ANNUAL AWARDS

Awards are presented at the national specialty banquet based on the previous year results, defined as January 1st to December 31st. AKC official records are used to determine recipients, and only members of the LCA are eligible. The first owner of a dog listed in the AKC report will be the named recipient.

*Awards that require an application form must be submitted to awards chair by the end of the qualifying year.

The AKC Lowchen Monthly Titles Report will be published in ByLions and HeadLions. It is the responsibility of the members to review the reports and contact AKC if any corrections need to be made. The Awards Chair determines recipients by AKC records only and will not be reviewing for accuracy.

TOP ALL-BREED DOG/BITCH: The #1 All-Breed pointed Dog and Bitch.
TOP BREED DOG/BITCH: The #1 Breed pointed Dog and Bitch.
TOP OWNER HANDLED DOG/BITCH: The #1 NOHS pointed Dog and Bitch.
TOP STUD/DAM: The Stud and Dam who produced the most Conformation Champions.
TOP BREEDER: The breeder or co-breeder(s) with the most Conformation Champions.
*REGISTER OF MERIT: Studs are eligible when they have produced at least five (5) get who are finished champions or have earned performance titles. Dams are eligible when they have produced at least three (3) get who are finished champions or have earned performance titles.
*REGISTER OF MERIT KENNEL: The breeder must be listed on at least ten Lowchen who are finished Champions or have Performance titles. The Lowchen do not have to come from the same Stud/Dam.
*VERSATILITY: The Lowchen that earned a title in three different sports. The dog may only receive one award per level.
*LIFETIME: This award is for the Lowchen that throughout their career/lifetime has achieved the consistent high-level performance in sports, conformation and/or breeding. The Lowchen must be 8 years old or older and has reached the top of their career sports. Request form from Pat Roach.
*HALL OF FAME: This award is for the Lowchen that is the first to achieve a title, combination of titles, or award(s) deemed to be amongst the highest achievements in conformation or performance sports. Request form from Pat Roach.
CAROL STRONG: This trophy is to recognize “Puppy Breeder of the Year.” This is a Lowchen sculpture offered by Greg Strong, Carla Viggiano, Jeanne, and Charles Hurty in honor of Carol A. Strong. This award ends in 2024.
Definitions:

"Puppy" defined as being between 6 months and 18 months of age. The award is meant to be for the Breeder who has AKC conformation championship titles on the most number of puppies within the calendar year (January to December). Title defined as AKC recognized Conformation title (CHAMPION)

Calculation:

Winner: Based on the most number of puppies finished between the ages of 6-18 months within the calendar year - January to December. i.e., first award is based on titled puppies in 2010 calendar year.
1st Tie Situation: The Breeder with the youngest accumulative total in months and days for each breeders list of finished dogs. (i.e., 2 dogs, one at 10 months/2 days and one at 9 months/10 days would equal 19 months and 12 days.)
2nd Tie Situation: In the event of a 2nd tie situation, the breeder with the most number of points collectively for their dogs between the ages of 6 – 18 months and limited to each individual dog’s date of title determined by the AKC would win. (i.e., if one dog had 16 points and another 18 the total would be 34 for that breeder)

Eligibility & Results:

Breeders must be current Lowchen Club of America Members.
Breeder defined as the primary person (first listed as breeder) whose kennel name is registered on the litter with the AKC. You cannot just be a co-breeder/owner of numerous litters to be eligible for this award.
Award can only be won once every three years to allow all breeders to fairly compete without fear of a larger kennel operation having the ability to monopolize the award.
BIHAR is ineligible for this award although the individuals associated with BIHAR can compete under their individual kennel names (Dungloe, Tapestry, and Windsor) even though they also carry the BIHAR prefix.
The Awards Chair determines the winner based on the official titles report received from AKC. A copy of all computations must be submitted to Board for retention in club records.
The winner will be announced at the National Banquet each year.

PERFORMANCE LOWCHEN OF THE YEAR: To be eligible the owner(s) must be a member of the LCA for the full calendar year being tabulated. Each titled earned will receive points based on its point value. The winners will be determined by the highest cumulative points earned. The winners will receive a gift card and certificate for 1st $75, 2nd $50, 3rd $25. In the event of a tie or other unusual circumstances, the LCA Board will vote to determine the winner.

Versatile Companion Champion, 10 Points
Placement at National Championships, 5 Points
Complete a track at the National Tracking Invitations, 5 Points

All prefix titles, 5 points:
Agility - MACH, PACH, AGCH
Obedience - OTCH, POC
Rally - RACH
Tracking - CT

Suffix titles that require qualifying scores usually from AKC Judges
Advanced suffix titles, 4 points:
Agility - FTC, FTCP, MXF, MFB, MFC, MFG, MFP, MFPB, MFPC, MFPG, MFPS, MFS - MXJ, MJB, MJC, MJG, MJP, MJPB, MJPC, MJPG, MJPS, MJS - MX, MXB, MXS, MXC, MXG, MXP, MXPB, MXPC, MXPG, MXPS - PAD, PJD - PAX - TQX, TQXP
Obedience - OM, OGM, PUDX, UDX
Rally - RAE, RM
Scent Work - SCNE, SCAE, SCEE, SCME, SINE, SIAE, SIEE, SIME, SENE, SEAE, SEEE, SEME, SBNE, SBAE, SBEE, SBME, SHDNE, SHDAE, SHDEE, SHDME, SWD
Coursing Ability - CAX, CAX2

Title Recognition Program, 4points:
Barn Hunt - RATM, RATCh, RATChX, CZ8P
Fly Ball - ONXY
Dock Diving - DE, DEA, DEX, AE, AEA, AEX

Other suffix titles, 3 points:
Agility - AX, AXJ, AXP, AJP, NA, NAJ, NAP, NJP, NF, NFP, OA, OAJ, OAP, OJP, OF, OFP, T2B, T2BP, XF, XFP
Obedience - BN, CD, CDX, GN, GO, PCD, PCDX, UD, PUTD, VER
Rally - RN, RI, RA, RE
Tracking - TD, TDU, TDX, VST
Scent Work - SCN, SCA, SCE, SCM, SIN, SIA, SIE, SIM, SEN, SEA, SEE, SEM, SBN, SBA, SBE, SBM, SHDN, SHDA, SHDE, SHDM
Coursing Ability - CA, CAA, BCAT, DCAT, FCAT

Title Recognition Program, 3 points:
Barn Hunt - RATN, RATO, RATS, CZ8B, CZ8S, CZ8G
Fly Ball (AKC recognizes three titles) - FDCH, FM
Dock Diving - DN, DJ, DS, DM, DNA, DJA, DSA, DMA, DNX, DJX, DSX, DMX, AN, AJ, AS, AM, ANA, AJA, ASA, AMA, ANX, AJX, ASX, AMX

Titles that require qualifying scores by approved AKC evaluators to receive a certificate, 2 points:
Temperament Test - ATT
Farm Dog Certification - FDC

1 point:
Canine Good Citizen - CGC, CGCA, CGCU
Trick Dog - TXN, TKI, TKA, TKP, TKE
Therapy Dog - THDN, THD, THDA, THDX, THDD, THDS
Virtual Home Manners - VHMP VHMA

BONNIE SHELMANDINE AWARD: The purpose of the is to recognize those handlers and Löwchens who participate in multiple sports. The winners will receive a gift card and certificate for 1st $75, 2nd $50, 3rd $25, for Award of Merit only a certificate will be given.
Eligibility Criteria:

The same handler and Löwchen must complete two titles in the same year.
Each title must be from a different sport, for example: Rally Novice and Scent Work Container Novice

Sports titles that are eligible:

Any Companion/ Performance event titles and AKC Family Home Program titles.
Also, titles from non-AKC service and sports organizations that AKC recognize through the Title Recognition Programs are eligible to cumulate points toward the Award.

Calculation of Points: The award will be determined by the highest cumulative points earn in the calendar year. In the event of a tie or other unusual circumstances, the LCA Board will vote to determine the winner.
Each pair of titles earned will receive two (2) points except for certificate titles (AKC Family Home Program titles.) Three (3) certificate titles and one (1) sports title will be needed to be pair in order to be awarded two (2) points, for example: Canine Good Citizen-Virtual Home Manners Adult-Farm Dog Certified paired with BCAT. A title can only be used once.