National Specialty · Kingsport, Tennessee
Great Dane Club of America National Specialty 2026
October 19–24, 2026 — the Great Dane Club of America national specialty for Great Danes in Kingsport, Tennessee
Weekend at a glance
The Great Dane Club of America hosts its 2026 National Specialty October 19–24, 2026, at the MeadowView Conference Resort & Convention Center in Kingsport, Tennessee. Six days run from agility and performance trials into the national conformation shows, with the futurity, Junior Showmanship, the AKC National Owner-Handled Series, and points for Reserve — and the Great Dane Club of Middle Tennessee adds an independent specialty on Sunday, October 25.
- Dates
- October 19–24, 2026
- Venue
- MeadowView Conference Resort & Convention Center
- Host club
- Great Dane Club of America, Inc.
- Format
- National specialty week
- Entries
- Registration open
Click here to enter → - Premium list
- 2026 premium list (PDF) Verified 2026
More about this show
Approved Premium published
- Dates
- Monday through Saturday
- Venue
- 1901 Meadowview Pkwy, Kingsport, TN 37660
- Host club
- Hosted by the GDCA South Division
- Format
- Agility, obedience, rally, futurity, national conformation; AKC National Owner-Handled Series; points for Reserve available
- Entries
- Closes Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at noon Central
Superintendent: Foy Trent Dog Shows · Show superintendent — entries via Foy Trent
Enter the show
Entry fees are per dog, per show.
- Superintendent
- Foy Trent Dog Shows — entries via Foy Trent
- Closing
- Wednesday, September 30, 2026, 12:00 noon Central
- Conformation first entry
- $42.00
- Conformation additional entry
- $27.00
- Puppy (6–9 & 9–12 mos.)
- $27.00
- Bred-By-Exhibitor
- $27.00
- Stud Dog / Brood Bitch (as 1st entry)
- $42.00
- Brace or Team (per unit, as 1st entry)
- $42.00
- Junior Showmanship
- $15.00
- Obedience / Rally
- $42.00 first entry / $27.00 additional
- RAE
- $67.00
- RACH
- $94.00
- Parades (Champions, Titleholders, Veterans)
- $40.00
The days
Six days built around the national: performance events open the week, then three days of conformation at the MeadowView.
| Day | What’s on |
|---|---|
| Mon, Oct 19 | Two Great Dane–only agility trials (separate premium list) |
| Tue, Oct 20 | Obedience Trial 1 and Rally Trial 1; Futurity (separate premium list) |
| Wed, Oct 21 | Rally Trial 2 and Obedience Trial 2 |
| Thu, Oct 22 | Conformation begins — regular & non-regular dog classes |
| Fri, Oct 23 | Regular & non-regular bitch classes |
| Sat, Oct 24 | Junior Showmanship & intersex competition |
The Great Dane Club of Middle Tennessee hosts an independent specialty on Sunday, October 25 at the same venue (separate premium list). Verified 2026
Today’s Ring Card
Your show-day schedule, saved by date.
Judging program not yet published
No ring times or ring assignments have been verified yet. Ring cards will be built from the official program as soon as it’s out.
Breed Judge Finder
The verified judging slate for the 2026 national specialty. Verified 2026
Thursday, Oct 22 — Regular Dog Classes, Veteran Dogs, Stud Dogs
- Thomas J Davis
Friday, Oct 23 — Regular Bitch Classes, Veteran Bitches, Brood Bitches
- Mrs. Jennifer Bell
Saturday, Oct 24 — Intersex, Brace & Team, Best Puppy, Best Bred-By-Exhibitor
- James S Remaklus
Saturday, Oct 24 — Junior Showmanship
- Thomas J Davis
Obedience & Rally
- Aimee P. Kincaid · Louann Currey
Tuesday, Oct 20 — Futurity
- Doug Toomey · BJ Barnhart (separate premium list)
Judges announced by the Great Dane Club of America for the 2026 national specialty.
Juniors
Junior Showmanship is part of the national specialty week, on Saturday with the intersex competition. Verified 2026
- Saturday, October 24
- Junior Showmanship — Thomas J Davis · entry $15.00
No Pee Wee is listed in the 2026 premium.
Specialties & supported entries
The specialty spotlight for this event.
- Event
- Great Dane Club of America National Specialty 2026
- Breed
- Great Dane (Working Group)
- Type
- National specialty, hosted by the GDCA South Division
- Host club
- Great Dane Club of America, Inc.
- Dates
- October 19–24, 2026 — Kingsport, Tennessee
- Sunday, October 25
- Independent specialty by the Great Dane Club of Middle Tennessee (separate premium list) — judges not listed in the national premium Pending
- Futurity
- Doug Toomey · BJ Barnhart — Tuesday, October 20 (separate premium list)
- AKC National Owner-Handled Series
- Offered — points for Reserve available
Plan your visit
Host hotel
The national specialty host hotel is the MeadowView Conference Resort & Convention Center, 1901 Meadowview Pkwy, Kingsport, TN 37660 — the show's home base for the week.
- Room rate
- $149.00 + tax per night (King or Queen) · limit 3 dogs per room · $50.00 one-time non-refundable pet fee
- Reservation contact
- Wanda Hepler — heplerdanes@gmail.com
- Airports
- Tri-Cities Regional Airport (TRI), 14 miles · Knoxville Airport (TYS), about 110 miles
RV parking
- Contact
- Jon Finck — 200Bully@gmail.com · Brian O’Donnell — brian.p.odonnell71@gmail.com
- Reservations
- Contact Jon or Brian for availability or the waiting list; arrival instructions come with the RV parking confirmation
Show hours each day: 8:00 AM until a half hour after all judging is complete.
Documents
Official documents for the national specialty week. Verified 2026
- 2026 premium list (PDF) Verified 2026
Entries close Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at 12:00 noon Central, at the superintendent’s office (Foy Trent Dog Shows).
Sources
- Official2026 premium list (PDF) — dates, venue, judges, fees
- OfficialFoy Trent Dog Shows show inventory — club, dates, city/state (ftshows.com)
- OfficialAKC National Specialties inventory (apps.akc.org) — dates and city cross-check