Breed profile · Finnish Lapphund specialty history

Finnish Lapphund specialty history

The full record of the Finnish Lapphund’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 — Friday, March 13, 2026, at the Shasta District Fairgrounds, 1890 Briggs St & Hwy 273, Anderson, California. Entry: 43 entries / 38 competitors in conformation. Entries closed Wednesday, February 25, 2026; entries limited to 100. Event Chair: Terra Farley, Redding, California. Superintendent: MB-F Inc. The national ran with the regional specialty the next day, Saturday, March 14, at the same site. The Finnish Lapphund Club of America Honors / Top Finnish Lapphund celebration was held Friday evening, March 13, 5:00–7:00 PM, in Anderson. (Sources: AKC event search, event 2026680801; 2026 FLCA National Judging Program; Finnish Lapphund Club of America.)

National specialty judge: Mr. Laurent Heinesche (Finland) — conformation. Sweepstakes judge: Mrs. Shalisa D. Neely. Junior showmanship judge: Ms. Jennifer Weiner. Best Junior Handler: Sarah Benson; Reserve Best Junior Handler: Vanessa Barrett. (Sources: AKC event search, event 2026680801; 2026 FLCA National Judging Program.)

Results (2026 national). Best of Breed, Best of Opposite Sex, Winners Dog, Winners Bitch, and the select awards not confirmed in an official source as of November 2026. Best Junior Handler: Sarah Benson; Reserve Best Junior Handler: Vanessa Barrett. (Source: AKC event search, event 2026680801.)

Regional specialties

Four regional Finnish Lapphund specialties verified for 2026:

Finnish Lapphund Club of America regional specialty — Saturday, March 14, 2026, Anderson, California: at the Shasta District Fairgrounds (AKC event 2026680802), the day after the national. Entry: 41 entries / 37 competitors. Judge: Ms. Rhonda Silveira — conformation and junior showmanship. Sweepstakes judge: Ms. Kristina Rickard. Event Chair: Terra Farley. Superintendent: MB-F Inc. Best Junior Handler: Sarah Benson; Reserve Best Junior Handler: Vanessa Barrett.
2026 Central Regional — Friday, October 9, 2026, Lebanon, Tennessee: at the Wilson County Fairgrounds, 945 E. Baddour Pkwy, with the Harvest Cluster (AKC event 2026680803; 4–6 Month Beginner Puppy event 2026680804). Entry: 25 entries / 25 competitors. Judge: Mrs. Beth Downey, Ocean Springs, Mississippi — regular classes and Beginner Puppy. Sweepstakes and veteran sweepstakes judge: Katherine Berns, Morristown, Tennessee. Event Chair: Jaclyn Wiltse, Round Lake, Illinois. Superintendent: Onofrio Dog Shows. Entries closed Friday, September 18, 2026; entries limited to 100.
Finnish Lapphund Club of America designated specialty — Saturday, November 7, 2026, Kalamazoo, Michigan: at the Kalamazoo County Fairgrounds, 2900 Lake St, with the West Michigan Harvest Cluster and the Kalamazoo Kennel Club (AKC event 2026680807). Judges per the cluster premium table: Mr. Joe Lobb — conformation; Mr. Fred Hyer — sweepstakes and veteran sweepstakes. The club’s Junior Showcase ran Saturday, judge Mr. Fred Hyer. Note: the club’s site lists this show as the “2027 Eastern Regional” with a November 7, 2026 date, while the AKC records event 2026680807 as a Designated Specialty — the label and year do not line up, and the conflict is unresolved as of November 2026.
New England Finnish Lapphund Club specialty — Saturday, November 7, 2026, Boxborough, Massachusetts: with the Framingham District Kennel Club. Per the cluster premium, Finnish Lapphunds were judged Saturday by Mrs. Silveira and Sunday by Ms. Hansen; the club’s sweepstakes Saturday was judged by Ms. Holmes. The club’s judges-education seminar ran the same day at the Boxboro Regency Hotel, presented by Linda Marden and Kim Englehardt, with ringside mentoring November 7–8.

2025

National specialty

The 2025 National Specialty — Friday, March 14, 2025, at the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center, 937 Phillips Ln, Louisville, Kentucky. Entry: 53 entries / 41 competitors in conformation. Entries opened Wednesday, January 1, 2025; entries closed Wednesday, February 26, 2025; entries limited to 100. Event Chair: Alexis Hectorne, Red Banks, Mississippi. Superintendent: MB-F Inc. (Source: AKC event search, event 2025680801.)

National specialty judge: Mrs. K McFarlane — conformation and junior showmanship. Best Junior Handler: Zayla Zaner; Reserve Best Junior Handler: Lilian Jorgensen. The sweepstakes judge was not confirmed in an official source as of November 2026. (Source: AKC event search, event 2025680801.)

Results (2025 national). Best of Breed, Best of Opposite Sex, Winners Dog, Winners Bitch, and the select awards not confirmed in an official source as of November 2026. Best Junior Handler: Zayla Zaner; Reserve Best Junior Handler: Lilian Jorgensen. (Source: AKC event search, event 2025680801.)

Regional specialties

No Finnish Lapphund Club of America regional specialty verified for 2025. Two applications exist for Sterling, Massachusetts, in the week after the Louisville national — Tuesday, May 27, 2025 (AKC event 2025680803) and Wednesday, May 28, 2025 (AKC event 2025680802), both at The Hall — but both still read “Pending App Processing” in the AKC event search with no competition types listed, so whether either was held is not confirmed as of November 2026, and neither is listed here as a held regional.

2024

National specialty

The 2024 National Specialty — Wednesday, May 29, 2024, at The Hall, 34 Ford Rd, Sterling, Massachusetts. Entry: 41 entries / 40 competitors in conformation. Entries opened Wednesday, March 20, 2024; entries closed Wednesday, May 8, 2024; entries limited to 100. Event Chair: Jocelyn Eaton, Clinton, Massachusetts. Event Secretary: Lori Carver, Belchertown, Massachusetts. The club’s Top 20 parade and celebration ran with this national. (Source: AKC event search, event 2024680801.)

National specialty judge: D M Gilbert — conformation. Junior showmanship judge: J Nieder. Best Junior Handler: Isabella Eaton; Reserve Best Junior Handler: Sofia Eaton. The sweepstakes judge was not confirmed in an official source as of November 2026. (Source: AKC event search, event 2024680801.)

Results (2024 national). Best of Breed, Best of Opposite Sex, Winners Dog, Winners Bitch, and the select awards not confirmed in an official source as of November 2026. Best Junior Handler: Isabella Eaton; Reserve Best Junior Handler: Sofia Eaton. (Source: AKC event search, event 2024680801.)

Regional specialties

One regional Finnish Lapphund specialty verified for 2024, the day before the national in Sterling, Massachusetts:

Finnish Lapphund Club of America parent specialty (regional specialty) — Tuesday, May 28, 2024, Sterling, Massachusetts: at The Hall, 34 Ford Rd (AKC event 2024680802). Entry: 36 entries / 35 competitors. Judge: Mr. J S Albrecht. Event Chair: Jocelyn Eaton. Event Secretary: Lori Carver.

2023

National specialty

The 2023 National Specialty — Friday, May 19, 2023, at the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds, 1775 West Front St, Lynden, Washington. Entry: 26 entries / 24 competitors in conformation. Entries closed Wednesday, May 3, 2023; entries limited to 100. Event Chair: David Goretski, Federal Way, Washington. Superintendent: BaRay Event Services, Inc. (Source: AKC event search, event 2023680801.)

National specialty judge: V Sandage DVM — conformation. Junior showmanship judge: R Anton. Best Junior Handler: Savannah Barrett; Reserve Best Junior Handler: Vanessa Barrett. The sweepstakes judge was not confirmed in an official source as of November 2026. (Source: AKC event search, event 2023680801.)

Results (2023 national). Best of Breed, Best of Opposite Sex, Winners Dog, Winners Bitch, and the select awards not confirmed in an official source as of November 2026. Best Junior Handler: Savannah Barrett; Reserve Best Junior Handler: Vanessa Barrett. (Source: AKC event search, event 2023680801.)

Regional specialties

One regional Finnish Lapphund specialty verified for 2023, two days after the national in Lynden, Washington:

Finnish Lapphund Club of America regional specialty — Sunday, May 21, 2023, Lynden, Washington: at the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds, 1775 West Front St (AKC event 2023680802). Entry: 26 entries / 25 competitors. Judge: N L Van Camp. Junior showmanship judge: P Chen. Best Junior Handler: Vanessa Barrett. Event Chair: David Goretski. Superintendent: BaRay Event Services, Inc.