Posts tagged "Eukanuba"

This dog is a force to be, well, reckoned with. CH Propwash Reckon, a 2-year-old Australian Shepherd known affectionately as "Reckon," beat out nearly 2,500 canine competitors for the coveted title of Best in Show at the 10th annual AKC/Eukanuba National Championship at the Long Beach Convention Center last night.

"We are proud to have Reckon join the family of Best in Show winners at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship," said Show Chairman Ron Menaker. "We had a record-breaking entry this year of highly competitive canine athletes in conformation, agility, obedience and the Eukanuba World Challenge. Congratulations to all the winners!"

Reckon won not only bragging rights at the championship but also the Eukanuba Celebration of Champions Trophy (which is designed to look like its winner), a check for $50,000 and a year's supply of Eukanuba dog food. Reckon is owned by Leslie Frank and Judy Harrington of Kensington, N.H. Last year's winner was Sadie, a Scottish Terrier.

The AKC/Eukanuba National Championship is regarded as one of the most prestigious dog shows in the world, as it includes a range of canine sporting events all under one roof, including the AKC Agility Invitational and AKC National Obedience Invitational. This year, these events featured 3,233 dogs vying to be "top dog" and earn more than $225,000 in prize money.

The event also included the Junior Showmanship competition, which allows handlers 9 to 18 years old to compete. This year, Katie Mazurowski and her English Setter Lamont were awarded the coveted title of Best Junior Handler along with a $2,000 scholarship.

The AKC/Eukanuba National Championship will be telecast on ABC Network Television on Sun., Jan. 23, 2011. Check your local listings for times. You won't want to miss the canine fun!

Olympic gold medal gymnast Shawn Johnson adores dogs. "I'm a huge animal lover," Johnson told Paw Nation. "I have a golden retriever named Tucker and I love him. He's my life."

Johnson was a special guest at the opening ceremony of the 2009 Eukanuba World Challenge in Long Beach, Calif. earlier this month. "It's a lot of fun to be here," Johnson told Paw Nation. "I've never been to a dog show before."

With 41 different countries participating this year, the Eukanuba World Challenge is the Olympics of dog shows. Each country sent their top champion dog to compete for the title of World Challenge Winner and win a grand prize of $10,000. There was a Saluki from Sweden; a wire fox terrier from Brazil; a puli from Australia; a poodle from South Korea; and a Staffordshire bull terrier from South Africa -- just to name a few.

Representing the United States was Holly, the pointer who was last year's Best in Show winner at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship. "Of course we're going to try to win," Holly's handler, Michael Scott, told Paw Nation minutes before entering the show ring carrying the American flag. "We're representing our country."