2012 Breeder of the Year

Sporting Group – Dr. Dana Massey
Win’Weim Weimaraners

Dana has lived with Weimaraners since 1950 and is grateful for the mentoring she has received from Chris Grisell (Nani’s) and Judy Colan (Colsidex).

Dana has owned and/or bred Weimaraners consistently in the Top 10, plus BIS, WCA Hall of Fame, and top producers. Additionally, Win’Weim dogs have won more than 20 Bests in Futurity/Maturity awards. A firm believer in the versatility of sporting dogs, she is proud that her dogs have AKC VCD1, TDX, SH with MH legs, and over 85 AKC performance titles plus several WCA Versatile Excellent designations.

Dana was committee chairperson for the WCA Hall of Fame and was Judges’ Education chair. She is a longtime member and officer and current president of the Lone Star Weimaraner Club of Dallas, and a member of the Trinity Valley Weimaraner Club in Fort Worth. As vice president of the Stephenville Kennel Club of Texas, she served as show chair for several years. An AKC judge, she judges BIS, the Sporting Group, Junior Showmanship, eight working breeds, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, and Australian Shepherds.

Dana has taught at the University of Nebraska, Bellevue University, and is currently employed at McLennan College in the Business department.

Hound Group – Alicia Hanna
Kimani Rhodesian Ridgebacks

Alicia acquired her first dog in 1963 establishing her small kennel in Chester, New Jersey, where she still resides. She won her first national specialty in 1968 with a dog from her first litter; her name was Kimani, since then Kimani-registered dogs have produced over 700 AKC champions.

She has bred, owned, and/or handled the RRCUS national-specialty BIS-winning dogs an unprecedented 12 times, and has retired every national specialty conformation challenge trophy, including the Best in National Specialty Trophy twice.

Alicia’s 2007 national BISS, Ch. Kimani’s Aires Above the Ground, JC, ROM (Mafu), was also 2006 BOS to his full sister national BISS Ch. Kimani’s Lasting Impression JC, ROM, a first for siblings. Mafu has twice won BOB at Westminster, is the first American-bred Ridgeback to win a CC for Best Dog at Crufts, is a multiple Hound Group winner, and received Top Stud Dog honors for the past three years.

Alicia bred multiple all-breed BIS/BISS Ch. Kimani’s Blue Chip Image, JC, ROM, who also won the national three times, twice from the Veterans class. She is also the breeder of Ch. Kimani’s World Class, winner of the Scottish nationals.

Alicia has been instrumental in conquering hip dysplasia by utilizing OFA since its inception in the early 1960s. Through her dedication to testing her breeding stock, and her exemplary record, the OFA honored Alicia by naming her bitch Ch. Kimani’s Motion Picture II as the one-millionth dog screened.

As an AKC judge and a breed educator, Alicia has adjudicated at national specialties and also presented her seminar, "The Standard’s Image," in the United States and around the world, including two RR World Congresses.

Working Group – Lynn Brady and Connie Townsend
Szumeria Kuvasz

Lynn and Connie’s journey began with their first Kuvasz in 1990 and expanded in 1991 when they joined the Kuvasz Club of America. They have remained active in the KCA, serving in many leadership roles.

The lessons of talented mentors helped shape their breeding principles, which focus on temperament and quality. Health considerations are always in the forefront, reflected in multiple OFA Champions of Health awards.

Szumeria has achieved an impressive record, including over 45 BIS, 36 earned by GCh. Szumeria’s Wildwood Silver SixPence, and over 125 AKC champions and multiple Hall of Fame sires and dams. Three times they have owned and/or bred the top-winning Kuvasz in breed history.

Szumeria has won the KCA national specialty 13 times out of 20 nationals, with multiple BOS, BOW, WD, WB, AOM and HIT wins. They also have multiple BOBs at AKC/Eukanuba National Championships and multiple BOBs and group placements at Westminster. Their dogs have advanced titles in rally, obedience, and agility, competing in conformation, obedience, agility, rally, and tracking, and have won top Kuvasz of the Year in Versatility, seven times.

Lynn and Connie thank the wonderful people who have shared their wisdom, helping them become students of dogs. They continue their remarkable Kuvasz journey, dedicating themselves to learning and sharing.

Terrier Group – James W. Smith
Absolutely Smooth Fox Terriers

Jim attended his first dog show with a Dalmatian in 1956 and has been involved in the sport ever since. He quickly gravitated to the terrier rings and acquired a Wire Fox Terrier in 1957. His first Smooth came in 1962.

A Delegate for the Dalmatian Club of America for 26 years, Jim currently represents the Washington State Obedience Training Club. He is in his third separate term as president of the American Fox Terrier Club, having previously served as vice president, delegate, and secretary.

Jim was not active breeding and showing for a large part of the 1990s during his tenure as a member of the AKC board. He has also served on AKC ad hoc committees, most recently the one which revised the judges’ approval process.

In 1999, he acquired a Smooth from Eddie Boyes, and Jim’s interest and involvement has proceeded full speed ever since. Absolutely has produced over 50 bred, owned, and campaigned champions, Best in Show dogs, national and regional specialty winners, and numerous group winners. Preservation and maintenance of the breed are paramount, while adherence to the standard is constantly reviewed.

Jim’s greatest pleasure is sitting and watching puppies play and develop.

Toy Group – Tammy and John Simon
Ta-Jon Maltese

The Simons, of Collinsville, Oklahoma, celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary this month.

Tammy has been involved in dogs all of her life, and early on she knew they were her passion. Her main goal has been to produce and develop an outstanding line that would be consistent in the ring and whelping box.

To date, Ta-Jon Maltese has produced over 80 AKC champions and 115 all-breed Bests in Show, including Ch. Ta-Jon’s Tickle Me Silly, Ch. Ta-Jon’s Whose Your Sugar Daddy?, Ch. Ta-Jon’s Just Bee-Ing Silly, and Ch. Ta-Jon’s Pawsitively Pawparazzi. The Simons, who are AKC Breeder of Merit program participants, also have six national-specialty Best of Breed winners with four different Maltese to their credit. The Ta-Jon name is also recognized around the world with several World Winners and multiple BIS winners. Ta-Jon dogs are also seen excelling in the obedience, rally, and agility rings.

The Simons consider one of their greatest achievements producing and handling the top-winning Maltese in AKC history, Ch. Ta-Jon’s Tickle Me Silly. Silly was campaigned with Tammy as breeder and handler. During this campaign they amassed 103 all-breed Bests in Show, three national specialty BISS wins, number-one toy 1997 and 1998, and number-4 dog, all-breeds, in 1998. Tammy is also a member of the parent breed club, the American Maltese Association, where she has served in various specialty volunteer positions, including serving as a judge for the 2012 national-specialty sweepstakes competition.

Non-Sporting Group – Krista Nuovo
Delamer Schipperkes

Krista’s first Schipperke was purchased in 1984. Piloted by Krista as a 16-year-old junior hander, the dog garnered multiple group placements and a specialty Best in Show. Krista chose to attend college locally so she could continue to keep her dogs and concentrate on her breeding program. Her three foundation bitches were all BISS winners, one going on to win BOB at the national.

Krista has bred five national BOB winners, five National BOS, numerous National WD, WB and BW, and multiple Bests in Sweepstakes and Bests in Futurities. Accomplishments as a breeder include producing multiple all-breed BIS winners in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and Russia. Delamer kennels bred the all-time top Best in Show–winning Schipperke, BIS BISS Ch. Delamer Beach Blanket Baby, with 18 Bests in Show. Another Delamer standout was two-time national-specialty BISS BIS Ch. Delamer Pink Flamingo.

BIS BISS Ch. Delamer Fire Island Fox, the overall most-winning Schip, is a two-time Pedigree Award winner. Among her accomplishments: multiple all-breed BIS, national BOB, only Schipperke in history to place in the group at AKC/Eukanuba, only bitch in history to place in the group at Westminster, and the first Top 20 SCA Invitational winner.

Krista is immensely proud to have accomplished all this as a single woman on her own, proving if one is committed, dedicated, and stays true to one’s goal, great things are possible.

Herding Group – J. Frank Baylis and Chris Oldt
Bayshore Border Collies

Frank and Chris, of Toms Brook, Virginia, have been breeding and exhibiting under the Bayshore kennel prefix for many decades. In the late 1960s, Frank imported Border Collies to aid in the handling of his rare and endangered livestock. Thus a love was born. This love evolved by the early ’70s to include the Australian Shepherd. Chris became involved with the programs more than 20 years ago. Together, Frank and Chris have bred numerous top-winning dogs in their respective breeds. Of the five breeds for which they are actively involved, they’ve bred and/or owned the all-time top-winning Border Collie, Australian Shepherd, Chinese Crested, and Xoloitzcuintli. Since 1993 they have bred or owned over 20 number-one ranked dogs and have garnered more than 75 all-breed Best in Show awards.

Frank and Chris like to think of specialties as their specialty. In the last 20 years they have accumulated over 20 national specialty Best of Breed wins. When it comes to various wins at regional specialties, they’ve lost count.

Bayshore-bred dogs have achieved hundreds of championships and Herding Group wins. Some of proud moments: obtaining Highs in Trial in the herding arena, and winning the Heinz Pet Product Show Dog of the Year Award (formerly Quaker Oats) with their dog Flapjack, the Herding Group at Westminster with their Border Collie Merlin, and the Pastoral Group at Crufts with their bitch Judy.

At home Frank and Chris tend to their beloved rare and endangered livestock as well as the dogs. They do not look upon what they do as a mere hobby, but a way of life.

Read the press release from July 11, 2012.