FINALS
PRELIMINARIES
2026 JUNIOR SHOWMANSHIP JUDGES
FINALS
MR. MICHAEL FAULKNER | Center Cross, Virginia. Michael Faulkner’ s lifelong journey in the sport of dogs has encompassed junior showmanship, breeder owner handler, professional handler, judge, and mentor. His connection to Westminster began as a young exhibitor and breeder and has continued through multiple judging assignments as well as membership in The Westminster Kennel Club. An AKC judge for 30 years, he has officiated widely, with this year marking his13th Westminster judging assignment.
PRELIMINARIES
MR. JASON M. HOKE | Madison, Wisconsin. A second generation dog man, Jason Hoke began with German Shepherds before transitioning to Great Danes. He has also bred Wirehaired Dachshunds, Pekingese, and Maltese. He serves on the Board of Directors for both the Great Dane Club of America and the Pekingese Club of America, is an AKC delegate, and sits on the Dog Show Rules Committee. Approved to judge the Sporting, Hound, Toy, and Non Sporting Groups, he has officiated in 42 countries and at 12 National Specialties. A longtime presence at Westminster since the 1980s, he has judged four times, including the Toy Group and Junior Showmanship Finals, and has served as the Westminster Broadcast Analyst for FOX Sports for nine years.
MS. VALERIE NUNES ATKINSON | Temecula, California. A second generation breeder of German Shorthaired Pointers, Valerie Nunes Atkinson began in the sport at age seven with her family’ s first litter and has since built a breeding program that has produced the top winning GSP of all time, multiple # 1 dogs worldwide, and the 2016 Westminster Best in Show winner, CJ. Her career highlights at Westminster include winning Best Junior Handler at age 15, two Best in Show victories, numerous Sporting Group Firsts, and a Hound Group First with Lucy the Borzoi, Reserve Best in Show to CJ in 2016. As a professional handler, she is licensed to judge Junior Showmanship and has officiated both in the U. S. and internationally. She previously judged Best Junior Handler at Westminster and returns this year to judge the Junior Showmanship preliminaries.
WESTMINSTER. There’ s only one ® 39