BREED JUDGE

My life in dogs started when I was 16 years old, showing my Rough Collie in obedience competition. I then went on to show and breed Rough Collies in conformation.

I bought my first Bouvier des Flandres in 1982, and that became my primary breed. While I have not had many litters over the years, I have had dogs that won Best of Breed, Select Dog, and Award of Merit at the Bouvier des Flandres National Specialty, and that are Multiple Group Winners.

In 2000, I started my judging career with the Bouvier des Flandres. I currently judge the Herding Group, the Non-sporting Group, nine Working Breeds, fourteen Sporting Breeds and seven Terrier breeds. I was delighted to judge at Westminster in 2013, judging several of the herding breeds.

I currently own an Lagotto Romagnolo, a Bouvier des Flandres, and a German Shorthair Pointer. I discovered Scentwork and love it! Both the Bouvier and the Lagotto are competing in scent work. I love to garden and enjoy photography. I also have a horse that I used to ride and drive, but is now retired. My husband and I live on approximately 15 acres.

SWEEPSTAKES JUDGE

Groves is a retired business consultant, turned buffalo rancher, who has a great love for purebred dogs.  She had large breed dogs growing up, then Basset Hounds for 20 years raising her kids, and then switched to Bloodhounds about 25 years ago.

Groves participates in conformation, has done a little in rally and obedience, plus some newer sports such as Dock Diving and FastCAT.  Marlene was blessed to have her granddaughter (Karissa) jump into the sport and that brought her to the Junior Showmanship ring where she not only supported her granddaughter, but about any other junior around.

Groves selectively breeds bloodhounds to the AKC breed standard, but also breeds them to work and trail (and not trail for fun, but trail for real).  Champions, grand champions, group placers and group winners, national sweeps and multiple futurity winners, awards of merits, multiple top 20 invitees and best in specialty show are indeed great accomplishments; but her proudest breeder achievement is her 2016 AKC Ace Award Winning Bloodhound, K9 Radar (this bloodhound has put away over 30 murderers and solved hundreds of other important cases).   

She places a high value on volunteering and advocating for the sport.  She has served on boards for Arapahoe KC, Colorado Federation of Dog Clubs, Plum Creek KC, Rocky Mountain Hound Club and South Central Bloodhound Club.  Currently she is the AKC Delegate for Plum Creek KC, the Rocky Mountain Bloodhound Club President and Colorado Junior Foundation President.

Groves does not take the honor of being an AKC Judge lightly, so she pours much time and energy into learning from long time breed experts.  She is thankful for all her mentors and will always help to educate anyone willing to learn about her breed and/or the sport of dogs!

Marlene is married (50 years to David Groves); has two children, five grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.  Besides her family, her buffalo and her bloodhounds, her other interests are hiking (or just being outdoors), and for her artsy side she enjoys all things mosaics!

FUTURITY JUDGE

Growing up being a second generation member of a dog show family, I was active in our family’s breeding and showing of Sanrick Bouviers. Also participating in Junior Showmanship. In 1987 I picked out and raised my first owned Bouvier who went on to become an American and Canadian Champion, multiple group winning dog. Sanrick Bouviers had 26 litters with multiple Champions and titled dogs, with the last litter produced in 2008.

I was an all-breed professional handler traveling throughout Canada and the US for over 25 years. After retiring from handling, I opened a grooming shop in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario. I got married and moved to Michigan and eventually Florida. 

 I have attended over 30+ years of the American Bouvier Club national specialties, most of the time stewarding at the show. I have also attended Bouvier specialties in Holland as well as various other regional specialties. 

 I am an AKC Certified Ring Steward and attend all-breed shows doing ring stewarding. I am also working in my AKC Judges License for Junior Showmanship and Bouviers. Lifetime member of Canadian Kennel Club.

OBEDIENCE & RALLY JUDGE

After 20 years of riding and showing Quarter Horses, I acquired my first show dog, a Bouvier named Amos. My Novice A dog took me on a wonderful journey into the world of dog competition.  The very first thing I did was sign him up for obedience class.  Our first obedience trial was the Bouvier Nationals in 1995, where he earned his first CD leg.  Amos eventually earned his UD, 8 UDX legs, an HX and an AX before retiring.

Since then I have competed with 9 other Bouviers in AKC events, including obedience, agility, herding, scent work and tracking.  Four of my dogs have become herding champions and nine have earned advanced herding titles on multiple livestock.  Eight of my dogs have been conformation champions.  seven have earned UD’s and three have earned UDX’s. My current dog, Dillon, is now competing in open and utility in hopes of earning his UDX.  The newest member of my Bouvier family, Striker, has also begun his career by earning a Herding Capability title and Novice Scentwork titles in containers, interiors and exteriors. I was privileged to compete at the 2006 National Obedience Championship in Long Beach, California with Grover and the 2023 NOC in Wilmington, Ohio with Painter.

When Rally was introduced by AKC, I also started training and showing my dogs in Rally, earning RAE’s on 6 of my dogs.  Dillon earned his Rally Championship last November and was privileged to compete at the Rally National Championship in 2023.

My Bouviers have been honored yearly at the Bouvier Nationals by being in the Performance Top 20, earning the Multiple Level Performance award, Obedience Owner Handler Award and High in Trials in both obedience and herding.  I am currently the performance and herding chair for the ABdFC.

I have competed in carting with 4 of my dogs.  Nike and Callie earned Master Draft Dog titles and Painter, at the 2022 Bouvier Nationals completed the requirements for Champion Draft Dog.  Dillon earned his draft dog title at the 2024 Nationals.

In 2010 I realized a goal of mine by becoming an AKC obedience and Rally judge.  I have enjoyed my judging experiences in different parts of the country, especially my trips to Tulsa, Oklahoma to judge the very first Rally National Competition in 2013 and to Orlando, Florida to judge the Obedience Classic in 2016.  In 2019 and 2024 I was honored to judge the AKC National Obedience Championship.

BREED JUDGE

Mr. Shreve was raised in Sioux Falls, SD. with a smooth fox terrier as his best friend.  Shortly after graduating from college a fraternity brother offered Bob a German Shepherd puppy.  In 1968 the Shreve children decide that the Shepherd was too big for doll clothes and they wanted a smaller dog.  As a 10th anniversary present to his wife Bob purchased a West Highland White Terrier.  Within a year the eldest daughter was given a Wire Fox Terrier and for the next 25 years Bob and Marietta bred Westies and Wires Foxes and showed them through the Rocky Mountain region.

Bob was elected President of Greeley Kennel Club in 1971 and served as president on five occasions for a total of 21 years.   He also served six years on the Board of Directors of the West Highland White Terrier Club of America.

Bob was granted approval to judge Fox Terriers and West Highland White Terriers on April 14, 1978.   He received his approval to judge the Terrier Group January 1, 1988, Herding Group in 1994, Working Group in 2002, Sporting Group in 2010 and Non-Sporting Group in 2014.  During the past forty plus years, Bob has attended 200 breed seminars and over 135 National Specialties.  Currently Bob judges 50 and 60 All Breed Shows and 5 or 6 Specialty Shows a year.

He has judge National Specialties and companion specialties to National Specialties for Labrador Retriever, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Flat Coat Retrievers, Wire Haired Pointed Griffon, Otter Hounds, Anatolian Shepherds, Akitas, Kerry Blue Terriers, West Highland White Terriers (3),  Australian Cattle Dogs, Polish Lowland Sheep Dogs and top twenty for the German Short Hair Pointers, Spinoni Italiani.  Alaskan Malamutes, Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, Great Pyrenees, Keeshond, Tibetan Terriers, Lhasa Apsos and Bouvier des Flanders.   

Internationally he has judged in Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, Columbia, Mexico, New Zealand, and Thailand.

Bob graduated from the University of Minnesota with a B.A. in Art and Architecture and a Masters in Architecture.   In1993 he opened and continues to work at Robert Shreve Architects and Planners specializing in industrial, commercial and educational structures.

SWEEPSTAKES JUDGE

The Bouvier des Flandres is a breed very dear to my heart.  My first employer bred and showed Bouvs and it was where I was first introduced to the sport of purebred dogs. I can recall many, many fond memories of this fabulous breed.

I have been associated with Borzoi for close to 40 years in showing, breeding, lure coursing and judging.  Several dogs I’ve bred, owned and co-owned went on to become specialty winners and one taking Best of Breed at Borzoi Club of America’s Centennial National Specialty in 2004.  Six years ago, I ventured into the world of Greyhounds when I finished my first Greyhound champion and bred my first litter which has produced a specialty winner so far!

I ventured into judging Hound breeds nearly 15 years ago and hope to finish the group in 2025.

I am deeply honored to be asked to judge sweepstakes and am so looking forward to meeting you all and your wonderful breed once again after so many years.