Breed profile · Whippet specialty history

Whippet specialty history

The full record of the Whippet’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 39th American Whippet Club National Specialty, in a week of events Sunday, April 12 – Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Pasco, Washington. Conformation Wednesday, April 15 – Saturday, April 18, 2026, at the Red Lion Pasco Airport & Conference Center, 2525 N 20th Ave, Pasco, Washington. AKC event 2026074705, Parent Specialty (National Specialty). Conformation judge: Ms. M Dukes. Junior Showmanship judge: Mrs. C Hynes-Robinson. Obedience judge: Mr. D Rennick (AKC event 2026074704). Rally judge: Mr. C G Taylor (AKC event 2026074706). Superintendent: BaRay Event Services, Inc. Event chair (conformation): Frank Bradley Briscoe. Entries opened January 7, 2026, and closed Wednesday, March 11, 2026. The entry: 343 dogs, 388 entries. The week also held lure coursing on Sunday, April 12, obedience on Monday, April 13, Futurity, Maturity, Breeders Sweepstakes, and rally on Tuesday, April 14, Veteran Sweepstakes on Wednesday, April 15, and an Altered Competition on Thursday, April 16. (Sources: AKC event search, event 2026074705; BaRay Event Services, 2026 AWC National Specialty breed counts; American Whippet Club, National Specialty.)

Results (2026 national). Best of Breed: GCHP CH Pinnacle Kentucky Bourbon. Best Junior Handler: Fallyn Riney; Reserve Best Junior Handler: Olivia Moorby. Best of Opposite Sex, Winners Dog, and Winners Bitch not confirmed in an accessible official source. Best of Breed verified through the Westminster Kennel Club’s 2027 national-specialty-winners invitee list, which names GCHP CH Pinnacle Kentucky Bourbon as the Whippet invitee. (Sources: Westminster Kennel Club, 2027 Westminster invitees; AKC event search, event 2026074705.)

Regional specialties

Two AWC regional specialties verified for 2026 so far:

Pacific Northwest Regional Specialty — Friday, June 12, 2026, Hillsboro, Oregon: at the Washington County Fairgrounds / Westside Commons, 873 NE 34th Ave. AKC event 2026074709. Sweepstakes judge Guin Borstel (10:00 AM); breed judge Mike Bennett (12:15 PM). The entry: 77 Whippets, 115 total entries (sweepstakes 30, breed 73). Held with the Cascade Hound Association shows, June 12–14. (Sources: AKC event search, event 2026074709; American Whippet Club, Pacific Northwest Regional judging program.)
Western Regional Specialty — Sunday, October 4, 2026, Escondido, California: at the Hidden Valley Obedience Club, 3396 East Valley Parkway. AKC event 2026074717. Judges John Zolezzi and Thomas Kirstein (sweepstakes and breed roles not separately confirmed). The entry: 38 Whippets, 51 entries. Held with the Southern California Whippet Association AM and PM specialties on Saturday, October 3, 2026. (Sources: AKC event search, event 2026074717; American Whippet Club, Western Regional judging program.)

2025

National specialty

The 2025 National Specialty — the 38th American Whippet Club National Specialty, in a week of events Saturday, April 19 – Friday, April 25, 2025, at the Roberts Centre, 123 Gano Road, Wilmington, Ohio, in memory of Bo Bengtson, Bohem Whippets. Conformation Tuesday, April 22 – Friday, April 25, 2025. AKC event 2025074706, Parent Specialty (National Specialty). Conformation judge (all specialty classes): Mrs. Jan Swayze-Curry. Futurity/Maturity judge: Ms. Kristen Fredericks. Veteran Sweepstakes judge: Ms. Karen Roberson. Brood Bitch/Stud Dog/Extended/Brace/Team judge: Mr. Neil T McDevitt. Junior Showmanship judge: Mrs. Lori L Wilson. Altered Classes judge: Ms. Jan Swayze. Triathlon & Versatility Conformation judge: Ms. Cynthia Schmidt. Obedience judge: Mr. Fred Buroff (AKC event 2025074704). Rally judge: Ms. Anita Eisthen (AKC event 2025074705). Agility judge: Dr. Roger O’Sullivan. Superintendent: BaRay Event Services, Inc. National event chair: Trisha Borland; local chair: Judy Lowther; event secretary: Becky Sumner. Entries opened February 12, 2025, and closed Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. PDT. The entry: 481 dogs, 561 entries. The week also held ASFA lure coursing and agility on Saturday, April 19, AKC lure coursing on Sunday, April 20, obedience, Futurity/Maturity, and versatility/triathlon on Monday, April 21, rally and dog judging through Winners Dog on Tuesday, April 22, bitch judging and the Top Twenty on Wednesday, April 23, bitch judging through Winners Bitch, veteran/racing/lure coursing classes, and the Parade of Rescues on Thursday, April 24, and Junior Showmanship, Best of Breed judging, and the awards banquet on Friday, April 25. (Sources: AKC event search, event 2025074706; BaRay Event Services, 2025 AWC National Specialty premium list; BaRay Event Services, 2025 AWC National Specialty breed counts.)

Results (2025 national). Best Junior Handler: Aubrey Wagner; Reserve Best Junior Handler: Fallyn Riney. Best of Breed, Best of Opposite Sex, Winners Dog, and Winners Bitch not confirmed in an accessible official source. (Source: AKC event search, event 2025074706.)

Regional specialties

Pacific Northwest Regional Specialty — Friday, June 13, 2025, Hillsboro, Oregon: at the Washington County Fairgrounds. AKC event 2025074709. Judge Johnnie M Roe. The entry: 62 entries (66 entries, 62 competitors). Best Junior Handler: Cameron Kerridge; Reserve Best Junior Handler: Faolan Clawson. (Source: AKC event search, event 2025074709.)
Parent Specialty — Thursday, July 3, 2025, Dallas, Texas: at Dallas Market Hall, 2200 Stemmons Freeway. AKC event 2025074711. Judge P S Lambie. The entry: 29 entries (31 entries, 29 competitors). Best Junior Handler: Eleanor Hiebsch; Reserve Best Junior Handler: Jillian Bischoff. (Source: AKC event search, event 2025074711.)
Western Regional Specialty — 2025: date, venue, judge, and winners not confirmed in an accessible official source.

2024

National specialty

The 2024 National Specialty — the 37th American Whippet Club National Specialty, in a week of events Saturday, April 20 – Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Kingsport and Gray, Tennessee. Conformation Wednesday, April 24 – Saturday, April 27, 2024, at the MeadowView Conference Resort and Convention Center, 1901 Meadowview Parkway, Kingsport, Tennessee. AKC event 2024074708, Parent Specialty (National Specialty). Conformation judge: D L Davenport. Junior Showmanship judge: C Pyrkosz. Obedience judge: C Tisdale (AKC event 2024074706). Rally judge: M R Caro (AKC event 2024074707). Agility judge: T Everline (AKC events 2024074704 and 2024074705). Superintendent: BaRay Event Services, Inc. Event chair: Mrs. Christine Heath; event secretary: Judy Lowther. Entries closed Wednesday, March 20, 2024, at 6:00 a.m. The entry: 586 dogs, 673 entries. Agility was held Saturday, April 20, at the Appalachian Fairgrounds, 100 Lakeview Street, Gray, Tennessee; obedience Monday, April 22 – Tuesday, April 23, and rally Tuesday, April 23, at MeadowView. (Sources: AKC event search, event 2024074708; AKC event search, event 2024074706; AKC event search, event 2024074707.)

Results (2024 national). Best Junior Handler: Zoe Sievers; Reserve Best Junior Handler: Audrey Boyer. Best of Breed, Best of Opposite Sex, Winners Dog, and Winners Bitch, and the Futurity/Maturity and sweepstakes judges, not confirmed in an accessible official source. (Source: AKC event search, event 2024074708.)

Regional specialties

Pacific Northwest Regional Specialty — Friday, June 14, 2024, Hillsboro, Oregon: at the Washington County Fairgrounds. AKC event 2024074711. Judge G S Boyd. The entry: 63 entries. (Source: AKC event search, event 2024074711.)
Western Regional Specialty — Saturday, October 5, 2024, Escondido, California: at the Hidden Valley Obedience Training Club Facility, 3396 E. Valley Parkway. AKC event 2024074716. Judge D Lynch. The entry: 57 entries (21 dogs, 36 bitches). (Source: AKC event search, event 2024074716.)
Parent Specialty — Friday, August 23, 2024, Lake Elmo, Minnesota: at the Washington County Fairgrounds. AKC event 2024074715. Judge Dr. L M Costello. The entry: 103 entries (53 dogs, 50 bitches). (Source: AKC event search, event 2024074715.)
Parent Specialty — Thursday, July 4, 2024, Dallas, Texas: at Dallas Market Hall. AKC event 2024074723. Judge Mrs. C Miller. The entry: 47 entries (49 entries, 47 competitors). (Source: AKC event search, event 2024074723.)