Breed profile · Bichon Frise specialty history

Bichon Frise specialty history

The full record of the Bichon Frise’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 50th BFCA National Specialty — Specialty Week Monday, May 11–Saturday, May 16, 2026, at the Hilton St. Louis Airport, 10330 Natural Bridge Road, St. Louis, Missouri 63134, all events indoors at the host hotel. Conformation was Saturday, May 16 — 92 Bichons entered (51 dogs, 41 bitches), 107 total entries. Entries closed Wednesday, April 15, 2026. Event Chair: Merry Nicole Meyer. Superintendent: Executive Dog Shows, LLC.

The week ran the full Bichon program: a Welcome Night on Monday, May 11; a Just Groom a Bichon grooming competition and the club’s inaugural Top 20 on Tuesday, May 12; obedience and rally plus the Bichon Frise Club of Puget Sound specialty and the awards banquet on Wednesday, May 13; the parent specialty on Thursday, May 14 — judged by D Sorenson, 83 Bichons, 97 entries — followed by the club’s annual meeting; puppy and junior sweepstakes, a Bred-By-Exhibitor special attraction, a parade of titleholders and champions, and the futurity on Friday, May 15; and conformation, the 4–6 Month Beginner Puppy competition, and junior showmanship on Saturday, May 16. The City of St. Louis issued a mayoral proclamation dated May 13, 2026, naming the week “The Bichon Frise Club of America’s 50th National Specialty Week.”

Results (2026 national). Best Junior Handler was MaKenzie Aaron. Best of Breed and the other top winners had not been published in an official source as of November 2026 and will be added here when they are.

Regional specialties

Regional Bichon Frise specialties verified for 2026:

Bichon Frise Club of Greater Houston Specialty — Sunday, July 19, 2026, Houston, Texas: NRG Arena, 1 Reliant Center Dr. Judge M B Napper — 4 Bichons, 5 entries. Entries closed Wednesday, July 1, 2026, limited to 100. Event Chair: Lynda Bowman. Superintendent: Onofrio Dog Shows.
Bichon Frise Club of Puget Sound Specialty — Wednesday, May 13, 2026, St. Louis, Missouri: held at the Hilton St. Louis Airport with the BFCA national specialty week. Judge unconfirmed.

Other 2026 regional specialties had not been verified from club or AKC sources as of November 7, 2026.

2025

National specialty

The 49th BFCA National Specialty — conformation Friday, May 9, 2025, at the University Plaza Hotel & Convention Center, 333 S John Q Hammons Pkwy, Springfield, Missouri. Conformation judge: R E Garren — 74 Bichons entered (40 dogs, 34 bitches), 95 entries. Entries closed Wednesday, April 9, 2025. Event Chair: Merry Nicole Meyer. Superintendent: Executive Dog Shows, LLC.

The week included a rally trial on Thursday, May 8, 2025 (judge S Schroeder, 8 entries), and the Bichon Frise Club of Greater Houston held its specialty at the same venue on Saturday, May 10, 2025.

Results (2025 national). Best Junior Handler was Willow Davis; Reserve Best Junior Handler was MaKenzie Aaron. Best of Breed and the other top winners are unconfirmed.

Regional specialties

No regional specialties recorded for 2025.

2024

National specialty

The 48th BFCA National Specialty — Thursday, May 2–Friday, May 3, 2024, at the Sheraton Lisle Naperville Hotel, 3000 Warrenville Rd, Naperville, Illinois. Conformation judge: D P Cline — 75 Bichons entered (36 dogs, 39 bitches), 86 entries. Entries opened Thursday, February 1, 2024, and closed Wednesday, April 3, 2024. Event Chair: Merry Nicole Meyer. Superintendent: Executive Dog Shows, LLC.

Results (2024 national). Best Junior Handler was Willow Davis. Best of Breed and the other top winners are unconfirmed.

Regional specialties

No regional specialties recorded for 2024.