Breed profile · Standard Poodle specialty history
Standard Poodle specialty history
The full record of the Standard Poodle’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
93rd National Specialty ran Tuesday to Friday, April 21–24, 2026, at Purina Farms’ Purina Event Center, 300 Checkerboard Loop, Gray Summit, Missouri. The show was dedicated to “our 94 year-old Poodle Club of America.” The specialty show and trials drew 577 dogs and 605 entries across the three varieties, with a further 95 dogs and 112 entries in the concurrent obedience, rally, and 4–6-month puppy events. The Standard drew 202 entries (89 dogs, 113 bitches) — the largest of the three varieties. (Sources: official judging program; premium list; AKC event results.)
The week ran on the usual pattern. Tuesday was obedience and rally, a Parade of Rescue Dogs, and a Parade of Companion and Performance Titleholders. Wednesday was the regular dog classes — Standard 69 dogs — plus the 4–6-month puppy competition (26 puppies) and juniors, and the Parade of Champions. Thursday was the regular bitch classes — Standard 93 bitches — plus Veteran Sweepstakes and the annual dinner. Friday closed with veterans and the hunt class, then Best of Variety for each variety and Intervariety, with 42 dogs in the Intervariety competition. FastCAT ran Monday to Wednesday alongside the show, and the national hunt tests were a separate event in the autumn, October 30 to November 2, 2026, at Guns Up in Advance, North Carolina. (Source: official judging program.)
The Standard judges were Dr. Donald Sturz, Jr. for the dog classes and Standard Best of Variety, and Mr. Daniel Augustus for the bitch classes. The Intervariety competition — the Best of Breed competition — was judged by Mr. Scott B. Wolfe.
Results: Best of Breed (Intervariety) went to the Miniature, GCH CH Karadale The Last Dance, and Best of Opposite Sex to the Standard, CH Aviator’s Mind The Gap, owned by Diane & David Kingston. The Standard Best of Variety winner had not been published by the Poodle Club of America or the AKC as of November 2026, and this page will not name a winner from social-media posts. The winner will be added here as soon as the PCA or the AKC publishes it. (Sources: PCA homepage; AKC event results.)
Regional specialties
- Greenspring Poodle Club, Saturday, January 24, 2026, Howard County Fairgrounds, West Friendship, Maryland — 50 entries. (Source: AKC event listing.)
- William Penn Poodle Club, Saturday, May 2, 2026, Mercer County Park, W Windsor Township, New Jersey — judge Mrs. D. K. Ondo; 23 dogs and 30 entries (Toy 7, Miniature 4, Standard 12 entries); Best of Breed went to the Standard, “Unique Up In The Stars.” (Source: AKC event listing.)
- Washington Poodle Club, Friday to Sunday, October 9–11, 2026, West Friendship, Maryland — three shows, judged by Mr. Daniel Augustus, Dr. Valeria Rickard, and Mr. Gregg Kantak. (Source: Canine Chronicle specialty results.)
- Great Lakes Poodle Club of Chicago, Saturday, October 24, 2026, Lennox, Illinois — two specialties, judged by Mrs. Sandy Bingham-Porter and Mr. Tim Catterson. (Source: Canine Chronicle specialty results.)