When April arrives, spring is here and sports take center stage. Major League Baseball begins its regular season. The NBA and NHL Stanley Cup playoffs begin. In Georgia, the Augusta National Golf Club hosts the PGA’s first major tournament, The Masters, which is the only major held at the same course every year.
April also marks the annual Peach Blossom Cluster, one of the largest clusters in the country. This year marked the 36th annual event hosted by the Atlanta Kennel Club, the Valdosta Kennel Club, and the Combined Specialty Clubs of Atlanta.
The cluster is held at the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter in the charming southern city of Perry. The large, picturesque site features an abundance of well-lit, climate-controlled buildings that can accommodate large rings with ease. Plenty of room for RV and regular parking, a beautiful lake, and the recently added Fairfield Inn by Marriott which adjoins the main show building.
This year’s event used many buildings to support 22 rings for nearly 2,000 dogs, making it one of our largest clusters. With so many shows now in the 500-800 dog range, it is great to see a cluster with large entries and top competition. The Atlanta Kennel Club, Valdosta Kennel Club, and Atlanta’s Specialty Clubs work together to provide an excellent environment for exhibitors.
Over the five-day event, along with the four all-breed shows, there are over 30 Specialty shows. This year’s National Specialties included the Welsh Springer Spaniel, Pyrenean Shepherd, Gordon Setter, Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen, Nederlandse Kooikerhondje, Parson Russell Terrier, and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog clubs.
I was told that the cluster limits the number of Specialties to around 30, and they have a waiting list of clubs eager to join.
Along with the shows, numerous other activities, like Dock Diving and Fast CAT, take place throughout the fairgrounds.
The cluster also provides seminars for judges, and this year the Sporting Group was featured, and I was told the seminars had 18-20 attenees each. Along with the seminars, there were many ringside mentoring opportunities for judges across the many breeds with major entries.
I would be hard-pressed to find many more clubs with better hospitality for their judges and stewards. The fifteen or so members of the Cluster Committee work so well together to see that everything runs smoothly and everyone’s needs are met.
There are plenty of vendors for all the shopping lovers, and plenty of food opportunities for those in attendance.
The quality of the Breeds and Groups was fantastic and very deep. I had the privilege of judging the supported entries in the Welsh Springers and the Nederlandse Kooikerhondjes. It was a treat to have such large entries in these breeds on the Low Entry List. The quality was superb, and I was pleased with the many deserving exhibits.
AKC.tv televised the Saturday Atlanta Kennel Club event. Those who watched could see the high quality in many Groups. I judged the Sporting Group. To say it was jam-packed would be an understatement; the quality matched that of our most prestigious shows. My biggest regret was that judges were told not to make any cuts at AKC.tv’s request. I saw many wonderful exhibits I would have loved to pull and recognize beyond the four placements.
America’s Number One All-Breed dog, the Gordon Setter, dominated the weekend, winning the Sporting Group each day and capturing three of the four Best in Show awards.
The Georgia State Fairgrounds and Agricenter are state-run facilities, and they have the final say on many matters regarding parking, access, and safety. Unfortunately, there was a major incident that resulted not only in a bench show hearing but also a trip to jail and a ban from the facility for the person involved. I am not aware of all of the details, but one thing is clear. When we attend shows, we all need to understand that the rules in place are not always those of the show-giving club. They may be those of the facility. What may be a normal situation at many shows is not always the same at each facility. Showgrounds have to deal with safety, fire lane regulations, and many other requirements established by the site, and since showgrounds are getting harder to find and keep, it is our obligation as exhibitors to respect not only the rules but also the people responsible for enforcing them.
Carol and I have been attending the Peach Blossom cluster as both exhibitors and judges for most of the past 36 years, and this current edition was one of the best.
A special shout-out to Mary Ellen Macke, Cluster Chair; Carl Vitner, Atlanta KC President; Jason Giner, Valdosta KC President; and especially Jerry Cerasini for the fantastic hospitality. Congratulations!
Peach Blossom 2026 was a great event! Looking forward to 2027.
