Breed profile · Shih Tzu specialty history

Shih Tzu specialty history

The full record of the Shih Tzu’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 — Saturday, April 25, 2026, at the Crowne Plaza Resort, 1 Resort Drive, Asheville, North Carolina 28806, closing a national specialty week that ran Tuesday, April 21–Saturday, April 25, 2026. Entries closed Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at 12:00 noon ET. Event Chair: Maurene Baum. Superintendent: Jim Rau Dog Shows, Ltd. The national drew 52 dogs and 62 entries (52 Ent — 26d — 26b; 52 competitors). AKC event 2026179809. (Sources: AKC event search, event 2026179809; 2026 judging program (Jim Rau Dog Shows).)

National specialty judge: Mr. James Moses — conformation. Junior showmanship judge: Ms. Kari Hill. Best Junior Handler: Evangelina Farias; Reserve Best Junior Handler: Valentina Farias. A 4-to-6-month beginner puppy competition was held Friday, April 24, 2026 (judge Ms. Kari Hill, 7 puppies), and sweepstakes the same day (judge Mrs. Lani Kroemer, 23 entries). (Sources: AKC event search, event 2026179809; 2026 judging program (Jim Rau Dog Shows).)

Results (2026 national). Best of Breed: GCHP2 Hallmark Jolei Out Of This World — the same dog won the national in 2023 and 2024, making this his third ASTC national Best of Breed. Best in Sweepstakes: DuCiel Run Run. Best of Opposite Sex, Best of Winners, Winners Dog, and Winners Bitch were not confirmed in an official source as of November 7, 2026. (Sources: Westminster Kennel Club, 2027 Westminster Invitees (national specialty winner list); Best in Sweepstakes announcement (owner, Facebook).)

Regional specialties

Two regional Shih Tzu specialties verified for 2026, both in national specialty week at the Crowne Plaza Resort in Asheville, North Carolina:

American Shih Tzu Club regional specialty #1 — Wednesday, April 22, 2026, Asheville, North Carolina: at the Crowne Plaza Resort (AKC event 2026179802). Judge: Mr. Jason Hoke. Entry: 54 dogs and 54 entries.
American Shih Tzu Club regional specialty #2 — Thursday, April 23, 2026, Asheville, North Carolina: at the Crowne Plaza Resort (AKC event 2026179807). Judge: Mr. Robert Hutton. Entry: 57 dogs and 57 entries.

2025

National specialty

The 2025 National Specialty — Saturday, May 3, 2025, at the Hilton Kansas City Airport, 8801 NW 112th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64153, closing a national specialty week that ran Tuesday, April 29–Saturday, May 3, 2025. Entries closed Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at 12:00 noon ET. Event Chair: Maurene Baum. Superintendent: Jim Rau Dog Shows, Ltd. The national drew 60 dogs and 74 entries (60 Ent — 24d — 36b; 59 competitors). AKC event 2025179811. (Sources: AKC event search, event 2025179811; 2025 premium list (American Shih Tzu Club).)

National specialty judge: Mr. Eugene Blake — conformation and junior showmanship. Sweepstakes judge: Lynda Torrance (Friday, May 2, 2025); 4-to-6-month puppy judge: Mrs. Anna May-Brown. (Sources: 2025 premium list (American Shih Tzu Club).)

Results (2025 national). Best of Breed and the other top winners were not confirmed in an official source as of November 7, 2026.

Regional specialties

Two regional Shih Tzu specialties verified for 2025, both in national specialty week at the Hilton Kansas City Airport in Kansas City, Missouri:

American Shih Tzu Club regional specialty #1 — Wednesday, April 30, 2025, Kansas City, Missouri: at the Hilton Kansas City Airport (AKC event 2025179809). Judge: Ms. Wendy Anderson.
American Shih Tzu Club regional specialty #2 — Thursday, May 1, 2025, Kansas City, Missouri: at the Hilton Kansas City Airport (AKC event 2025179810). Judge: Ms. Angela Pickett.

2024

National specialty

The 2024 National Specialty — Saturday, April 20, 2024, at the Holiday Inn Louisville East, 1325 S. Hurstbourne Parkway, Louisville, Kentucky 40222, closing a national specialty week that ran Tuesday, April 16–Saturday, April 20, 2024. Entries closed Wednesday, March 27, 2024. Event Chair: Maurene Baum. The club's results page reports 98 total entries for the week. AKC event 2024179808. (Sources: American Shih Tzu Club, 2024 National Specialty Results; AKC event search, event 2024179808.)

National specialty judge: Douglas Johnson — conformation and junior showmanship. Sweepstakes judge: Kathy Bilicich Garcia (Friday, April 19, 2024). Best Junior Handler: Lilly Raposo. (Source: American Shih Tzu Club, 2024 National Specialty Results.)

Results (2024 national). Best of Breed: CH Hallmark Jolei Out of This World. Best of Opposite Sex: CH Sarjans N Ascher’s About D@mn Time. Best of Winners, Winners Dog, Best Puppy, and Best Bred by Exhibitor: Hallmark Jolei Twilight Rendevous. Select Dog and Best Owner Handler: CH Souyen’s Ziggy Stardust. Select Bitch: CH Rinposhay Hallmark Jolei Forbidden. Best in Sweepstakes: Vanity SP Go With The Flo.

Regional specialties

Two regional Shih Tzu specialties verified for 2024, both in national specialty week at the Holiday Inn Louisville East in Louisville, Kentucky:

American Shih Tzu Club regional specialty #1 — Wednesday, April 17, 2024, Louisville, Kentucky: at the Holiday Inn Louisville East. Judge: Carolyn Taylor. Best of Breed: CH Hallmark Jolei Out of This World.
American Shih Tzu Club regional specialty #2 — Thursday, April 18, 2024, Louisville, Kentucky: at the Holiday Inn Louisville East. Judge: John Ioia. Best of Breed: CH Hallmark Jolei Out of This World.

2023

National specialty

The 2023 National Specialty — the 50th — Saturday, April 22, 2023, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 164 Fort Couch Road, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15241. The national week ran from the agility trial on Tuesday, April 18, through the national on Saturday, April 22, 2023. (Sources: American Shih Tzu Club, 2023 National Specialty Results (50th Anniversary); ASTC February 2023 Newsletter.)

National specialty judge: Raymond Filburn — conformation. Junior showmanship judge: Mackenzie Jones. Sweepstakes judge: Janet Long (Friday, April 21, 2023). Best Junior Handler: Patti Addison. (Source: American Shih Tzu Club, 2023 National Specialty Results (50th Anniversary).)

Results (2023 national). Best of Breed: CH Hallmark Jolei Out of This World. Best of Opposite Sex: CH Lun Lynn’s Kiss My Grits. Best of Winners, Winners Dog, and Best Bred by Exhibitor: Yingsu’s They Call Me the Man. Winners Bitch: Lun Lynn’s All That Sass. Select Dog: GCHB Hearty’s Wonder Boy. Select Bitch: GCH Wang’s Brooklyn Baby for Asgard. Best in Sweepstakes: Lun Lynn’s All That Sass.

Regional specialties

Two regional Shih Tzu specialties verified for 2023, both in national specialty week at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania:

American Shih Tzu Club regional specialty #1 — Wednesday, April 19, 2023, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Judge: Michael Canalizo. Best of Breed: CH Hallmark Jolei Out of This World.
American Shih Tzu Club regional specialty #2 — Thursday, April 20, 2023, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Judge: Vicki Abbott. Best of Breed: CH Hallmark Jolei Out of This World.