Meet Debbie Melgreen – 2024 AKC National Championship Breed Judge

Meet Debbie Melgreen – 2024 AKC National Championship Breed Judge

Brittanys, Barbet, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Curly-Coated Retrievers, Lagotti Romagnoli, Nederlandse Kooikerhondjes

1. What does it mean to be invited to judge at the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin, the only all-breed show organized directly by the American Kennel Club?

Debbie Melgreen: As the only all-breed show organized directly by the American Kennel Club, I feel it is an honor and a privilege to be invited to judge at the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin.

2. Can you share your thoughts on your various breed assignments? Please be specific.

Debbie Melgreen: As would be expected, the quality was high in all of the breeds that I judged. I was especially honored to judge my own breed, Brittanys! As a breeder-judge, I must say that they all brought their “A game!” My class animals were mostly young prospects with bright futures! Many of these exhibits I have judged in the past and have rewarded highly, making it a tough yet exciting process of evaluation. Some fellow judges and I were talking about how it is not merely judging “on the day” but sometimes “in the minute” that is a determining factor! Not that one dog made a mistake that cost it the breed, but more that the eventual winner did something EXTREMELY RIGHT in the moment that counted! That was the case in my Brittany ring. Time after time in my Breed judging I was told later that I’d selected “families” of dogs… Lagotti, Curlies, and Chessies, which made me very happy. I had an exciting Barbet dog that I awarded Best of Breed to that I had not seen previously and found him to be quite handsome. Again, the quality was quite high and there were tough decisions to be made, which is always exciting to me!

3. Now that it’s over, what are your thoughts on the 2024 show year? Any thoughts on the year ahead?

Debbie Melgreen: The 2024 show year was a very exciting year for me! I had some amazing assignments, including judging the Smooth Variety and Junior Showmanship at my other breed’s National Specialty: The Dachshund Club of America National. I look forward to 2025 with great anticipation!