Page 148 - ShowSight - February 2020

THE AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB SOLIDIFIES
POSITION AS THE WORLD’S LEADING
AUTHORITY ON DOG SPORTS
ORGANIZATION RECORDS OVER 3 MILLION ENTRIES ACROSS PERFORMANCE, CONFORMATION, COMPANION AND FAMILY DOG EVENTS.
NEW YORK, NY—The Ameri- can Kennel Club, the world’s largest dog registry, advocate for dogs, and the governing body in the United States, continues to be the leader in the sport of dogs with a record setting increase to 3.3 million entries in 2019 across more than 22,800 Perfor- mance, Conformation, Companion and Family Dog events.
The AKC’s 135 years of commitment to dogs resulted in over 22,800 events nation- wide held by 5,000 clubs and engagement with the broadest number of unique breed- ers, maintaining its place as the number one dog registry and sport organization in the world.
“We are beyond proud to be the fore- most authority on dog sports in the world,” said Doug Ljungren, AKC’s Executive Vice President of Sports and Events. “The dedi- cation and commitment of our breeders, exhibitors, clubs, business partners and staff have resulted in the unparalleled success of our sports. We enthusiastically look for- ward to spreading the joy of canine com- panionship by growing our existing sports and developing new activities that meet the interests and lifestyles of all segments of the dog-owning public.”
The AKC acknowledges the accomplish- ments of dogs in 26 different sports. It is America’s only dog organization to include the full range of Performance Events, each of which is designed to evaluate how well purpose-bred dogs perform the func- tion that a breed was developed to do. In every measurable category; unique breed- ers, events and entries, the AKC Perfor- mance Program far surpasses that of any registry worldwide on an annual basis. This includes:
• Pointing breed hunting tests and field trials
BY BRANDI HUNTER
• Retriever hunting tests and field trials • Spaniel hunting tests and field trials
• Field trials for Hounds (Beagles,
Dachshunds & Basset Hounds)
• Coonhound events
• Herding events
• Earthdog events
• Lure Coursing events
• Search and Rescue
• Plus, unique breed-specific perfor-
mance events held by AKC National Breed Clubs (examples—carting and working dog sports)
The AKC administers the largest Com- panion Event program in the world. Com- panion Events, open to all breeds including mixed breeds, are designed to strengthen and demonstrate the human—canine bond. Companion Event sports include Agility, Obedience, Scent Work, Tracking and Rally.
In Conformation the breadth and scope of shows exceed over 1,400,000 entries at events run by dedicated clubs that educate the public about responsible dog ownership, health and the human-canine bond.
AKC’s Family Dog activities were cre- ated to demonstrate the manners that make dogs good family members and welcomed partners in the community. These activities include the Canine Good Citizen program, STAR Puppy, Therapy Dog, Trick Dog, Farm Dog Certified, the Fit Dog program and AKC’s Temperament Test.
Additionally, the AKC has a strong affil- iation program with other dog sport orga- nizations including North America Diving Dogs (NADD), the North American Flyball Association (NAFA), the Barn Hunt Asso- ciation and UpDog Challenge (disc dogs). A dog’s accomplishments in these events can be recorded on their AKC pedigree.
For more information on AKC Sports, please see https://www.akc.org/sports/
ABOUT THE AMERICAN
KENNEL CLUB
Founded in 1884, the American Kennel Club is a not-for-profit organization, which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States.
The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the
sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function. Along with its more than 5,000 licensed and member clubs
and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 22,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Reunite and the AKC Museum of the Dog. For more information, visit www.akc.org.
AKC, American Kennel Club, the
American Kennel Club seal and design, and all associated marks and logos are trademarks, registered trademarks and service marks of The American Kennel Club, Inc.
Become a fan of the American Kennel Club on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @ AKCDogLovers
MEDIA CONTACTS:
BRANDI HUNTER
American Kennel Club (212) 696-8220 bth@akc.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
146 • ShowSight Magazine, February 2020