This is your chance to help select our judge for the
2017 National Specialty Show
Please vote - this is your opportunity to voice your opinion and be a further part of the selection process for the 2017 National Specialty
Show to be held in Wisconsin.
To: [email protected]
Vote for THREE judges in your order of preference.
From: (members email address)
All ballots must be received by the GWPCA Secretary by
November 15, 2015. All email ballots must come individually
(one email per member - if two members of a household are
both members, the secretary must receive two separate
emails). All email ballots must have the header "2017 Judges
Selection Ballot" and each must include the members name
and address in the body of the email. Please use the following
example on the right for correct setup.
Header: 2017 Judges Selection Ballot
My choice for 2017 GWPCA National Specialty judges are:
1.
2.
3.
If you prefer to snail mail your ballot, please contact the
GWPCA Secretary at [email protected]
Members Name
Please select three of the following judges in your order of
preference:
Michael Faulkner grew up in a dog show family and has led
more than 250 Golden Retrievers to championships during his 40plus years in the sport. Mr. Faulkner was a successful professional handler for many years, and is now an AKC judge approved for breeds in the Toy, Sporting, Herding, Working, and
Hound groups. He has judged Golden Retrievers and the Sporting
Group at the Westminster Kennel Club show.
Mr. Faulkner is an award-winning artist, writer, and educator.
His "Miss Kitty" series of children’s mystery books features a detective who just happens to be a Golden Retriever.
Members Address
Carl Liepmann's earliest recollection of a purebred is about
1945 when the family got a Great Dane named "Eric Von Stroheim III." His first serious "dog ownership" occurred in 1961 during his honeymoon with Jan, when they went to Canton, OH to
pick up their German Shepherd at a training academy. That
started 50 years of involvement in the dog world. In 1962 he started his career with the Flint Fire Department, and also purchased
his first Retriever, a Golden, from breeder Marcia Schlehr of
"Kyrie Kennels." This was the beginning of the Liepmann family's
love of the Retriever. In 1964, after the birth of daughter Lora,
the Liepmann's founded The Flint Retriever Club.
Judy Webb was raised with Boston Terriers and Boxers, her
The next two decades were filled with dog activities, including
first show dog was a Basenji, she raised and showed them for
his work as a Professional Handler in Obedience, and the opening
number of years. Judy was always the child that collected any
of a boarding and training kennel called Triple L (for all three
stray animal that was available. By the time she was four or five, Liepmanns). Over the years they have produced a good many
she knew that she would grow up to be involved with either dogs
champions and obedience titleholders., including the AKC Cenor horses. Fortunately, that did come true. She was granted a
tennial BOB winner.
handler's license by the AKC in 1966 and continued to show on a
In 1980 he was approved to judge the five Retriever breeds and
full-time basis until 1990 when she was granted the Hound Group now judges all Sporting, Herding, and Working groups, Junior
to judge. Subsequently, she has been given the Sporting Group as Showmanship and BIS. When people ask if he has a problem with
well as Bostons, Cairn Terriers, Miniature Pinschers and Junior
disgruntled exhibitors, he simply says "Five days a week I was a
Showmanship. As a handler, Judy finished dogs of 68 different
tax collector. After dealing with irate tax payers, exhibitors are a
breeds with Groups or Best in Shows on 34 of those breeds. She
piece of cake!"
was fortunate to show many of the top dogs in their respective
Dana Cline began breeding and exhibiting as a boy. He has
breeds including the first Vizsla to go Best in Show, the #1 Bassett in the history of the breed, and the #2 Cairn Terrier.
bred champion Beagles, Borzoi, German Wirehaired Pointers,
Great Danes, and Miniature Bull Terriers, including one of the
Kenneth Buxton was the 2008 recipient of the AKC Compan- few BIS-winning Mini Bulls in the breed’s history.
ion Events Lifetime Achievement Award.
An AKC judge since 1998, he includes among his career highHe and his wife, Donna, began exhibiting Saint Bernards in
lights judging at Westminster and at seven national specialties,
conformation and obedience in 1966. They have since produced
including twice at Great Dane Club of America. This year is his
many champions in both venues, including High in Trial dogs at
second AKC/Eukanuba assignment.
national specialties and all-breed shows, top-winning conforMr. Cline is corresponding secretary and a board member for
mation champions, and top-producing breeding stock.
the Lake Shore Great Dane Club, and has conducted seminars on
Mr. Buxton judges the Sporting, Working, Non-Sporting, and
various breeds. He enjoys gardening, antiques, and "working in
Herding groups, obedience, rally, and tracking.
and around" his koi ponds.
He has served dog clubs in many leadership roles, is a lifetime
member of the Clermont Kennel Club, and is a board member of
American Dog Show Judges. Mr. Buxton is a retired financial
manager.
Karen Wilson, a native of San Diego, began in dogs in 1966
with an Irish Setter, showing in conformation and obedience. Karen and her husband were active breeder/owner-handlers with
their Airedale Terriers and Cairn Terriers, while their two daughters participated in Junior Showmanship.
Mrs. Wilson began judging in 1991 and is approved to judge all
Sporting, Hound and Terrier breeds, Junior Showmanship and
Best in Show. She has judged the National Specialties for Irish
Setters, Airedale Terriers and Cairn Terriers, as well as specialties for many of her other approved breeds. She has judged in
Canada, China, Denmark, South America and Australia.
She is a past president and officer of the Cairn Terrier Club of
America, secretary and board member of the Dog Judges Association of America, and a member of Charlottesville-Albemarle Kennel Club. This year will be Karen's fourth assignment at Westminster.
Laura Myles grew up with German Shorthaired Pointers and
German Wirehaired Pointers. Her parents were active showing
first their GSP's, then later their GWP's in both conformation and
obedience.
She has hunted over, bred, and trained GSP, GWP and Gordon
Setters since the early 70's. She and her husband, Jack, have
been breeding GWP's and Gordon Setters under the Inverness
prefix since 1978. Recently she was designated as a "Breeder of
Merit" with the AKC, and bred their first CHIC dog. Laura and
Jack enjoy hunting with their wirehairs as well as having them as
companions and part of the family.
Laura believes that the saying "conformation follows function"
is ever so true for a sporting dog. A sporting dog must be able to
move correctly, have proper coat to protect the dog in the
field, and be sound both mentally and physically in order to be a
successful hunting dog and companion.
Currently, Laura is approved to judge German Wirehaired
Paula Nykiel has been involved in purebred dogs for 29 years. Pointers, Gordon Setters and is provisional for German ShortShe began as a breeder-owner-handler of Pointers and has bred
haired Pointers, Irish Setters, and all-breed Junior Showmanover 50 champions under the Sydmar banner, including the
ship. Her judges number for performance (HT/FT) events is
breed’s all-time top producer. She handled her Pointers to number Z2417.
-one rankings in 1978, 1979, and 1982, scoring 15 all-breed Bests
Steve Keating has been involved in the Pekingese breed for
in Show, over 50 group firsts, and Best of Breed at the American
Pointer Club national specialty.
over twenty-five years. He is the immediate past-president of the
Mrs. Nykiel is approved to judge the Sporting and Working
Pekingese Club of America, a long time, active member and curgroups, and German Shepherd Dogs. She has judged at seven
rent President of the Pekingese Club of Texas, and a founding
national specialties and several international venues.
member of the Dallas-Ft. Worth Toy Dog Club.
Mrs. Nykiel is a past director and Futurity/Maturity chairman
Over the past 20 plus years, Steve has been very fortunate to
of the American Pointer Club. She was a founding member and
officer of the Missouri Rhineland Kennel Club and the Gateway
enjoy many successes in his life. One success which he has mutuSporting Dog Association, and is a member of the Three Rivers
ally shared with his partner, Don Sutton, included breeding and
Kennel Club.
owning Pekingese. Over the years while actively breeding they
Mrs. Nykiel and her husband of 32 years, Frank Nykiel, have
two grown daughters. The Nykiel family converted an 1860 corn- had the privilege of owning and handling to title 36 Pekingese
cob pipe factory into their home and gardens on the Missouri Riv- champions, of which 24 of those were Breeder/Owner-Handled to
er.
their titles. As an AKC approved judge for the Toy Group, several
Sporting breeds, the Sporting Group, and BIS, Steve is involved
Linda Robey acquired her first Belgian Sheepdog in 1979. She
in the Pekingese Club of America National Roving Specialty Secompeted in conformation and obedience for many years. She is
ries and Judges' Education committees, assisting with program
currently the Chairperson of the Belgian Sheepdog Judges
Education and a member of the American Belgian Tervuren Club and seminar presentation for approved judges, breeders and asjudge’s education committee.
piring judges across America.
Steve started in dogs in 1972 and has been a member of Texas
She has had the honor of presiding as a judge at the American
Belgian Tervuren Club National Specialty, the Belgian Sheepdog Kennel Club since 1999. He is also a member of the Pekingese
Club of America National Specialty and the American Belgian
Club of Texas, Pekingese Club of America, Dallas-Fort Worth Toy
Malinois Club National Specialty.
Dog Club, and many regional Pekingese clubs across America.