Don Sturz to Judge Westminster Best in Show in 2022

New York, NY — Dr. Don Sturz of Brooklyn, New York, will judge Best in Show at the 146th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show presented by Purina Pro Plan® at Madison Square Garden on January 26, 2022. The superintendent of the Valley Stream 24 School District in Long Island, New York, Dr. Sturz brings a lifetime of experience as a breeder, exhibitor and judge to the most prestigious judging assignment in the sport of purebred dogs. Anchoring Westminster Week, this iconic annual dog show has been held continuously since 1877.     Dr. Sturz began participating in the sport of dogs as a child. As a highly successful Junior Handler, he exhibited in the famed Westminster Junior Showmanship competition. He was selected as a Junior Showmanship Finalist three years at Westminster beginning with his first time entered at the age of ten. During his Junior Showmanship career, he was ranked as the number one Junior Handler in the U.S. for three consecutive years.   While growing up in the sport, Dr. Sturz trained and exhibited dogs in a variety of American Kennel Club events including conformation, obedience and field trials, earning numerous awards and titles. A long-time preservation breeder and handler, he has bred, owned and handled All-Breed and Specialty Best in Show winners and nationally ranked dogs in Golden Retrievers, Miniature Poodles and Pembroke Welsh Corgis.   He currently serves as the delegate to the American Kennel Club for the Poodle Club of America, is a member of the Bull Terrier Club of America and recently assisted in the revival of the Knickerbocker Bull Terrier Club. Additionally, Dr. Sturz has been an analyst for the Fox Sports telecast of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show for the past three years and a co-host for the Westminster Kennel Club Highlights Show presented by Purina Pro Plan ® for the past two years.   Since 1990 Dr. Sturz has adjudicated at major dog shows around the world, in addition to judging the Sporting and Hound groups at Westminster in 2010 and 2006. In 2020 he was voted Judge of the Year at the Purina Pro Plan® Show Dogs of the Year award ceremony. Dr. Sturz is approved to judge the Sporting and Hound groups, several Terrier, Non-Sporting and Herding breeds, Best in Show and Junior Showmanship. This is his tenth judging assignment at Westminster.   Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the iconic dog show was held outdoors at the Lyndhurst Estate in Tarrytown, New York in June 2021. It was the first time in the club’s 145-year history that the event was held outside of Manhattan. For 2022, Westminster Week returns to Manhattan starting with the Masters Agility Championship on Saturday, Jan. 22, the Masters Obedience Championship on Monday, Jan. 24 and the breed competitions on Monday (Hound and Herding), Tuesday (Toy, Non-Sporting and Terrier) and Wednesday (Sporting and Working), Jan. 24-26 all on Pier 36. The evening Group judging will be held at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 25-26, 2022.   Seven Group Judges will select their picks for the Best in Show competition over two nights at Madison Square Garden.   On Tuesday, Jan. 25, the following judges will select four group winners to advance to the Best in Show competition. Mr. Eugene Blake of Tulsa, Oklahoma for the Hound Group; Mrs. Rosalind Kramer of High Point, North Carolina for the Toy Group; Ms. Evalyn Gregory of Louisville, Kentucky for the Non-Sporting Group; and Mrs. Sharon Ann Redmer of Whitmore Lake, Michigan for the Herding Group.   On Wednesday, Jan. 26, the following judges will select the remaining three group winners to advance to Best in Show. Dr. Elliot L. More of Deerfield, New Hampshire for the Sporting Group; Mrs. Faye Strauss, of Kent, Washington for the Working Group; and Mr. Richard W. Powell of Palmyra, Pennsylvania for the Terrier Group.   The Best Junior Handler award will be decided on Wednesday, Jan. 26 at Madison Square Garden by Junior Showmanship Finals Judge Mrs. Karen Mammano of Webster, New York. The eight junior showmanship finalists will be determined in preliminary rounds by judges Mrs. Amy Booth of Mims, Florida, and Ms. Lisa Gallizzo of Branchburg, New Jersey.   The 9th Annual Masters Agility Championship at Westminster on Saturday, Jan. 22, will be judged by Ms. Ronda Bermke of Greenleaf, Wisconsin and Mr. Ben Gibbs of Kingsport, Tennessee. Mr. Christopher Cornell of Sequim, Washington, will officiate the 7th Annual Masters Obedience Championship at Westminster on Monday, Jan. 24.   Pending American Kennel Club approval, the judging panel for the Best of Breed or Variety competitions includes:   SPORTING BREEDS AND VARIETIES (34)   Mr. Gregory A. Anderson of Middleton, Maryland: American Water Spaniels, Boykin Spaniels, Clumber Spaniels, Cocker Spaniels (all Varieties), English Cocker Spaniels, English Springer Spaniels, Field Spaniels, Sussex Spaniels, Welsh Springer Spaniels.   Mr. Edd E. Bivin of Fort Worth, Texas: Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers, Lagotti Romagnoli, Nederlandse Kooikerhondjes, Vizslas, Wirehaired Pointing Griffons, Wirehaired Vizslas.   Mrs. Susan St. John Brown of Divide, Colorado: German Shorthaired Pointers, German Wirehaired Pointers, English Setters, Gordon Setters, Irish Setters, Irish Red and White Setters, Pointers.   Ms. Elizabeth “Beth” Sweigart of Bowmansville, Pennsylvania: Barbets, Brittanys, Irish Water Spaniels, Labrador Retrievers, Spinoni Italiani.   Ms. Nancy E. Talbott of Quartz Hill, California: Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Curly-Coated Retrievers, Flat-Coated Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Weimaraners.    HOUND BREEDS AND VARIETIES (35)   Mrs. Susan St. John Brown of Divide, Colorado: Basenjis, Basset Hounds, Cirnechi dell'Etna, Ibizan Hounds, Pharaoh Hounds, Rhodesian Ridgebacks.   Mr. Edmund Dziuk of Columbia, Missouri: American English Coonhounds, American Foxhounds, Black and Tan Coonhounds, Bloodhounds, Bluetick Coonhounds, English Foxhounds, Grand Basset Griffon Vendéens, Harriers, Irish Wolfhounds, Norwegian Elkhounds, Otterhounds, Petit Basset Griffon Vendéens, Plotts, Portuguese Podengo Pequenos, Redbone Coonhounds.   Mrs. Lesley E. Hiltz of Brush Prairie, Washington: Beagles (both Varieties), Dachshunds (all Varieties).   Mr. Juan Miranda of Mexico City, Mexico: Afghan Hounds, Azawakhs, Borzois, Greyhounds, Salukis, Scottish Deerhounds, Sloughis, Treeing Walker Coonhounds, Whippets.   WORKING BREEDS (31)   Mr. Rick Gschwender of Nampa, Idaho: Alaskan Malamutes, Boerboels, Cane Corsos, Dogues de Bordeaux, Dogo Argentinos, Great Pyrenees, Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, Kuvaszok, Portuguese Water Dogs, Samoyeds, Siberian Huskies, Tibetan Mastiffs.   Mrs. Lesley E. Hiltz of Brush Prairie, Washington: Bernese Mountain Dogs.   Ms. Theresa L. Hundt of Sandy Hook, Connecticut: Anatolian Shepherd Dogs, Black Russian Terriers, Bullmastiffs, Chinooks, German Pinschers, Komondorok, Leonbergers, Mastiffs, Neapolitan Mastiffs, Newfoundlands, Saint Bernards.   Ms. Ann Ingram of Rochestown, Cork, Ireland: Akitas, Boxers, Doberman Pinschers, Giant Schnauzers, Great Danes, Rottweilers, Standard Schnauzers.   TERRIER BREEDS AND VARIETIES (32)   Mrs. Bergit Coady-Kabel of Indio, California: Australian Terriers, Border Terriers, Cairn Terriers, Norfolk Terriers, Norwich Terriers, Sealyham Terriers, Skye Terriers, West Highland White Terriers.   Dr. Ian Howell Gabriel of London, United Kingdom: Bedlington Terriers, Cesky Terriers, Smooth Fox Terriers, Wire Fox Terriers.   Mrs. Mareth K. Kipp of North Prairie, Wisconsin: Airedale Terriers, Irish Terriers, Kerry Blue Terriers, Miniature Schnauzers, Parson Russell Terriers, Russell Terriers, Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers.   Mrs. Cindy Vogels of Greenwood Village, Colorado: American Hairless Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Bull Terriers (both Varieties), Dandie Dinmont Terriers, Glen of Imaal Terriers, Lakeland Terriers, Miniature Bull Terriers, Rat Terriers, Scottish Terriers, Standard Manchester Terriers, Welsh Terriers.   TOY BREEDS AND VARIETIES (24)   Mr. Edd E. Bivin of Fort Worth, Texas: Chinese Cresteds, Havanese, Maltese.   Mr. Albert Easdon of Moffat, United Kingdom: Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Pekingese, Pomeranians, Pugs.   Ms. Ann Ingram of Rochestown, Cork, Ireland: Toy Poodles.   Mr. James J. Mitchell of Wilmington, Delaware: Affenpinschers, Brussels Griffons, English Toy Spaniels (both Varieties), Italian Greyhounds, Miniature Pinschers, Shih Tzu, Toy Fox Terriers, Toy Manchester Terriers.   Mrs. Angela Pickett of Chuluota, Florida: Chihuahuas (both Varieties), Japanese Chin, Papillons, Silky Terriers, Yorkshire Terriers.   Mrs. Cindy Vogels of Greenwood Village, Colorado: Biewer Terriers.   NON-SPORTING BREEDS (21)   Mr. Edd E. Bivin of Fort Worth, Texas: Finnish Spitz, Lhasa Apsos, Shiba Inu.   Mr. Albert Easdon of Moffat, United Kingdom: Boston Terriers.   Ms. Ann Ingram of Rochestown, Cork, Ireland: Bulldogs, Chinese Shar-Pei, Chow Chows, Dalmatians, French Bulldogs, Miniature Poodles, Standard Poodles.   Mr. Bill Lee of Aurora, Colorado: American Eskimo Dogs, Bichon Frises, Cotons de Tulear, Keeshonden, Lowchen, Norwegian Lundehunds, Schipperkes, Tibetan Spaniels, Tibetan Terriers, Xoloitzcuintlis.   HERDING BREEDS AND VARIETIES (32)   Mrs. Nioma Stoner Coen of Great Barrington, Massachusetts: Collies (both Varieties), Pembroke Welsh Corgis, Shetland Sheepdogs.   Mr. Thomas W. Coen of Great Barrington, Massachusetts: Australian Cattle Dogs, Australian Shepherds, Belgian Laekenois, Belgian Malinois, Belgian Sheepdogs, Belgian Tervuren, Icelandic Sheepdogs, Norwegian Buhunds, Old English Sheepdogs.   Ms. Janina K. Laurin of Ashford, Connecticut: Bearded Collies, Beaucerons, Bergamasco Sheepdogs, Berger Picards, Bouvier des Flanders, Entlebucher Mountain Dogs, Finnish Lapphunds, German Shepherd Dogs, Pulik, Pumik, Pyrenean Shepherds, Spanish Water Dogs, Swedish Vallhunds.   Mr. James J. Mitchell of Wilmington, Delaware: Border Collies, Briards, Canaan Dogs, Cardigan Welsh Corgis, Miniature American Shepherds, Polish Lowland Sheepdogs,