Alan Kalter & Dr. Chris Lezotte Named 2016 AKC Breeder Of The Year

NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Alan Kalter and Dr. Chris Lezotte were presented with the 2016 AKC Breeder of the Year award for their HappyLegs Bullmastiffs at the AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin on Saturday, December 17, 2016.  The annual award honors those breeders who have made an impact on their breed and dedicated their lives to improving the health, temperament and quality of purebred dogs.

"We are proud to honor Alan Kalter and Dr. Chris Lezotte with the 2016 AKC Breeder of the Year award," said Dennis B. Sprung, AKC President and CEO. "The HappyLegs prefix has been associated with top quality Bullmastiffs in the United States and their influence on the breed will be seen for years to come."

One honoree is chosen from each of the seven groups: Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting, and Herding. From those seven, one Group winner is selected as "AKC Breeder of the Year" during the AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin, which was held this year in Orlando, Fla. December 17^th and 18^th.  Presentation highlights are available on www.akc.org.

As the 2016 AKC Breeder of the Year recipient, Alan Kalter and Dr. Chris Lezotte will be honored with a commission from a canine portraitist to memorialize a prominent dog from their kennel and their names will be inscribed on a perpetual trophy, both of which will be displayed at the AKC headquarters in New York City. 

About HappyLegs Bullmastiffs

Chris and Alan have bred or owned 160 titleholders; these include specialty winners, Best in Show winners, Westminster winners, top producers and five generations of group winners. But as they wind down their breeding program after 30 years in the sport, they hope to be remembered not for their dogs' accomplishments, but for their efforts to incorporate soundness, structure, and "happy legs" into the Bullmastiff breed for generations to come.

All seven Group honorees were presented with medallions during the show on December 17, 2016.  Group winners included:

• Sporting Group: Dorothea (Dot) Vooris Simberlund, Fieldfine German Shorthaired Pointers
• Hound Group: Ray and Jana Brinlee, Jaraluv Scottish Deerhounds
• Working Group: Alan Kalter & Dr. Chris Lezotte, HappyLegs Bullmastiffs
• Terrier Group: Joan Huber, Blythewood Miniature Schnauzers
• Toy Group: Max E. Hurd, Hurd's Chihuahuas
• Non-Sporting Group: Susan and Gary Carr, Salishan Tibetan Terriers
• Herding Group: Terry Miller and Dominique Dube, Deja Vu/Popsakadoo Briards

For more information on all of the AKC Breeder of the Year Group honorees, click here. 

About the American Kennel Club
Founded in 1884, the American Kennel Club is a not-for-profit organization which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function.  Along with its more than 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 22,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Reunite and the AKC Museum of the Dog.  For more information, visit www.akc.org.

AKC, American Kennel Club, the American Kennel Club seal and design, and all associated marks and logos are trademarks, registered trademarks and service marks of The American Kennel Club, Inc.

Become a fan of the American Kennel Club on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @AKCDogLovers

SOURCE American Kennel Club

Related Links

http://www.akc.org