NEW YORK and ST. CHARLES,
Mo., Dec. 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/
-- Bring in the new year with one of the world's largest and
most prestigious dog shows, The AKC National Championship Presented
by Royal Canin, returns to Animal Planet as a three-hour special on
Monday, Jan. 1, 2020 at 6 p.m. ET/PT. An encore of the special will
air two hours following the conclusion of the premiere beginning at
midnight, and re-airs will be available on AKC.TV.
This year's AKC National Championship is the largest dog show in
North America and the LARGEST in
AKC history with 5,284 conformation entries from 50 states and
Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico
and 27 countries combined with competitions in Agility, Obedience,
Rally and Diving Dogs 5,724 entries, bringing the total event
entries to 11,008.
"Animal Planet is pleased to continue our annual tradition of
exclusively premiering the AKC National Championship Dog Show
Presented by Royal Canin on New Year's Day, which will allow our
audiences the opportunity to ring in 2020 with the nation's most
beloved dog breeds and top competitors," said Erin Wanner, Senior Vice President of Production
for Animal Planet.
Hosted by AKC Executive Secretary Gina
DiNardo and sportscaster Carolyn
Manno, the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal
Canin will feature dogs from around the world competing for various
titles across multiple events and more than $150,000 in prize money, the largest in the world
of dog shows. Noted sportscaster Mary
Carillo joins the broadcasting team this year as a featured
reporter with engaging interviews throughout the broadcast.
Audiences will see highlights from each competition category,
including agility, obedience and dock diving, and the show will
culminate with the highly anticipated Best in Show, judged by Mrs.
Dorothy N. Collier.
"Each year, we attract several thousand of the top canine
competitors from around the world as they compete to become
America's National Champion," said Dennis
Sprung, Show Chairman, and President and CEO of the AKC.
"The American Kennel Club is thrilled Animal Planet will once again
televise our signature event, where dog enthusiasts across the
country can witness the crowning of our 2019 AKC National
Champion.
Kamie Eckert, Royal Canin
USA President adds, "Royal Canin
is a company passionate about breeds and what makes each one
unique. That's why we are thrilled to share this passion with
audiences across the country on New Year's Day, as they tune in to
watch the National Championship on Animal Planet. Viewers can look
forward to seeing an action-packed show that highlights the
magnificent details that make dogs extraordinary."
B Live Productions will once again produce the TV broadcast and
livestream.
This year's show will again include the Eukanuba brand, which
helped the AKC create the event in 2001. Eukanuba will serve as the
sponsor of the AKC Humane Fund Awards for Canine Excellence (ACE),
as well as for the companion events – obedience, agility,
rally and dock diving.
AKC National Championship welcomes TropiClean Pet Products, a
leading manufacturer of pet, grooming and oral care products.
For more information please visit
www.akc.org/nationalchampionship.
ANIMAL PLANET
Animal Planet, one of Discovery, Inc.'s great global brands, is
dedicated to creating high quality content with global appeal
delivering on its mission to keep the childhood joy and wonder of
animals alive by bringing people up close in every way. Available
to 360 million homes in more than 205 countries and territories,
Animal Planet combines content that explores the undeniable bonds
forged between animals and humans, optimized across all screens
around the world. In the U.S., Animal Planet audiences can enjoy
their favorite programming anytime, anywhere through the Animal
Planet Go app which features live and on-demand access. For more
information, please visit www.animalplanet.com.
DISCOVERY, INC.
Discovery, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB,
DISCK) is a global leader in real life entertainment, serving a
passionate audience of superfans around the world with content that
inspires, informs and entertains. Discovery delivers over 8,000
hours of original programming each year and has category leadership
across deeply loved content genres around the world. Available in
220 countries and territories and nearly 50 languages, Discovery is
a platform innovator, reaching viewers on all screens, including TV
Everywhere products such as the GO portfolio of apps and Discovery
Kids Play; direct-to-consumer streaming services such as Eurosport
Player and Motor Trend OnDemand; digital-first and social content
from Group Nine Media and a strategic alliance with the PGA Tour to
create the Global Home of Golf. Discovery's portfolio of premium
brands includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TLC,
Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, Turbo/Velocity, Animal
Planet, and Science Channel, as well as OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network
in the U.S., Discovery Kids in Latin
America, and Eurosport, the leading provider of locally
relevant, premium sports and Home of the Olympic Games across
Europe. For more information,
please visit https://corporate.discovery.com and follow
@DiscoveryIncTV across social platforms.
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. Become a fan of the American Kennel Club on Facebook
and follow us on Twitter @AKCDogLovers.
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.
ROYAL CANIN USA
Royal
Canin USA is a leader in
science-based cat and dog health nutrition. Founded by a
veterinarian in 1968, Royal Canin has 50 years of experience in
delivering individualized nutritional solutions. In collaboration
with an expert team of nutritionists, breeders and veterinarians
from around the world, Royal Canin places cats and dogs at the
central point of the innovation process. The Royal Canin product
line offers a range of diets based on size, age, breed, lifestyle
and therapeutic requirements. Royal Canin diets are available at
veterinary hospitals and pet specialty stores nationwide. Royal
Canin is a subsidiary of Mars, Incorporated. To learn more about
Royal Canin, visit www.royalcanin.com and "LIKE" us on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/royalcanin.us.
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SOURCE American Kennel Club