Breed profile · Australian Shepherd specialty history

Australian Shepherd specialty history

The full record of the Australian Shepherd’s national and regional specialties, year by year — dates, venues, judges, entries, and winners, with sources. The current year is shown in full on the breed profile; this page is the archive.

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2026

National specialty

The 2026 National Specialty — the 34th Annual National Specialty, national week Friday, April 10, through Friday, April 17, 2026, at the Purina Event Center, 500 William Danforth Drive, Gray Summit, Missouri. Conformation ran Wednesday, April 15, through Friday, April 17, 2026: regular dog classes Wednesday, regular bitch classes Thursday, and junior showmanship and Best of Breed Friday. Agility ran Friday through Sunday, April 10–12; herding Monday, April 13 (Australian Shepherds only) and Tuesday, April 14 (all breeds); Futurity and Maturity Monday, April 13; Sweepstakes Tuesday, April 14; the 9th Annual Top 20 competition Wednesday. Entry: 346 entries / 303 competitors (131 dogs, 172 bitches). Entries opened Monday, February 16, 2026, at 9:00 a.m., and closed Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at noon CDT. Event Chair: Martha Beale. Superintendent: MB-F Inc. Host hotel: Holiday Inn Six Flags, Eureka, Missouri. (Sources: 2026 premium list; AKC event search, event 2026471930; 2026 National Specialty Information.)

National specialty judges: Ms. Tina Beck — Futurity. Mr. Tim Preston — Maturity and Best of the Best. Mr. Jamie Clute — Sweepstakes. Ms. Regina Bryant — dogs, veteran dogs, stud dog, brood bitch, and brace. Mr. Dana Cline — bitches and veteran bitches. Mrs. Patricia V. Trotter — Best of Breed, junior showmanship, and Pee Wee. Obedience: Ms. Leslye Pinnell and Mr. Russell Hornfisher. Rally: Mr. Russell Hornfisher and Ms. Leslye Pinnell. Agility: Ms. Kim Crenshaw and Ms. Cindy Deak. Herding: Ms. Marie Koebke and Mr. Alan Koebke. Top 20 judges: Leslie Frank, Cassie Frank, and Laurie Jeff Greer. (Sources: 2026 National Specialty Information; 2026 premium list; USASA newsletter, May 2026.)

Results (2026 national). Best of Breed, Best of Opposite Sex, Winners Dog, and Winners Bitch not confirmed in an official source as of November 2026. Best Junior Handler: Evan Catterson. (Source: AKC event search, event 2026471930.)

Regional specialties

Two regional Australian Shepherd specialties verified for 2026 so far:

Australian Shepherd Fanciers of Arizona specialty — Saturday, May 9, 2026, Scottsdale, Arizona: judge Mr. R L Robinson, 28 entries (15 dogs, 13 bitches), at Scottsdale Westworld, 16601 North Pima Road. Entries closed Wednesday, April 22, 2026, with entries limited to 100. Event Chair: Laura Young. Superintendent: Onofrio Dog Shows. (Source: AKC event search, event 2026754115.)
United States Australian Shepherd Association concurrent specialty — Friday, October 23, 2026, Dixon, California: held with the Northern California Herding Group at the Dixon May Fairgrounds, 655 South First Street. Judges: Ms. Nannette L Newbury — all regular and non-regular conformation classes; Ms. Jennifer Weiner — sweepstakes, veteran sweepstakes, and junior showmanship. Entries closed Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at noon PDT, with entries limited to 100. Specialty Chair: Regina Lee Bryant. Superintendent: BaRay Event Services. (Source: 2026 premium list.)

2025

National specialty

The 2025 National Specialty — scheduled April 11–18, 2025, at Purina Farms, Gray Summit, Missouri — cancelled. On March 14, 2025, Purina Farms was directly hit by a tornado that caused extensive damage to multiple areas of the property, including the Visitor Center, Barn, Pet Center, and the Incredible Dog Arena, and the United States Australian Shepherd Association announced the cancellation of the national specialty. (Source: 2025 National Specialty Information.)

Results (2025 national). No results: the 2025 national was cancelled.

Regional specialties

No regional specialties recorded for 2025.

2024

National specialty

The 2024 National Specialty — conformation Wednesday, May 15, through Friday, May 17, 2024, at Purina Farms, 300 Checkerboard Drive, Gray Summit, Missouri. Entry: 333 entries / 269 competitors (139 dogs, 130 bitches). Entries closed Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at noon. Event Chair: Anne K. Catterson. Superintendent: MB-F Inc. (Source: AKC event search, event 2024471908.)

National specialty judges: Ms. Amy Burnette — Futurity. Mr. Leon Goetz — Sweepstakes. Ms. Rhonda Silveria — dogs. Ms. Cathy Daugherty — bitches. Ms. Linda Clark — Best of Breed. Mrs. L Clark — junior showmanship. (Sources: USASA National Specialty Judges Selection; AKC event search, event 2024471908.)

Results (2024 national). Best of Breed, Best of Opposite Sex, Winners Dog, and Winners Bitch not confirmed in an official source as of November 2026. Best Junior Handler: Harper Bogle; Reserve Best Junior Handler: Anja Cikara-Gocke. (Source: AKC event search, event 2024471908.)

Regional specialties

No regional specialties recorded for 2024.