Board Members
- President – Charlie Kerfoot
- First Vice President – Dewey Moore
- Second Vice President - Bert Halsey
- Secretary - Vivian Flynt
- Treasurer - Kathy Vuich
- AKC Delegate – Bill Totten
- Board of Directors – Rick Mulkearn, Bob Hogan, Debbie Patterson, and Karen Mulkearn
Kennel Club Meetings
The Roanoke Kennel Club meets the first Monday of every month at 7:15 P.M. We meet at Saint Philip Lutheran Church on Williamson Road in the Hollins area of Roanoke, VA.
8115 Williamson Road, Roanoke, VA 24019
8115 Williamson Road, Roanoke, VA 24019
About our Members
Roanoke Kennel Club members have been involved prominently in the world of purebred and companion dogs. Dr. Tom A. Kirk and his wife Evelyn were top breeders of Scottish Terriers. From the 1960’s through the 1990’s, Dr. Kirk was also a well-known and well-respected judge who was even invited to judge the prestigious AKC Centennial show in Philadelphia in 1984. His son Allen Kirk was Best Junior handler at the famous Westminster Kennel Club show in 1960.
Long-time member and past president Marlene Halsey showed top winning dogs at Westminster and in Crufts, England starting in the 1960’s. In addition, she was invited to Japan to judge a Pomeranian specialty in the 1990’s. She was also a past president of the Professional Handlers Association. Bill Totten, another past president, owned one of the top winning Norwegian Elkhounds during the 1980’s, shown by Bert Halsey.
One of our newer members, Dee Duffy, was a co-breeder of the illustrious Sussex spaniel CH Clusexx Three D Grinchy Glee, better known as “Stump,” who was Best in Show at the 2009 Westminster KC dog show at the ripe old age of 10.
Charlie and Billie Kerfoot are breeders of the 2012 # 2 dog all breeds GCH Wynmoor Champagne Supernova. Peyton, an English springer spaniel garnered 82 Bests in Show and won BOB and Sporting Group 3 at the Westminster KC shows in 2012 and 2013. He is co-owned with their daughter, Erin who was a top junior handler. In 1996 Erin placed 3rd in the prestigious junior showmanship competition at Westminster and in 1998, she was the #2 junior handler all breeds in the country.
Several other members are well known breeders with top winning dogs in both conformation and performance – Sue and Doug Tolbert, MaSue Boxers; Karen and Rick Mulkearn, Gnawed Shoes Irish Water Spaniels; Sue See, Kizmet Poodles. In addition, Betsy Richards worked tirelessly to promote one of the new breeds, the Berger Picard, which will be accepted into the AKC breeds in 2015.
In the area of performance, Kaffa Shank’s shelties and Teri Partington’s English springer spaniels are among the top agility dogs. And Dr. Kim Noel and Dr. Mark Wadstrom have had several of their golden retrievers trained by St. Francis of Assisi to become service dogs.
The Roanoke Kennel Club is also aware of its responsibility to the community to promote the welfare of companion dogs as well as show dogs. We donate to the SPCA, St. Francis Service Dog Association, Guide Dog Foundation, and to the Virginia-Maryland Regional Veterinary Hospital at VA Tech. We hold obedience and rally classes and hold obedience and agility trials. We are also advocates for dogs, fighting against breed specific legislation and laws which would unfairly restrict breeding and dog ownership. Many of our members are also active in the rescue programs of their specific breeds.
Interested individuals are always welcome at the Club's monthly meeting, which fall on the first Monday of every month at 7:15 P.P. We meet at Saint Philip Lutheran Church on Williamson Road in the Hollins area of Roanoke, VA.
Long-time member and past president Marlene Halsey showed top winning dogs at Westminster and in Crufts, England starting in the 1960’s. In addition, she was invited to Japan to judge a Pomeranian specialty in the 1990’s. She was also a past president of the Professional Handlers Association. Bill Totten, another past president, owned one of the top winning Norwegian Elkhounds during the 1980’s, shown by Bert Halsey.
One of our newer members, Dee Duffy, was a co-breeder of the illustrious Sussex spaniel CH Clusexx Three D Grinchy Glee, better known as “Stump,” who was Best in Show at the 2009 Westminster KC dog show at the ripe old age of 10.
Charlie and Billie Kerfoot are breeders of the 2012 # 2 dog all breeds GCH Wynmoor Champagne Supernova. Peyton, an English springer spaniel garnered 82 Bests in Show and won BOB and Sporting Group 3 at the Westminster KC shows in 2012 and 2013. He is co-owned with their daughter, Erin who was a top junior handler. In 1996 Erin placed 3rd in the prestigious junior showmanship competition at Westminster and in 1998, she was the #2 junior handler all breeds in the country.
Several other members are well known breeders with top winning dogs in both conformation and performance – Sue and Doug Tolbert, MaSue Boxers; Karen and Rick Mulkearn, Gnawed Shoes Irish Water Spaniels; Sue See, Kizmet Poodles. In addition, Betsy Richards worked tirelessly to promote one of the new breeds, the Berger Picard, which will be accepted into the AKC breeds in 2015.
In the area of performance, Kaffa Shank’s shelties and Teri Partington’s English springer spaniels are among the top agility dogs. And Dr. Kim Noel and Dr. Mark Wadstrom have had several of their golden retrievers trained by St. Francis of Assisi to become service dogs.
The Roanoke Kennel Club is also aware of its responsibility to the community to promote the welfare of companion dogs as well as show dogs. We donate to the SPCA, St. Francis Service Dog Association, Guide Dog Foundation, and to the Virginia-Maryland Regional Veterinary Hospital at VA Tech. We hold obedience and rally classes and hold obedience and agility trials. We are also advocates for dogs, fighting against breed specific legislation and laws which would unfairly restrict breeding and dog ownership. Many of our members are also active in the rescue programs of their specific breeds.
Interested individuals are always welcome at the Club's monthly meeting, which fall on the first Monday of every month at 7:15 P.P. We meet at Saint Philip Lutheran Church on Williamson Road in the Hollins area of Roanoke, VA.
History of the Roanoke Kennel Club
In the early 1930's, a group of dog lovers interested in exhibiting their prize canines came together under the tutelage of one Edgar Moss. Until this time the dog showing competitions were held in the large, "fancy" areas of the North, such as Philadelphia, Boston, and New York, which was the home of the American Kennel Club (AKC). However, Edgar Moss envisioned dog shows taking hold in the "hinterlands," the growing cities of the New South. This was to be a sport of the masses, a hobby in which all could join. After all, didn't everybody have a dog?
The idea caught on and spread like wildfire. Before long, kennel clubs sprang up all over Virginia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee, with Roanoke among them. The first members were the city leaders, movers and shakers of the day, a number of moneyed citizens, and sprinkled with quite a few blue collar workers. In no time officers were elected, rules and regulations were formed, a constitution was drafted, and the Roanoke Kennel Club was on its way. The president at this time was Miss Virginia Brittingham; vice presidents were Curtis Walton and Mrs. E. R. Johnson; the secretary/treasurer was Miss Judith Connell of Bedford, Va.
With Edgar Moss as the superintendent, the club held its first show on Monday, April 16,1934 with the blessing of the AKC. The first show was held in the American Legion Auditorium, which burned in the '50s. It was a benched show with a total entry of 268 dogs. The Bench Show committee consisted of the officers of the club and Dr. Leigh Buckner, Terry Turner, Mrs. T.G. Wood, Miss Inez Ford, Mrs. Broadwater, and Dr. E.L.Keyser. The doors were open from 9AM to 10PM. There were five judges and six groups: Group 1 Sporting Dogs, Group 2 Sporting Hounds, Group 3 Working Dogs, Group 4 Terriers, Group 5 Toys. The Best in Show was a Pointer owned by Mrs. Geraldine Dodge of New Jersey, a great dog enthusiast whose influence is apparent even today.
Since we lost that venue, our show has been held indoors and outdoors, in the City Market, in Victory Stadium, even in the Church of God pavilion off Interstate 81. Now we have found a home at the Salem Civic Center. We've used this site for over twenty years, and it gets better and better. Over the years the show has grown from two days, Saturday and Sunday, first in March then in September, to a five day cluster show the first week of August. The cluster starts with James River Kennel Club Wednesday and Thursday, the Roanoke Kennel Club Friday and Saturday, and the New River Valley Kennel Club on Sunday.
Showing dogs is a sport which has attractions for many people, both young and old. There are youngsters as young as five or six years old handling the family show dog as well as more experienced handlers as old as eighty or ninety. The sport also offers obedience and rally trials as well as agility trials. The sport of dogs is a fine family hobby as it has something available for all dog owners.
The Roanoke Kennel Club is also aware of its responsibility to the community. We donate to the SPCA, St. Francis Service Dog Association, Guide Dog Foundation, and to the Virginia-Maryland Regional Veterinary Hospital at VA Tech. We hold obedience and rally classes and sponsor additional programs such as agility trials. We are also advocates for dogs, fighting against breed specific legislation and laws which would unfairly restrict breeding and dog ownership. Many of our members are also active in the rescue programs of their specific breeds.
Interested individuals are always welcome at the Club's monthly membership meetings, which fall on the first Monday of every month at 6:30 P.M. We meet at Saint Philip Lutheran Church on Williamson Road in the Hollins area of Roanoke, VA.
The idea caught on and spread like wildfire. Before long, kennel clubs sprang up all over Virginia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee, with Roanoke among them. The first members were the city leaders, movers and shakers of the day, a number of moneyed citizens, and sprinkled with quite a few blue collar workers. In no time officers were elected, rules and regulations were formed, a constitution was drafted, and the Roanoke Kennel Club was on its way. The president at this time was Miss Virginia Brittingham; vice presidents were Curtis Walton and Mrs. E. R. Johnson; the secretary/treasurer was Miss Judith Connell of Bedford, Va.
With Edgar Moss as the superintendent, the club held its first show on Monday, April 16,1934 with the blessing of the AKC. The first show was held in the American Legion Auditorium, which burned in the '50s. It was a benched show with a total entry of 268 dogs. The Bench Show committee consisted of the officers of the club and Dr. Leigh Buckner, Terry Turner, Mrs. T.G. Wood, Miss Inez Ford, Mrs. Broadwater, and Dr. E.L.Keyser. The doors were open from 9AM to 10PM. There were five judges and six groups: Group 1 Sporting Dogs, Group 2 Sporting Hounds, Group 3 Working Dogs, Group 4 Terriers, Group 5 Toys. The Best in Show was a Pointer owned by Mrs. Geraldine Dodge of New Jersey, a great dog enthusiast whose influence is apparent even today.
Since we lost that venue, our show has been held indoors and outdoors, in the City Market, in Victory Stadium, even in the Church of God pavilion off Interstate 81. Now we have found a home at the Salem Civic Center. We've used this site for over twenty years, and it gets better and better. Over the years the show has grown from two days, Saturday and Sunday, first in March then in September, to a five day cluster show the first week of August. The cluster starts with James River Kennel Club Wednesday and Thursday, the Roanoke Kennel Club Friday and Saturday, and the New River Valley Kennel Club on Sunday.
Showing dogs is a sport which has attractions for many people, both young and old. There are youngsters as young as five or six years old handling the family show dog as well as more experienced handlers as old as eighty or ninety. The sport also offers obedience and rally trials as well as agility trials. The sport of dogs is a fine family hobby as it has something available for all dog owners.
The Roanoke Kennel Club is also aware of its responsibility to the community. We donate to the SPCA, St. Francis Service Dog Association, Guide Dog Foundation, and to the Virginia-Maryland Regional Veterinary Hospital at VA Tech. We hold obedience and rally classes and sponsor additional programs such as agility trials. We are also advocates for dogs, fighting against breed specific legislation and laws which would unfairly restrict breeding and dog ownership. Many of our members are also active in the rescue programs of their specific breeds.
Interested individuals are always welcome at the Club's monthly membership meetings, which fall on the first Monday of every month at 6:30 P.M. We meet at Saint Philip Lutheran Church on Williamson Road in the Hollins area of Roanoke, VA.