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Meet the 2026 AKC National Obedience Championship Winners
The nation’s most obedient dogs gathered for the 32st year to crown their National Obedience Champion, this year at the Roberts Center in Wilmington, Ohio. The 2026 National Obedience Championship took place over the course of two packed days of competition on July 16 and 17.
The 2026 obedience competition saw dog-and-handler teams from 33 different states, representing 43 different dog breeds. Golden Retrievers made up the highest represented breed with 34 dogs, and Border Collies and Labrador Retrievers came up next with 23 and 12 dogs respectively. Many dogs were the only representatives of their breed, including the Airedale Terrier, Norwegian Elkhound, Siberian Husky, and Shih Tzu.
The competition was head to head over three rounds: first narrowed down to the Group and Top 50 teams placements on Friday morning. The Top 50 then narrowed to the Top 20, who would then battle it out on Friday afternoon to determine the top Top 10 teams in each division.
The top four dogs in each group were recognized: Herding, Hound, Non-Sporting, Sporting, Terrier, Toy, and Working. Meet the overall champion, Golden Retriever “Swift,” plus the top 10 obedience teams in the country.
Crowning the Obedience Winner
The AKC National Obedience Championship has a new champion for 2026: 7 year old Swift the Golden Retriever, handled by Mara Wacker of Hastings, Minnesota. Wacker and Swift (TCH3 Surefire Up To Speed UDX2 OM4 MH) came in second place at last year’s competition, and Wacker has been doing obedience since she was 11 years old.
The 2026 AKC National Obedience Championship Top 10
2026 AKC National Obedience Champion
Call Name: Swift
Breed: Golden Retriever
Registered Name: OTCH3 Surefire Up To Speed UDX2 OM4 MH
Handler: Mara Wacker
Owners: Mara Wacker
Hometown: Hastings, Minnesota
Score: 515.5
Second Place
Call Name: Cookie
Breed: Belgian Malinois
Registered Name: OTCH12 Cookie God Of War UDX13 OGM BN RN
Handler: Jennifer Weinik
Owners: Jennifer Weinik
Hometown: Pipersville, PA
Score: 515.0
Third Place
Call Name: Smidge
Breed: Golden Retriever
Registered Name: OTCH2 Rifka Lil’ Bit Of Bacon UDX OM2 MH
Handler: Mara Wacker
Owners: Mara Wacker
Hometown: Hastings, MN
Score: 514.5 ++
Fourth Place
Call Name: Zayne
Breed: Border Collie
Registered Name: RNC TC OTCH18 AGCH MACH5 PACH RACH3 Norwood Color Me Zayne UDX19 OGM RM6 RAE6 HSAd HSBds HXAds HXBd HXDs MXC
PDS MJC PJS MXPB MJP3 MJPB PAX MFG TQX MFP T2B5
Handler: Kimberly Berkley
Owners: Kimberly Berkley
Hometown: Caseyville, IL
Score: 514.5+
Fifth Place
Call Name: Link
Breed: Golden Retriever
Registered Name: OTCH Wynwood’s It’s Dangerous To Go Alone UDX OM2
Handler: Ted Stirm
Owners: Ted Stirm
Hometown: Livermore, CA
Score: 514.5
Sixth Place
Call Name: Zuko
Breed: Border Collie
Registered Name: RNC TC OTCH13 MACH3 RACH2 Bolser Zuko You’re The One UDX14 OGM RM4 RAE4 HSAd HSBds HXAds HXBd HXDs MXC PDS MJC
PJD MFG TQX T2B5
Handler: Kim Berkley
Owners: Kim Berkley, Megan Harrison
Hometown: Caseyville, IL
Score: 514.0+
Seventh Place
Call Name: Dell
Breed: Border Collie
Registered Name: OTCH11 HC MACH2 RACH Rapideye Wireless Dell UDX12 PCDX OGM VER RM2 RAE2 HSAs HSBs HIBs HXAds MXG MJS MXF TQX
T2B2
Handler: Mary Whorton
Owners: Mary Whorton
Hometown: Rougemont, NC
Score: 514.0
Eighth Place
Call Name: Crunch
Breed: Golden Retriever
Registered Name: OTCH2 Rifka Bake It To The Limit UDX3 OM6 CGC
Handler: Kathy Harvey
Owners: Kathy Harvey
Hometown: Lakeville, MN
Score: 513.0+
Ninth Place
Call Name: Sailor
Breed: Border Collie
Registered Name: GCHB CH OTCH5 Star Power’s All The Way Up UDX5 OM9
Handler: Lara Avery
Owners: Lara Avery
Hometown: Somers, CT
Score: 513.0
Tenth Place
Call Name: Cord
Breed: Border Collie
Registered Name: OTCH10 Rapideye Untethered UDX8 OGM HSBs HIBs
Handler: Marion Crain
Owners: Marion Crain
Hometown: Byrnes Mill, MO
Score: 512.0+
AKC National Obedience Championship Group Winners
The top four dogs of each Group were given awards after Sunday’s competition. Here are the winners from each group: Herding, Hound, Non-Sporting, Sporting, Terrier, Toy, Working, and All-American Dog.
Herding Group
Call Name: Sailor
Breed: Border Collie
Registered Name: GCHB CH OTCH5 Star Power’s All The Way Up UDX5 OM9
Handler: Lara Avery
Owners: Lara Avery
Hometown: Somers, CT
Score: 734.5+
Hound Group
Call Name: Nija
Breed: Norwegian Elkhound
Registered Name: CH OTCH Rijeka Just Play It Again Nija UDX4 PCD OM8 BN RA
Handler: Renee Schmidt
Owners: Renee Schmidt/Steven Schmidt
Hometown: Gardner, KS
Score: 645.0
Non-Sporting Group
Call Name: Lumen
Breed: Poodle
Registered Name: OTCH2 MACH Mlk’s Lumen UDX6 OM9 RE MXB MJB NF T2B DS CGC
Handler: Morgan Kramer
Owners: Morgan Kramer
Hometown: Caseyville, IL
Score: 723.0
Sporting Group
Call Name: Squeeze
Breed: Golden Retriever
Registered Name: OTCH5 High Times Squeeze The Day UDX4 OM7 MH
Handler: Sharri Sibert
Owners: Sharri Sibert
Hometown: Schoolcraft, MI
Score: 734.5+
Terrier Group
Call Name: Tanner
Breed: Airedale Terrier
Registered Name: OTCH Pipestone’s Fine Tanned Leather UDX3 PCD OM6 BN VER SHA JHR FTI
Handler: Anita Smits
Owners: Anita Smits and Scott Lichty
Hometown: Bloomington, MN
Score: 728.5
Toy Group
Call Name: Wilson
Breed: Pomeranian
Registered Name: Jan Le’s Fly Me To The Moon UD OM2
Handler: Peggy McGrath
Owners: Peggy McGrath
Hometown: Shelbyville, KY
Score: 681.5
Working Group
Call Name: Teekon
Breed: Siberian Husky
Registered Name: OTCH2 Yetieska’s Silver Lining Of Tshaji UDX5 OM9 BN RE CGCA CGCU TKA
Handler: Sharon Wendelgass
Owners: Sharon and Jim Wendelgass
Hometown: Chester Springs, PA
Score: 713.0
Want to Get Involved in Obedience?
If you’re interested in the AKC National Obedience Championship and want to know how to get started yourself, all you need is five minutes a day with your dog. Getting started in obedience with your dog is an easy way to work on cues that can be utilized in everyday life. Strengthen your bond with your dog by going to an obedience class. Who knows – maybe you’ll be the next team competing at the AKC National Obedience Championship!
