MASTERS OBEDIENCE
Championship
Superstar obedience dogs and their handlers will compete in the 9th Annual Masters Obedience Championship at Westminster as part of the Westminster Kennel Club ’ s Canine Celebration Day on Saturday , May 11 , 2024 .
The sport of dog obedience demonstrates a handler and a dog ’ s ability to work as a team . A judge evaluates the team ’ s performance as they navigate through exercises designed to test the dog ’ s ability to follow commands . Some exercises include heeling off-leash , hand signals to stand , down , and sit ; coming to the handler ; retrieving over a jump ; broad jump ; directed retrieve ; directed jumping , and scent discrimination .
The title of Masters Obedience Champion is awarded to the top dog in this invitation-only competition . The top 200 dogs , based on AKC Obedience Trial Champion points earned during a specific period , will be invited along with the winners of the previous year ’ s Masters Obedience Championship , AKC Classic Master Class , and AKC National Obedience Championship . Only 25 entries are accepted for this limited competition . This year ’ s event will continue the tradition , like Agility , of including mixed-breed dogs enrolled in the AKC ’ s Canine Partners program .
Dog obedience competitions began in the mid-1930s . Westminster first staged obedience exhibitions and test classes in 1939 and 1940 , and legendary trainer Blanche Sanders directed demonstrations in 1947 and 1949 . Westminster had another obedience demonstration in 1956 . It wasn ’ t until 2016 , combined with the added space provided by an expanded venue , that Obedience returned to Westminster .
The Masters Obedience Championship is a unique event in the sport of Obedience in that it consists of two rounds of AKC-approved exercises . One round will contain Open B exercises , and the other round will have Utility B exercises . First through fourth placements will be awarded in each round , with the highest-scoring team from either round awarded High in Trial . The combined individual qualifying scores from both rounds will determine the Masters Obedience Champion . The Westminster Kennel Club donates $ 5,000 to honor the winner of the Masters Obedience Championship to an AKC training club of their choice or the AKC Humane Fund .
2024 MASTERS OBEDIENCE JUDGES
MRS . BARBARA “ BARB ” WEDEKIND SELTON of Bloomington , Minnesota . Judging Obedience has taken Mrs . Barb Wedekind Selton to so many fabulous places across North America ; from Alaska to Texas , from Hawaii to New York , from Canada to Florida and everywhere in between . She loves to judge because she is passionate about the sport and loves giving back to the Obedience community , who has given her so much for the past 43 years . Over the years , Barb has enjoyed showing her Golden Retrievers in Obedience , Rally , Agility , and Therapy Work , and continues to show to this day .
Barb has been honored to have judged the AKC National Obedience Championship , AKC Rally
National Championship , and the AKC Obedience Classic , and she now is honored and looks forward to judging the 9th Annual Master Obedience Championship at Westminster with all of the phenomenal handlers and their dogs .
WESTMINSTER . There ’ s only one ® 35