2024 Autumn Oaks Bench Show Judges
Autumn Oaks will be held August 29-September 1
July 1, 2024
Source: Trevor Wade
Job Title: Coonhound Program Manager
Email: twade@ukcdogs.com
The 2024 Autumn Oaks will be held August 29 - September 1, 2024, in Richmond, Indiana. You can head to the event page to see more information as we get closer.
For the Judging Schedule, see Page 4 of the full Autumn Oaks event ad (PDF).
Penny Turner
My name is Penny Turner, and I had my start in coonhounds in the early 90's when I went coon hunting with some redtick English Coonhounds and took a long hike up and over a couple "hills" in southeastern Kentucky. I can't believe I went back but I did and the rest, as they say, is history. By 1992, I was trying my hand in my first bench show. It's been a long journey. I have had some amazing experiences being around these hounds. I have traveled to many remote places and met a diversity of people. I have thoroughly enjoyed this ride I've been on and hope to continue yet still for a few more years.
I am so pleased and honored to have been asked to judge Autumn Oaks, and I appreciate the faith UKC has placed in me. I can't promise to make every exhibitor a winner, but I can promise to give each and every hound a fair look and give the handlers an honest chance to show that dog to me.
So, for those that might not know me, I'll just say in my 30+ years of being around these hounds, I've developed a sincere appreciation for the athleticism, intelligence and grace of a well-built hound who performs the way the handler asks him to, both in the woods and on the bench. I admit I started with very humble beginnings. I first got hooked on hunting and loved traipsing through the woods, pleasure hunting and even tried my hand at competition hunting a hound or two. It didn't take me long to realize I didn't have that competitive edge to be successful in the hunts. When all dogs would run in there and strike a hot track and all dogs go to opening and handlers yelling "Strike mine" "Strike mine" my feeble "Well strike mine too!" just didn't cut it. LOL! But once I saw my first Autumn Oaks Show I saw a venue I knew immediately I wanted to learn more about. Of course, that was when Autumn Oaks was a one day show out under the outside arena in the dirt. Ah, memories!
Showing is about your relationship and efforts between you and your dog, and I realized early that big shows are won at home before you ever arrive at the show grounds. I knew I wanted to learn how to make a dog look good and show it's best. And I've always liked having my dogs go into the ring gaiting smoothly and effortlessly.
I did manage to finish one little female I remember fondly I got from Tony Lusch years ago in the mid-1990's, Penny's Ambraw Maybeline to Nite Champion, but alas she would be my only Nite Champion. Maybeline was a fine little English redtick coonhound who had nice little feet and would run and tree her little heart out. I realize today she wasn't a world beater, but she was the best I had, and she taught me a lot! I loved that little female! So, my first "show dogs" were actually the hunting dogs we had at the time and looking back I did what I could, showing locally and enjoying it, but deep down I wanted to get better dogs! I'll never forget in the early 90's seeing Mike Seets show a pretty little tri-color female at the AKC World Show in Crittenden, KY. Back then the hunt was conducted most all week and I went up and watched the show that Saturday. I thought to myself, "I want a hound like that. She's so nice!" Guess I had good taste, that was the young puppy version of the first English World Show Champion, Don and Vickie Hill's "Little Bobbie Lou" bred by Mike Seets.
Around 1999 as life takes its twists and turns I ended up married to a long time Treeing Walker lifetime member who "insisted" it would be easier if we had one breed of coonhounds and that was the Treeing Walker coonhounds. So, for about 7 - 8 years I sported Treeing Walkers and realized how hard it was to have a truly outstanding Treeing Walker hound because the Treeing Walker breed was (and still is) so tough! But my first "BIG" win was 2005 Autumn Oaks National Grand Champion with a nice young Treeing Walker male named Mundar Rick owned by Stacey Criswell. I had no idea Rick would give me a taste of what it would be like to win at the National level, but he did, and I wanted to get back there!
My lifelong friendship with Christina Officer afforded me the opportunity to own and co-own a few super fantastic Plott hounds. While Caudill's Black Monday was a long legged, super freakish footed Plott male who went on to win big things for Amanda Alexander, it was County Line Krueger a.k.a. "Freddie" who would spend his life with me, putting me in the winner's circle time and time again. He won Plott Days King of Show a couple of times, Purina Breed show winner, World Show breed winner and was 2008 National Grand Champion Reserve & Opposite Sex winner to the beautiful Treeing Walker female, Jewel. Freddie had a friendly personality which is not always the norm for a Plott, he was tenacious on coon and loved to show and had great feet and a smooth topline. A piece of me died with him! He is fondly remembered!!
Another one of life's turns happened in 2008 when I was widowed with 2 small children aged 5 and 7. I had a lot to adjust to and during this time I decided to return to the hounds of my heart, my ticked up English coonhounds. It took me some time but in 2009 I purchased a young female from an ad on the UKC message forum and that female put me back on a path I'm still riding. She was Kentucky Mtn Cinderella Girl and she was a white and red female with a pretty turn of stifle, an almost 4 generation All Grand Nite pedigree and would eventually go on to win English Days Queen of Show twice, Southern English Days Queen of Show, National Grand Champion English and was the UKC World Show English Breed winner 5 straight years 2009 - 2013 culminating in winning the 2013 UKC Overall World Show Champion in Elizabethtown, KY. This was a feat we all dream of, but as it was happening, I was fully aware of how special it really was.
I will always fondly remember being in the final ring alongside the late, great Becky Church and Stanley sporting a show lead I'd purchased from Becky and having Cindy glide around the ring on that lead. One of my most prized possessions to this day is a silver pawprint pendant gifted to me by Ladonna Williams. I'd admired her wearing it early that morning and offered to buy one like it, she said that if I won the show that day, she'd give it to me. Neither of us had a clue I'd actually win so I wasn't expecting it, but she walked up to me during picture time with that pendant in hand and said she was a woman of her word and gave it to me. I was blown away. I will never forget that and always have that memory of Cinderella winning the World and that pendant keeps those feelings and memory alive. I wear that pawprint pendant often at dog shows to this day!
One of the things about being in the winner's circle is having nice dogs that will put you there! No matter how skilled you are at presenting one, if the dog doesn't have the conformation, you just won't win. I was able to follow up the 2013 show season with a tremendous 2014 show season showing Kentucky Mtn Diamond Cutter! He was the product of an "oops" cross from a couple of hounds I'd gotten from Jason and Sianna Spieth, and he had that "it" factor from the time he was able to crawl out of the whelping box! So, he was my first bred-by big winner! He won National Grand Opposite Sex at 2 years old and 2014 UKC World Show and Purina Show race at 3 years old and finished his AKC Show Championship at 4 years old. He was so young when he won so much that he had little left to prove to anyone. I got to go to my first Westminster Kennel Club show with him on my lead and that was awesome. We didn't win but it was quite an experience! Cutter and Cinderella winning back-to-back years UKC World Show title is the thing people only dream of, but it happened to me. Those 2 hounds produced 2 different litters that have continued to keep me having success in the show ring. Cutter's Edge "Edge", Fights Like Balboa "Rocky", and Cinderella Girl Crush "Crush" all were Cutter x Cinderella puppies that grew up and won King or Queen of Show at English Days. So those 2 hounds have helped produce several winners in my kennel.
Even their granddaughter Kentucky Mtn Triple Edge Tess (Cutters Edge x Dixie) followed in their footsteps and forged her own path. She won English Days Queen of Show 3 times and National Grand Champion English and Overall Opposite Sex in 2020. And she put me and my good friend and partner Rhonda Brown in the Westminster Kennel Club winner's circle, winning the breed and taking me down that green carpet in Madison Square Garden in NYC in February 2020 just before COVID shut the world down! Now she's fat and sassy and in the breeding pen at home living the good life!
While having a history with showing has always been in my blood these past many years, I've also been involved with behind-the-scenes activities. I was secretary for the United English Breeders & Fanciers for several years in the 90's and was Secretary/Treasurer for the Kentucky Houndsmen Association for 14 years until 2012. I know about the long days and late nights, taking pictures to send to magazines, taking entries, taking memberships, filling out hunt and show reports, and being there to work instead of participating. I've always strived to support my breed and state associations and have watched many changes over the years. The recommended judging practices from UKC went from a point system with each part of the dog having been assigned a value of points to recommendations that you judge the overall dog. I've attended judging seminars at Autumn Oaks and conformation seminars hearing Wayne Cavanaugh discuss the benefits of "positive judging" versus "fault judging." I've read and re-read the standards many times. At one time I could almost quote them verbatim. I guess that happens when you've been around for a while! Lol!
In closing this little "novel" I'll just stop telling you who I am and what I've accomplished to say this, I started showing at the club level, then state and eventually to the national stage. I've paid my dues over the years from feeling proud to have won my class ribbon at Autumn Oaks to winning the World Championship. I understand the struggles. I've helped numerous people who have asked me for help, given tips and answered many questions from people I didn't even know. I suppose my being a teacher is a huge part of that mind set. I've always enjoyed trying to help people. In addition, I have never stopped trying to learn new things either! Yes, I've read the breed standards, I've even purchased books, watched videos on dog movement and studied shoulder and rear angulation. I've likely made mistakes in my assessments no doubt, and surely made some awesome decisions, but I've always strived to be fair and honest as a judge. That's what I can offer, and I will proudly step up and do what is asked of me. You bring me your best hound and I'll give you a fair and honest effort at being your judge. Looking forward to seeing the best coonhounds there are!
Christina Officer
Christina Officer resides in Ravenna, Kentucky. She has one daughter Chelsea, married to Floyd Bailey. She is a very proud "Oma" to their 6-year-old son Michael who is her pride and joy. With an outstanding list of national achievements, Christina's success with coonhounds at County Line Kennels speaks for itself. She has previously judged a host of breed events, state championships and the first round of the 2017 UKC World Championship.
"I credit my mother for my love of animals, but it was my father who gave me the desire to compete and win at any game or sport I tried. I have always had multiple dogs and other animals my whole life, but my first dabble into the purebred dogs was in 1981. My parents gave me a Miniature Schnauzer for a Christmas present. I was hooked on these little dogs with big attitudes, and I currently still own this breed of dog. I have also owned Labrador Retrievers, Jack Russell Terriers, Beagles, Mountain Curs, American Leopard Hounds, Blueticks, English, Plotts, and Treeing Walker Coonhounds. While I may not have personally owned Redbones or Black & Tans, I have had the opportunity to stand behind and judge many fine specimens of those breeds as well", explained Christina.
"I was introduced to the coonhounds in September of 1992. I fell in love with this 4-month-old pretty little Treeing Walker hound the first time I laid eyes on her. My first show was a Treeing Walker sectional in Harrodsburg, Kentucky in March of 1993. That day I won Best Female and Queen of Show. I was hooked! This little dog was GR CH PR Pond Hill Lucy III. You can still find her name in many pedigrees today", Christina continued.
"I formed County Line Kennel in 1995 when I bought my first Plott female from Linda Mack. This dog was GR CH 'PR County Line Wicked Wednesday. Wednesday got me started in the breed. My second Plott came from Brent Zink from Hillsboro, Ohio. This was GR CH County Line Terrible Tuesday. While Tuesday made me very well known in the show ring, her biggest asset was her contribution to my breeding program. My dogs today are all descendants of this hound. Some of Tuesdays prodigy include: GRCH 'PR' County Line Frankenstein; NITE CH GR CH PR Midnight Brindle Blitz; CCH GRCH 'PR' Caudills Black Monday; GR CH 'PR' Sidearm Terrible Tigra; and CCH GRCH 'PR' County Line Krueger. Another proud moment with Tuesday is when I went to the Premier at Kalamazoo, Michigan to show in the Top Ten in 1999 and won 10th place. This was during a time when few coonhounds were showing at the Premier", said Christina.
"GR CH 'PR' County Line Frankenstein, a.k.a. Frankie, was from the first litter that Tuesday had in 1999. I showed him that next year as an 8-month-old puppy winning his breed at Autumn Oaks in 2000. Then in January of 2001, I took him to the Winter Classic in Albany, GA where he won BMOS and Overall Show Winner at 13 months old. What a proud moment! I was interviewed and it ended up on 'Outdoor Life Network.' Frankie competed in many different registries where he titled in all and won many big awards. Frankie and his beautiful brindle coat graced the cover of the AKC Gazette when the Plott breed was officially recognized by AKC in 2006", she explained.
"My next big winner was CCH GR CH 'PR' County Line Liberty Bell, a.k.a. Ellie. This female was one of my heart dogs. She has a win list that would take too much space to write. Some of my highlights were winning BFOS and Overall Show Winner at the Winter Classic in 2006. How about that? Her sire Frankie won the Winter Classic in 2001 and his daughter Ellie won the same title in 2006. And, coincidentally, another Frankie daughter, GR CH PR Melrose Mtn Jezebel Jett won the 2012 Winter Classic Overall. Affectionately known as "Cricket" she followed up that win by winning Autumn Oaks National Plott twice and the 2012 UKC World Reserve Show Champion. I'm beyond proud of the dogs that have come from my kennel!," she continued.
"Ellie would go on to win the AKC Reserve World Champion in 2005, and UKC and PKC Reserve World Champion in 2006. Ellie was just like Frankie and Tuesday, she was a great reproducer! I bred her to Monday and got AKC GCH CH SGC, UKC CCH GR CH PR County Line Somehow Someday, my third heart dog; and CCH GRCH 'PR' County Line Uncle Sam. Sam won the ACHA 2010 World Show," she said.
"Another winner for my kennel was AKC CH CWSG CSG UKC CCH GR CH PR County Line Krueger, a.k.a. Freddie. He was a full brother to Frankie, just a younger litter. His fourth AKC show he won 2004 Overall World Show champion. What a moment! AKC GCH CH UKC CCH GR CH PR County Line She's a Keeper and AKC WCH GRCH CH CCH UKC WCH CCH GRCH 'PR' County Line Roosevelt are both out of Freddie. I must say another great accomplishment was showing at the 140th and 141st Westminster Dog show. Both years I came home with ribbons on both dogs! But it was Roosevelt who would turn out to be my first Westminster Kennel Club Breed winner and made his way down the green carpet at Madison Square Garden under the terrific handling of Taylor Mills," said Christina.
"A daughter of Roosevelt and the last living female off my foundation Tuesday female, GR CH River Ridge Terrible Tues (by Terrible Tuesday x WCH GRCH County Line Whos Ya Daddy) is a female that likely needs no introduction. She put me in the record books and will always be one of the best that Ive ever had on the end of my leash. Of course, Im referring to AKC GCH CGCH CH UKC WSHOWCH NGRCH CGRCH GRCH (3) PR County Line Tuesdays Legacy. "Legs" has established such a show career that it would take pages to list them all. She has several conformation group placements in both UKC and AKC, including 3 Best in Coonhound Specialty wins. Legacy won the 2020 Autumn Oaks Overall Show winner, was the 2021 UKC World Show Overall winner and 2021 Purina Overall Show race winner and won the UKC Top Ten Bench Show not once, but twice, in 2021 and 2022! Those are all major events and to say Im proud is an understatement. Oh, and did I mention Legacy followed in her sires footsteps and put me on the green carpet at the 2020 Westminster as the Plott Breed Winner? Bucket list items for sure," she explained.
Christina continues, "Currently, I work as a Bench Show Coordinator and Field Representative for the American Kennel Club. I am an active member of the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary and have worked with them for 36 years. During my 30+ years as an owner, breeder, and handler, I have been involved in many different clubs including: The Kentucky Houndsmen Association, where I served as a board member for 12 years and wrote monthly articles that were published in both Coonhound Bloodlines Magazine and the American Cooner. I am also a current member the KHA; I have been an active member of the National Plott Hound Association since 1995; Treeing Walkers Breeders & Fanciers for 8 years; the Madison County Coon Club; and I served as a member of the Animal Control Board of Kentucky for 4 years that I was appointed to by Governor Ernie Fletcher during his term in office. I have also given multiple seminars for both the AKC and UKC registries during my time with coonhounds. I have had the opportunity to be a judge for the UKC, AKC, and PKC registries. I have had the honor to judge at all levels: local, state, and national. My kennel and I have received a lot of press in many different news outlets."
In conclusion Christina said, "I feel quite honored to have been asked by UKC to judge Autumn Oaks. To be able to judge the best dogs in the country is an opportunity that I am thankful for. I will endeavor to judge all dogs fairly and honestly to the best of my ability."
Guided by the belief that dogs make a difference by being the best partner a human can have in the field, on the job, or in a competition event, UKC is a community for people and dogs to pursue excellence together. Founded in 1898, UKC has been dedicated to enhancing the lives of Dogs That Do More, and their owners, by providing essential resources to help owners and breeders make informed decisions. The dog-human bond is celebrated through family-friendly programs highlighting the instincts and heritage of purebred and mixed-breed dogs alike at over 18,000 licensed events annually.