AKC Conformation · West Springfield, Massachusetts
Leaf Peeper Cluster
October 16–18, 2026 — The Big E in West Springfield, headlined by the Puli Club of America National Specialty
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Documents 2026 premium list Judging Program — Albany Kennel Club, Fri Oct 16, 2026 (MB-F) Judging Program — Albany Kennel Club, Sat Oct 17, 2026 (MB-F) Judging Program — Troy Kennel Club, Sun Oct 18, 2026 (MB-F) Premium List
Weekend at a glance
The Leaf Peeper Cluster runs October 16–18, 2026, at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, Massachusetts — Albany Kennel Club all-breeds Friday and Saturday, Troy Kennel Club all-breed Sunday. The weekend is anchored by the Puli Club of America National Specialty on Saturday, October 17.
- Dates
- October 16–18, 2026
- Venue
- Eastern States Exposition (“The Big E”)
- Host clubs
- Albany Kennel Club · Troy Kennel Club
- Format
- All-Breed + National Specialty
- Entries
- Registration closed September 30, 2026
More about this show
Dates & venue verified 2026 premium published · Dates & club verified via premium
- Dates
- Friday through Sunday
- Venue
- 1305 Memorial Avenue, West Springfield, MA 01089
- Entries
- 12:00 noon ET — fees published
Premium published
Superintendent: MB-F
Registration closed
Entry fees are per dog, per show.
- Superintendent
- MB-F
- Closing
- September 30, 2026, at 12:00 noon ET
- Fees
- $36.00 first entry, $36.00 each additional entry of the same dog; Junior Showmanship $10.00 only (no fee as an additional class); 4 & Under 6 Months Puppy $20.00
- Limits
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and Belgian Tervuren limited to 100 entries each breed
The days
| Day | Show |
|---|---|
| Fri, Oct 16 | Albany Kennel Club — All-Breed |
| Sat, Oct 17 | Albany Kennel Club — All-Breed · Puli Club of America National Specialty |
| Sun, Oct 18 | Troy Kennel Club — All-Breed |
Build your day plan
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Your show-day schedule, saved by date.
Breed judge finder
24 verified Best in Show and Variety Group assignments from the 2026 premium list. Listing reviewed
Breed-by-breed panels are in the official judging programs above.
Only verified assignments are listed here. We never guess judges.
Juniors
Junior Showmanship is offered all three days of the Leaf Peepers Cluster. Listing reviewed
Fri Oct 16 — Albany KC
Junior Showmanship — offered; judge Mrs. Karen Marie Duprat (provisional).
Sat Oct 17 — Albany KC
Junior Showmanship — offered; judge Mrs. Honey Anne Glendinning.
Sun Oct 18 — Troy KC
Junior Showmanship — offered; judge Mr. David J. Kirkland.
The AKC National Owner-Handled Series runs all three days, with 4 & Under 6 Months Puppy competitions each day and a New Exhibitor Briefing during the Saturday show. No Pee Wee class is listed for this weekend.
Specialties & supported entries
National, regional and club specialties plus supported entries make this a specialty-heavy weekend. Listing reviewed
Fri Oct 16 — Puli National Specialty
Puli Club of America — National Specialty Friday, with sweepstakes and veteran sweepstakes; Regional Specialty Saturday.
Sat Oct 17 — Boston Terrier & Belgian Sheepdog specialties
Boston Terrier Club of Connecticut and Downeaster Belgian Sheepdog Club hold specialty shows Saturday.
Fri Oct 16 — supported entries
Minuteman Boston Terrier Club and Quinnipiac Poodle Club support Friday's Albany KC show.
Sat Oct 17 — supported entries
Quinnipiac Poodle Club and Berkshire Belgian Tervuren Club support Saturday's Albany KC show.
Additional concurrent specialties with separate premium lists are published alongside this weekend — see the premium for details.
Plan your visit
Find the venue
The venue
Eastern States Exposition
1305 Memorial Ave. West Springfield, MA 01089
West Springfield, MA
Dog-friendly lodging
- Hilton Garden Inn Springfield — 800 Hall of Fame Ave., Springfield, MA 01105. Phone: 413-886-8000. Call ahead to confirm pet policy.
- Comfort Inn & Suites — No address or city given on the venue site. Call ahead to confirm pet policy.
- Holiday Inn Express — No address or city given on the venue site. Call ahead to confirm pet policy.
- Residence Inn & Suites — No address or city given on the venue site. Call ahead to confirm pet policy.
- La Quinta — 100 Congress St, Springfield, MA. Call ahead to confirm pet policy.
- Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place — One Monarch Place, Springfield, MA. Call ahead to confirm pet policy.
- Best Western Springfield West Inn — 429 Riverdale St, West Springfield, MA. Call ahead to confirm pet policy.
Always confirm the pet policy when booking.
Flying in
- BDL — Bradley International Airport (BDL) in Hartford, about 15 miles / ~20 minutes away.
Restaurants
- Liquori's Pizza (dog-friendly; outdoor seating; Lunch, Dinner) — 659 Westfield St, West Springfield. Pizza and pasta spot; leashed dogs welcome at two outdoor tables; open about 10 AM-9 PM.
- Taste of Lebanon (dog-friendly; outdoor seating; Lunch, Dinner) — 553 Main St, West Springfield. Middle Eastern restaurant with five pet-friendly outdoor tables; open about 9 AM-9 PM.
- Little Georges (Breakfast, Lunch) — 2648 Westfield St, West Springfield.
- White Hut (Lunch) — 280 Memorial Ave, West Springfield.
- Charlie's Diner (Breakfast, Lunch) — 218 Union St, West Springfield.
- Richard's Giant Grinders (Lunch, Dinner) — 875 Memorial Ave, West Springfield.
Attractions
- Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame — 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue, Springfield, MA 01105. Museum and hall of fame in the birthplace of basketball.
- Storrowton Village Museum — 1305 Memorial Ave, West Springfield. Reconstructed village of nine authentic 18th and 19th century buildings on the grounds of Eastern States Exposition.
- Majestic Theater — 131 Elm St, West Springfield. Locally-produced professional live theater.
Venue guide — shared by every show at this location. Last verified 2026-09-27. Per-show details for this weekend (RV, admission, grooming) are below.
The venue
The cluster is held at the Eastern States Exposition, 1305 Memorial Avenue, West Springfield, MA 01089 — all three days in the Better Living Center. Show hours are 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM each day. The show site opens to exhibitors Thursday after 12:00 noon; doors are locked at 10:00 PM and open at 6:00 AM, with a guard on duty Friday and Saturday nights. No food may be brought into the building, and all crates must be stacked.
Parking & RV
Day parking is $5.00 per day for cars and $40.00 per day for campers, collected at the gate. Motor-home overnight parking is $40.00 per unit per day, no earlier than two days before the shows; electrical hookups are limited, so run high-amperage appliances on a generator. Access is through Gate 1 or Gate 9 — campers use Gate 1, cash or credit only.
New exhibitors
A New Exhibitor Briefing is held during the Saturday show; the location and time are posted in the judging program.
Puli exhibitors
The Puli-specific hotel published for this weekend is the Hampton Inn Springfield/South Enfield, 20 Phoenix Avenue, Enfield, CT — up to 3 dogs per room, $75 one-time pet fee. The room block expired September 14, and the Puli Club warns of possible random room checks after prior host-hotel damage.
Sources
- SourceAKC Event Search — dates and clubs (verified September 24, 2026)
- SourcePuli Club of America National Specialty information (verified September 24, 2026)
- SourceMB-F — superintendent (verified September 24, 2026)
- Official2026 premium list — The Leaf Peepers Cluster (PDF)
Results
Friday, October 16, 2026
Best in Show
GCHG Rexroth KimRo Valentina
Handler: Kimberly Calvacca
Owner: R Greenslade, Dr. W & T Truesdale, S & L Walters & K Calvacca
Breeder: S & L Walters & K Calvacca
BIS judge: Mrs. Honey Anne Glendinning · Entry: 636 dogs
Reserve Best in Show: GCHG Delamer Summer Sand Elle — Schipperke (handler: Krista Nuovo-Roe)
Group winners
Sporting 104 entered
Judge: Wendy G Willhauck
1 GCHG Envizion Friday Vibes At Dragonstar — Spaniel (English Cocker)
Handler: Megan Ulfers
2 CH Perje’s N Camelot Pygmalion — Spaniel (Cocker) Black
Handler: Per Rismyhr
3 GCH Nautilus Un Poco Loco Miguel — Retriever (Golden)
Handler: Katie Bernardin
4 CH Poole’s Ide Tequila Mockingbird — Spaniel (Irish Water)
Handler: Joanne Thibault
Hound 64 entered
Judge: Sulie Greendale-Paveza
1 GCH Dixiedachs On The Rocks SW CGCA CGCU — Dachshund (Wirehaired)
Handler: Frederico Ortiz
2 GCHB Starline’s Enchanted Reign Of Paragon — Whippet
Handler: Tuni Conti
3 GCHB Monocacy Bend’s Farnsworth — English Foxhound
Handler: Katie Bernardin
4 GCHS Lipton’s It Figures — Portuguese Podengo Pequeno
Handler: Jessica Plourde
Working 90 entered
Judge: Sharon Luckhart
1 GCHG Evenkeel N Bowater Anchorsaweigh A Storm Is Coming — Newfoundland
Handler: Jessica Plourde
2 GCHG Topaz Dark Sky — Siberian Husky
Handler: Dawn Thompson
3 GCHB Bedlam Silver Tallulah — Portuguese Water Dog
Handler: Kimberly Calvacca
4 GCHB Legados King Of Jazz Town — Great Dane (OH)
Handler: A & L Solnick
Terrier 29 entered
Judge: John V Ioia
1 CH Breezy’s Charmed By A Con-Artist — Irish Terrier
Handler: RC Carusi
2 GCHS Abberann Michael Dwyer — Glen of Imaal Terrier
Handler: Adam Bernardin
3 GCH Country Boy Sky Walker — Norwich Terrier (OH)
Handler: N Conroy & L Pelletier
4 CH Elfwish Coco Chanel — Russell Terrier
Handler: Karen Mammano
Toy 110 entered
Judge: Wendy G Willhauck
1 GCHG Rexroth KimRo Valentina — Miniature Pinscher
Handler: Kimberly Calvacca
2 GCHS Barri Please Klear The Ice Favorite Dog — English Toy Spaniel KC & Rb
Handler: Per Rismyhr
3 CH Kingdom Ravello Babieca — Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (OH)
Handler: C Neiser & L M Neiser
4 Jenkar Effervescent — Pekingese (OH)
Handler: L O’Clair & K B Crane
Non-Sporting 114 entered
Judge: David J Kirkland
1 GCHG Delamer Summer Sand Elle — Schipperke
Handler: Krista Nuovo-Roe
2 GCHS Lakeridge Have Gun Will Travel — Poodle (Standard)
Handler: Young Choi
3 GCHP Diva’s Sassafras Lass — French Bulldog
Handler: Jodi Longmire
4 GCH Three Rivers The Lion King — Chow Chow
Handler: Ralph Silva
Herding 119 entered
Judge: Sulie Greendale-Paveza
1 GCHS Fairytale’s Oxford BN RA CGC — Briard
Handler: Joanne Thibault
2 GCHS Bagatelle Moonday Good Morning — Old English Sheepdog
Handler: Cliff Steele
3 GCHB Puddleduck’s Hellon Heels With Sanddigger — Cardigan Welsh Corgi (OH)
Handler: P Lauer, J Quallenberg & J Outer
4 GCH Sugarnspice Overland Witch Witch Is Witch — Collie (Smooth) (OH)
Handler: M & R Flood
Results via Canine Chronicle (unofficial — subject to AKC confirmation).
Saturday, October 17, 2026
Best in Show
CH Breezy’s Charmed By A Con-Artist
Handler: RC Carusi
Owner: T Vandezande & N Warren
Breeder: T Vandezande
BIS judge: Sulie Greendale-Paveza · Entry: 818 dogs
Reserve Best in Show: GCH Pequest Prescott — Pekingese (handler: Donald Sturz)
Group winners
Sporting 148 entered
Judge: Mrs. Honey Anne Glendinning
1 CH Perje’s N Camelot Pygmalion — Spaniel (Cocker) Black
Handler: Per Rismyhr
2 CH Poole’s Ide Tequila Mockingbird — Spaniel (Irish Water)
Handler: Joanne Thibault
3 GCH Nautilus Un Poco Loco Miguel — Retriever (Golden)
Handler: Katie Bernardin
4 GCH Rhuddagwynne Father Of His Country — Spaniel (Welsh Springer) (OH)
Handler: C & S Satterfield
Hound 74 entered
Judge: David J Kirkland
1 GCHS Allihan Takara Total Eclipse — Saluki
Handler: Jason Bailey
2 GCH Dixiedachs On The Rocks SW CGCA CGCU — Dachshund (Wirehaired)
Handler: Frederico Ortiz
3 GCHB Monocacy Bend’s Farnsworth — English Foxhound
Handler: Katie Bernardin
4 CH Illuminate Little White Lies — Harrier
Handler: Lori Sternola
Working 103 entered
Judge: Wendy G Willhauck
1 GCHB Legados King Of Jazz Town — Great Dane (OH)
Handler: A & L Solnick
2 GCHG Evenkeel N Bowater Anchorsaweigh A Storm Is Coming — Newfoundland
Handler: Jessica Plourde
3 CH Nakodos Life In The Fast Lane CGCA RI TKN — Akita (OH)
Handler: C Downing, M J Lees & K Venezia
4 GCH White Nebula N Vanderbilt Nacho Average Pepper — Samoyed (OH)
Handler: E Wai Yan Wong & J Elford
Terrier 33 entered
Judge: David J Kirkland
1 CH Breezy’s Charmed By A Con-Artist — Irish Terrier
Handler: RC Carusi
2 GCH Country Boy Sky Walker — Norwich Terrier (OH)
Handler: N Conroy & L Pelletier
3 GCHS Abberann Michael Dwyer — Glen of Imaal Terrier
Handler: Adam Bernardin
4 CH Jack In Town Astoria — Russell Terrier
Handler: Frederico Ortiz
Toy 149 entered
Judge: David J Kirkland
1 GCH Pequest Prescott — Pekingese
Handler: Donald Sturz
2 GCHG Rexroth KimRo Valentina — Miniature Pinscher
Handler: Kimberly Calvacca
3 GCH Andi My Cousin Vinny At Foursquare — Pug
Handler: Jason Bailey
4 GCHP Piccadil’s The Greatest Showman Come Alive SWN SCA SIA SEA CGC — Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Handler: Janet York
Non-Sporting 137 entered
Judge: Mrs. Honey Anne Glendinning
1 GCHG Delamer Summer Sand Elle — Schipperke
Handler: Krista Nuovo-Roe
2 GCHS Lakeridge Have Gun Will Travel — Poodle (Standard)
Handler: Young Choi
3 GCHP Celestial’s Fly Me To The Moon — Boston Terrier
Handler: Margaret Noble
4 GCH Upton & Brookside Mischief Managed — Dalmatian
Handler: Annmarie Ruggieri
Herding 167 entered
Judge: Mrs. Honey Anne Glendinning
1 GCHS Bagatelle Moonday Good Morning — Old English Sheepdog
Handler: Cliff Steele
2 GCHS Fairytale’s Oxford BN RA CGC — Briard
Handler: Joanne Thibault
3 GCH Sugarnspice Overland Witch Witch Is Witch — Collie (Smooth)
Handler: Mara Flood
4 CH Dunhill Spirit Of Steeler Nation — Bearded Collie
Handler: Katie Bernardin
Results via Canine Chronicle (unofficial — subject to AKC confirmation).