Bennett Awards created a new custom perpetual award for the AKC (American Kennel Club) National Championship, presented by Royal Canin. There were over 7,000 entries for the 2016 AKC National Championship and other associated events held the same weekend, making it the largest dog event held in the United States since the AKC 1984 Centennial event, and the largest dog show North America.
The event sponsor, Royal Canin, and the AKC worked with Bennett Awards to create a new custom perpetual award for the Best in Show winner. The award was in the form a custom sculpted cup standing approximately 32” tall. In addition to a unique, stylized cup shape, other hand-sculpted details of the sculpture included ribbon-shaped handles, a rosette, a centerpiece plaque with the AKC National Championship logo, and the Royal Canon logo. The award was cast in bronze, and then completed in a gleaming high-polish finish. The custom cup sculpture is mounted and displayed on a two-tier black handcrafted hardwood base that holds individual medallions identifying each year’s Best in Show winner.
The 2016 Best in Show winner was GCHB CH Cordmaker Mister Blue Sky, a Puli known as “Preston,” owned by E. Charles, J. Beaudoin, L. Pitts, P. Kelly and S. Huebner. Preston triumphed over nearly 5,000 dogs to earn a $50,000 cash prize and the title of Best in Show title.
The 2016 AKC National Championship was held December 17-18, 2016, in Orlando, Florida.