The American Kennel Club Lifetime Achievement Awards were established in 1998. The purpose of the award is to celebrate those individuals whose many years of dedication have led to significant contributions to our sport on a national level.

As in the past, this year’s nominees were selected by AKC member clubs that cast their votes for one nominee in each of three categories: Conformation, Companion Events, and Performance. The three nominees receiving the most votes in each category were selected as the finalists. Member clubs have now been asked to cast their vote for one nominee in each of the three categories. This final round of balloting will close on September 14, 2009. A special presentation will be held in conjunction with the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in Long Beach, California in December 2009.

Nominees in Performance

Jackie Mertens

Jacquelyn (Jackie) Mertens, of Madison, Florida, has been a dedicated retriever enthusiast since establishing Topbrass Retrievers in 1968. She has bred or owned more than 130 FC’s/AFC’s, Master Hunters and Qualified All Age retrievers. She won the 1985 National Amateur Championship with FC NAFC Topbrass Cotton. Cotton is also the hi-point Golden of all time and was inducted into the Retriever Hall of Fame in 1993. He remains the only Golden Retriever to ever win the National Amateur title.

Jackie has judged almost 100 Open and Amateur Championship stakes, as well as the 1996 National Amateur Championship and 2003 National Open Championship. She also participated in numerous Judges’ Seminars and the Golden Retriever Club of America breeder symposiums.

Jackie was Chairman and Chief Marshal in AKC licensed Field Trials for over 30 years. She is past president of the National Open Retriever Club, served as Chairman and Chief Marshal of their Championship, and is the National Representative for the Golden Retriever Club of America. President of the Women’s Field Trial Club from 2000 – 2007 she was also a past president of the American Amateur Field Trial Club. She is currently on the Board of the Snow Bird Retriever Club and Women’s Field Trial Club.

Jackie has written many Retriever Training articles and created the training video, Sound Beginnings. Jackie was inducted into the Retriever Hall of Fame in Grand Junction, Tennessee in 2006.

Jo Ann Frier-Murza, of Crosswicks, New Jersey, has promoted the sport of den trials since 1972. She worked with the AKC advisory panel developing the earthdog program in 1993, and later, on its review panel. She has chaired, judged and hosted den trials and earthdog events for over 35 years. Jo Ann has developed a process to instill confidence in neophytes. She wrote Earthdog Ins & Outs, describing early history of earthdogs, breed characteristics, training techniques and hosting events. Jo Ann’s facility, Village Green Farm Earthdog Center, introduces numerous new dogs and assists advanced level dogs each year through classes and fun days.

Jo Ann was the founder of the New Jersey Beanfield Earthdogs Club and has been an officer or board member of the American Working Terrier Association, the Border Terrier Club of America, the Garden State All Terrier Club, the Princeton Dog Training Club and the Allgemeiner Schutzhund Klub, in addition to membership in the Dachshund Club of America. She has also been an active member of other allbreed and obedience clubs during her 38 years with purebred dogs. She has pursued earthdog titles with her own dogs, earning multiple Master Earthdog titles as well as field championships on four Dachshunds. She has also bred Border Terriers and shown them to conformation championships. Jo Ann has never abandoned a childhood interest in obedience and has earned titles on Bedlington, Bull and Border Terriers.

Wayne R. Price, of Navarre, Ohio, joined a Beagle Club in 1953, and began his lifelong career in the sport of Beagling. He held almost all offices from the club level to the president of the International Beagle Federation. Presently, he holds membership in two AKC member clubs: Beagle Club of Northern Ohio and Buckeye Beagle Club. Wayne competed with his hounds throughout the nation and has finished many field champions. He also judged many major federation events. In 1972, AKC appointed Wayne as an instructor of AKC Field Trial seminars. He traveled from coast to coast for 18 years, teaching at these seminars and most of today’s Beagle judges have attended one or more of them. Wayne served on the AKC Beagle Advisory Committee for eight consecutive years during the 1970s. At this time, Wayne is in his 35th year as a Contributing Editor of Hounds and Hunting, and writes a monthly column for Beagle magazine. He has never missed a deadline in the all those years, and beaglers everywhere rely upon this column to be kept informed. In recognition of the many contributions he has made to his chosen sport, he was elected in 1984 to the Beagling Hall of Fame, Beagling’s highest honor. Beagling has been a major part of his life and he continues to give generously of his time and knowledge