serious competitors, and the owners were clearly engaging with their dogs. It’s always gratifying to see the dog/handler relationships – especially when there is a breed where several teams are competing.
Helen Winski Stein: All judging assignments are important and challenging! In any Breed or Group, I am looking for breed type above all else, and it’s very important that a dog move appropriately for his breed (not just fast, showy movement that always seems to be a crowd favorite, regardless of breed).
Helen Winski Stein: 1st – Saluki – Elegant and light on his feet, this dog has lovely breed type and a beautiful head and eye. He moves with grace and is very surefooted. I would like to note that the Breed entries in Salukis were all really nice dogs and I spent some time considering all of them. 2nd – Smooth Dachshund – Correctly built and moving with purpose, this dog was very competitive. 3rd – Azawakh – Lovely, elegant dog, agile and light when moving. 4th – Basenji – A bitch of correct shape, with nice topline and tail, and beautiful ears. Very easy-moving.
Helen Winski Stein: I feel that ALL AKC dog events further the cause of purebred dogs. Where else can spectators learn about different breeds, talk to owner handlers or professional handlers, and discover breeds that are never discussed on social media or seen on a TV commercial? The AKC events are a great venue for new people to learn about purebred dogs and what they can do.
Helen Winski Stein: My husband, Bob, and I have attended almost every AKC National Championship show beginning with the first one, which was held in Orlando in 2001. We’ve watched the audience grow and have watched the support of the dog community grow as well. These shows have always been very well run and I think there are improvements made every year. It is a tremendous amount of work and I appreciate that AKC and Royal Canin make an effort to hold a first-class dog show that exhibitors and spectators spend a great amount of time, travel, and money to support. For this particular show, I was very impressed with how smoothly things seemed to be running. I had an excellent, very experienced ring steward; Guy Fisher of AKC was really efficient with communicating and keeping everyone on schedule, and the Onofrio team is always great to work with. Well done!
Helen Winski Stein: Best of luck to everyone – have a great 2025!
