From The Dog Lady’s Mailbag: The American Kennel Club (AKC®), the world’s largest purebred dog registry and leading advocate for dogs, is pleased to announce the winners of the first ever AKC Agility Premier Cup Presented by EEM which was held in conjunction with the Longines Masters of New York at NYCB Live at the newly renovated Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on April 25th.
“It was thrilling to watch some of the nation’s top dogs compete at the inaugural AKC Agility Cup Presented by EEM,” said Doug Ljungren, AKC Executive Vice President of Sports and Events. “These dogs were invited based on criteria that recognizes excellence in AKC’s Agility program and it was a pleasure to honor these incredible performances as the winners were crowned.”
This family-friendly event marked the first time AKC Agility was held at an Equestrian event, demonstrating the amazing abilities of both horses and dogs in their respective sports. The top 60 canine agility competitors and their handlers from around the country were invited to compete at the Invitational.
A total of twelve dogs were entered at each jump height (8”,12”, 16”, 20”, and 24”) competing for $10,000 in cash prizes. The first-place winners in each jump height received $1,500 and will
have their names engraved on the AKC Agility Premier Cup trophy that will be displayed in perpetuity in the AKC New York Headquarters. Second-place winners in each jump height received $500 each.
The AKC Agility Cup Presented by EEM Winners:
First place winner and runner-up in each height division (8″, 12″, 16″, 20″ and 24” respectively):
8” First Place: A Papillon known as “Wren,” handled by Betsey Lynch of Delaware, OH.
8” Second Place: An All-American Dog known as “Logan,” handled by Kim Barton of Johnstown, OH.
12” First Place: A Miniature American Shepherd known as “Pixel,” handled by Ami Sheffield of Omaha, NE.
12” Second Place: A Poodle known as “Bliss,” handled by Cassie Schmidt of Lees Summit, MO.
16” First Place: A Border Collie known as “P!nk,” handled by Jennifer Crank of Pickerington, OH.
16” Second Place: An Australian Cattle Dog known as “Skoal,” handled by Martine Kopka of Rosenberg, TX.
20” First Place: A Border Collie known as “Graphite,” handled by Paulena Simpson of Berkeley Springs, WV.
20” Second Place: An Australian Shepherd known as “Holster,” handled by Wendy Cerilli of Greenwich, NY.
24” First Place: An All-American Dog known as “Harley,” handled by Erin Stumler of Floyds Knobs, IN.
24” Second Place: A Belgian Malinois known as “Luna,” handled by Shane Miller of Moline, IL.
Congratulations to all who competed in this new event!
Until next time,
Good day, and good dog!