Breed profile · Irish Wolfhound specialty history

Irish Wolfhound specialty history

The full record of the Irish Wolfhound’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 96th National Specialty, national week Monday, May 18 – Thursday, May 21, 2026, at Purina Farms, 300 Checkerboard Drive, Gray Summit, MO. Conformation Monday, May 18 – Wednesday, May 20, 2026. Entries opened Monday, March 2, 2026, 12:00 p.m., and closed Monday, April 27, 2026, 12:00 p.m. AKC event number 2026192804. Event chair: David Smith; superintendent: Foy Trent Dog Shows. Conformation: Mr. Pauric Hand (191 Ent – 74d – 117b). Puppy Sweepstakes: Laurie Morris. Obedience and Rally: Loretta Lazzara (Rally event 2026192801, Monday, May 18, 2026). Junior Showmanship: Mr. T S Powers. (Sources: Irish Wolfhound Club of America, 2026 National Specialty results; AKC event search, event 2026192804.)

Results (2026 national). Best of Breed: Taliesin’s Baintighearn (bitch). Best of Opposite Sex: CH Coleraine’s Cortez Bereton. Best of Winners: Taliesin’s Baintighearn. Winners Dog: Carnasserie Lindenhall Zephyr. Best Junior Handler: Camilla Matheson; Reserve Best Junior Handler: Addilynn Demeter-Sweeney. Sweepstakes, obedience, and rally winners not confirmed in an accessible official source. (Sources: Irish Wolfhound Club of America, 2026 National Specialty results; AKC event search, event 2026192804.)

Regional specialties

Five Irish Wolfhound regional specialties verified for 2026 beyond the national itself:

Potomac Valley Irish Wolfhound Club 42nd Specialty — Sunday–Monday, March 29–30, 2026, Harford County Equestrian Center, Bel Air, Maryland: AKC event numbers 2026270401/0402/0403; entries closed Wednesday, March 4, 2026, midnight; 64 Irish Wolfhounds entered, 91 entries in all. Conformation: Mrs. Lisa Dube-Forman; Sweepstakes: Ms. Donita Osborne; Obedience and Rally: Mr. Michael Mooney. (Source: Potomac Valley Irish Wolfhound Club, 2026 judging program.)
Irish Wolfhound Association of the Carolinas Specialty — Monday, March 9, 2026, Durham Kennel Club Grounds, Durham, North Carolina: AKC event number 2026752801; 42 Irish Wolfhounds entered, 48 entries in all. Conformation: Jacqueline Carswell; Sweepstakes: Mindy Ballinger. (Source: Irish Wolfhound Association of the Mid-South, 2026 judging program.)
Irish Wolfhound Club of Puget Sound 50th Specialty — Friday, June 12, 2026, Westside Commons, Hillsboro, Oregon: AKC event number 2026192901; 40 Irish Wolfhounds entered, 49 entries in all. Conformation: Jocelyne Gagné; Sweepstakes: Mindy Levin. (Source: Irish Wolfhound Club of Puget Sound, 2026 judging program.)
Northstar Irish Wolfhound Club 12th Annual Specialty Weekend — Saturday–Sunday, June 13–14, 2026: AKC event numbers 2026689201/9202; entries closed Wednesday, May 27, 2026, 12:00 noon CT. Saturday conformation: Melanie Mercer, DVM; Saturday Sweepstakes: Dawn Wiseman; Sunday conformation: Hanna Wozna-Gil. Venue not confirmed in an accessible official source. (Sources: Northstar Irish Wolfhound Club, 2026 premium list; Northstar Irish Wolfhound Club, 2026 show results.)
Irish Wolfhound Association of Lake Erie Specialty — Sunday, August 30, 2026, Hamlin Fireman’s Field, Hamlin, New York: limited to 100 entries; a concurrent specialty with the Tonawanda Valley Kennel Club, AKC National Owner-Handled Series offered. Judges and results not confirmed in an accessible official source. (Source: Irish Wolfhound Association of Lake Erie, 2026 premium list.)

2025

National specialty

The 2025 National Specialty — the 95th National Specialty, conformation Tuesday, May 27 – Thursday, May 29, 2025, at the Cache County Fairgrounds, 450 South 500 West, Logan, UT. Entries closed Wednesday, May 7, 2025, 5:00 p.m. AKC event number 2025192801. Event chair: Tracey Luty; event secretary: Peter Brown (Jim Rau Dog Shows). Conformation: Mrs. E Janzon (133 Ent – 49d – 84b). Obedience held Monday, May 26, 2025 (event 2025192802). (Sources: Irish Wolfhound Club of America, Specialty Results; AKC event search, event 2025192801.)

Results (2025 national). Best of Breed: GCH Pinehurst Evita of Taryn (bitch). Best of Opposite Sex, Best of Winners, and Winners Dog not confirmed in an accessible official source. Best Junior Handler: McKenna McInerney. Sweepstakes, obedience, and rally winners not confirmed in an accessible official source. (Sources: Irish Wolfhound Club of America, Specialty Results; AKC event search, event 2025192801.)

Regional specialties

No regional specialties recorded for 2025.

2024

National specialty

The 2024 National Specialty — the 94th National Specialty, conformation Monday, May 20 – Wednesday, May 22, 2024, at Purina Farms, 300 Checkerboard Drive, Gray Summit, MO. Entries opened Monday, April 1, 2024, 8:00 a.m., and closed Wednesday, May 1, 2024, 12:00 p.m. AKC event number 2024192802. Event chair: Angela Hunter Knight; superintendent: Foy Trent Dog Shows. Conformation: Mrs. S L Cole (205 Ent – 73d – 132b). LGRA straight racing Sunday, May 19, 2024; ASFA lure coursing Thursday, May 23, 2024. (Sources: Irish Wolfhound Club of America, Specialty Results; AKC event search, event 2024192802; Irish Wolfhound Club of America, 2024 premium list.)

Results (2024 national). Best of Breed: Nightwings On Fire At Rockhart (bitch). Best of Opposite Sex, Best of Winners, and Winners Dog not confirmed in an accessible official source. Best Junior Handler: Brooke Adams; Reserve Best Junior Handler: Sadie Butterfield. Sweepstakes, obedience, and rally winners not confirmed in an accessible official source. (Sources: Irish Wolfhound Club of America, Specialty Results; AKC event search, event 2024192802.)

Regional specialties

Two Irish Wolfhound regional specialties verified for 2024:

Rocky Mountain Irish Wolfhound Association 31st Annual Specialty — Thursday–Friday, August 29–30, 2024, Island Grove Regional Park, Greeley, Colorado: AKC event numbers 2024227905 (Thursday conformation and obedience), 2024227906 (Rally), and 2024227907 (Friday conformation); entries closed Wednesday, August 14, 2024, 5:00 p.m. MT; show secretary Sue Scott. Thursday conformation: Eileen B Flanagan; Friday conformation: Aldebaran Contreras-Rivera; Obedience, Rally, and Junior Showmanship: Richard H Mullen; Friday Sweepstakes: Magie Wolf. (Source: Rocky Mountain Irish Wolfhound Association, 2024 premium list.)
Irish Wolfhound Association Specialty — Sunday–Monday, October 27–28, 2024: AKC event number 2024283917; 111 Irish Wolfhounds entered, 197 entries in all. Conformation: Mrs. Marion Finney; Sweepstakes: Mr. William Vaughn. Venue not confirmed in an accessible official source. The show was dedicated to John M. Flanagan. (Source: Irish Wolfhound Association, 2024 judging program.)

2023

National specialty

The 2023 National Specialty — the 93rd National Specialty, Monday, April 17 – Thursday, April 20, 2023, at Myers Park & Event Center, 7117 County Road 166, McKinney, TX. Entries opened Wednesday, February 22, 2023, 8:00 a.m., and closed Wednesday, March 22, 2023, 5:00 p.m. AKC event number 2023192802. Event chair: Kim Staman; event secretary: Billy Webb. Conformation: Mr. K O Wille (125 Ent – 37d – 88b). (Sources: Irish Wolfhound Club of America, Specialty Results; AKC event search, event 2023192802.)

Results (2023 national). Best of Breed: GCH R Noble Nasch (dog). Best of Opposite Sex, Best of Winners, and Winners Dog not confirmed in an accessible official source. Best Junior Handler: Deval Garcia. Sweepstakes, obedience, and rally winners not confirmed in an accessible official source. (Sources: Irish Wolfhound Club of America, Specialty Results; AKC event search, event 2023192802.)

Regional specialties

No regional specialties recorded for 2023.