National Specialty · Gray Summit, Missouri
English Setter Association of America National Specialty 2026
November 2–6, 2026 — five days of English Setters at Purina Farms: sweepstakes, futurity and maturity, obedience and rally, agility, a hunt test, the Top Twenty, and Best of Breed
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Documents 📄 Premium List — pending 📋 Judging Program — Nov 2–6
Weekend at a glance
The English Setter Association of America hosts its 2026 National Specialty November 2–6, 2026, at the Purina Farms Event Center in Gray Summit, Missouri — the first time the club has held its national at Purina Farms. The week opens Monday with back-to-back English Setter agility trials plus puppy and gun dog sweepstakes, runs futurity and maturity with veteran sweepstakes on Tuesday, dog classes with obedience and rally on Wednesday, bitch classes and the Top Twenty on Thursday, and closes Friday with Junior Showmanship, Best of Breed, and brace. Two days of all-breed Fast CAT (by another club) and ESAA-sponsored scent work lead in over the weekend, and the Kettle Moraine English Setter Club holds back-to-back specialties on the grounds Saturday, November 7.
- Dates
- November 2–6, 2026
- Venue
- Purina Farms Event Center
- Host club
- English Setter Association of America
- Format
- National specialty
- Entries
- Registration closed (entries closed October 7, 2026)
- Premium list
- 2026 premium list Pending
More about this show
Registration closed · Dates, venue & judges verified via the ESAA national specialty site · Superintendent Jim Rau Dog Shows, Ltd. · 2026 premium not yet published
- Dates
- Monday through Friday (club schedule); AKC conformation records list November 2–6
- Venue
- 500 William Danforth Way, Gray Summit, MO 63039
- Host club
- AKC member club
- Format
- English Setter (Sporting Group) — national specialty; sweepstakes, futurity/maturity, Juniors, obedience, rally, agility, hunt test
- Entries
- Closed Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at 12:00 noon
Superintendent: Jim Rau Dog Shows, Ltd.
Registration closed
- Superintendent
- Jim Rau Dog Shows, Ltd.
- Closing
- Wednesday, October 7, 2026, 12:00 noon
- Entry fees
- Pending — the 2026 premium list has not been published; fees will be added when it is
The days
Five days from the club’s tentative national specialty schedule (subject to change). Listing reviewed
| Day | What’s on |
|---|---|
| Mon, Nov 2 | Board meeting; back-to-back English Setter agility trials (ESAA & Purina); Puppy Sweepstakes & Gun Dog Sweepstakes — Ms. Pamela LeFever; welcome cocktail hour, annual meeting, obedience fun match (tentative), scent work try-it (evening) |
| Tue, Nov 3 | 4–6 Month Puppy — Ms. Nancy E. Talbott; health clinic (8:00 AM–2:00 PM); Futurity & Maturity — Ms. Nancy E. Talbott; Stud Dog & Brood Bitch, Brace — Ms. Maureen A. Day; Veteran Sweepstakes — Ms. Pamela LeFever |
| Wed, Nov 4 | Obedience & Rally (a.m.) — Mr. James Comunale; Dog Classes, regular & non-regular — Mrs. Lorraine W. Bisso; judges education; Pee Wee party & Junior Showmanship party |
| Thu, Nov 5 | Bitch Classes, regular & non-regular — Mrs. Lorraine W. Bisso; Top Twenty; Versatility Showcase; Junior Showcase; raffle & silent auction |
| Fri, Nov 6 | Junior Showmanship — Mrs. Lorraine W. Bisso; Best of Breed — Mr. Dana P. Cline; Brace — Ms. Maureen A. Day; award of perpetual trophies |
Leading in: all-breed Fast CAT (October 31–November 1, by another club) and ESAA-sponsored all-breed scent work trials on the Purina Farms grounds. Following: Kettle Moraine English Setter Club back-to-back specialties, Saturday, November 7. Listing reviewed
Build your day plan
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Judging program published
Jim Rau Dog Shows has published the official 2026 judging program for the national specialty, November 2–6 — the same booklet also covers the Kettle Moraine English Setter Club back-to-back specialties on November 7. We never guess ring times — get yours from the official program. Listing reviewed
Breed Judge Finder
The judging slate announced by ESAA for the 2026 national specialty (all other assignments TBD). Listing reviewed
Best of Breed (Fri)Best in Show & group judges
- Mr. Dana P. Cline
Dog classes & bitch classes, regular & non-regular (Wed/Thu); Junior Showmanship (Fri)Best in Show & group judges
- Mrs. Lorraine W. Bisso
Futurity & Maturity; 4–6 Month Puppy (Tue)Best in Show & group judges
- Ms. Nancy E. Talbott
Stud Dog & Brood Bitch; Brace (Tue/Fri)Best in Show & group judges
- Ms. Maureen A. Day
Puppy, gun dog & veteran sweepstakes (Mon/Tue)Best in Show & group judges
- Ms. Pamela LeFever
Obedience & rally (Wed)Best in Show & group judges
- Mr. James Comunale
Agility (Mon)Best in Show & group judges
- Mr. Randy Capsel
Scent work trial (Oct 31–Nov 1)Best in Show & group judges
- Misty Bowen, Kathy Echols
Hunt test & walking field trialBest in Show & group judges
- Rhonda Cornum & Rodney Albin
Pee Wee special attractionBest in Show & group judges
- Dr. BJ Parsons, DVM
Kettle Moraine back-to-back specialties (Sat, Nov 7)Best in Show & group judges
- Michelle Burmeister Hess (puppy & veteran sweepstakes)
- Ms. Margaret S. (Margie) Wilson (Junior Showmanship & AM breed)
- Mrs. Sandra McCue (PM breed)
Judges announced by the English Setter Association of America on its 2026 national specialty site; all judges not listed are to be determined. Entry fees and the premium list are pending.
Juniors
Junior Showmanship and the Junior Showcase are part of the week, with a Pee Wee special attraction. Listing reviewed
- Junior Showmanship (Fri)
- Mrs. Lorraine W. Bisso
- Pee Wee special attraction
- Dr. BJ Parsons, DVM
- Junior Showcase (Thu)
- Part of Thursday’s evening program with the Top Twenty
Junior Showmanship entry fees are set in the premium list. Pending
Specialties & supported entries
The specialty spotlight for this event. Listing reviewed
- Event
- English Setter Association of America National Specialty 2026
- Breed
- English Setter (Sporting Group)
- Type
- National specialty
- Host club
- English Setter Association of America
- Dates
- November 2–6, 2026 — Gray Summit, Missouri (Purina Farms)
- Best of Breed
- Friday, November 6 — Mr. Dana P. Cline; dog & bitch classes: Mrs. Lorraine W. Bisso
- Futurity & Maturity
- Tuesday, November 3 — Ms. Nancy E. Talbott
- Field events
- Hunt test and walking field trial (Rhonda Cornum & Rodney Albin); scent work trial (Oct 31–Nov 1)
- Follow-on
- Kettle Moraine English Setter Club back-to-back specialties, Saturday, November 7, on the Purina grounds
Plan your visit
Getting there & staying
The show is at the Purina Farms Event Center, 500 William Danforth Way, Gray Summit, MO 63039 — a venue built with dog shows in mind. ESAA lists nearby pet-friendly hotels rather than a single host hotel. Listing reviewed
- Nearby hotels
- Comfort Inn Pacific – St. Louis, 1320 Thornton St, Pacific, MO · (636) 257-4600 (pet friendly) · Quality Inn Pacific near Six Flags, 1400 W Osage St, Pacific, MO · (636) 271-4033 · Holiday Inn St. Louis West at Six Flags, 4901 Six Flags Rd, Eureka, MO · (636) 938-6661 · The Wildwood Hotel, 2801 Fountain Pl, Wildwood, MO · (636) 733-9100
- Reserved grooming
- 5’ x 10’ spaces with electric, $95.00 each (limit 2) · areas open Sunday, November 1 at 12:00 noon; out by November 7 · no dogs overnight · deadline October 25, 2026
Check the ESAA national specialty site for the latest schedule updates before traveling. Listing reviewed
Sources
- OfficialESAA 2026 national specialty site — judges slate, tentative schedule, hotel list, grooming (national.esaa.com)
- OfficialESAA Setter Letter, March 2026 — national specialty announcement, dates, venue, planned activities (esaa.com)
- OfficialAKC National Specialties inventory (apps.akc.org) — dates and city cross-check; superintendent Jim Rau Dog Shows, Ltd.
- OfficialAKC event records — club, dates, city/state
- Official2026 judging program (Jim Rau Dog Shows, PDF)