30 DAYS FREE Sign up for Pro Exhibitor or Pro Handler — explore everything, pay $0 today.

National Specialty · Wilmington, Ohio

Staffordshire Terrier Club of America National Specialty 2026

October 27–28, 2026 — the 90th Staffordshire Terrier Club of America national specialty for American Staffordshire Terriers at Roberts Centre, closing a specialty week that opens October 24

Placeholder listing Approved Premium published

Documents 📄 Premium list 📋 Judging Program

01

Weekend at a glance

The Staffordshire Terrier Club of America — the AKC parent club of the American Staffordshire Terrier — holds its 90th National Specialty October 27–28, 2026, at Roberts Centre in Wilmington, Ohio. The national caps a five-day specialty week (October 24–28) that opens with a regional specialty and packs in supported-entry obedience and agility, Fast CAT, Fetch and temperament tests, CGC and Trick Dog testing, two rally trials, sweepstakes, futurity and maturity, the first-ever STCA Champion Challenge, a stud dog social, and the club's awards banquet. Judging is indoors and the show is unbenched, 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Verified 2026

Dates
October 27–28, 2026 (specialty week: October 24–28)
Venue
Roberts Centre, 123 Gano Rd, Wilmington, OH 45177
Host club
Staffordshire Terrier Club of America
Breed
American Staffordshire Terrier
Format
90th National Specialty · indoors, unbenched
Entries
Registration closed — entries closed Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at 12:00 noon ET
Premium list
2026 premium list (PDF) Verified 2026
More about this show

The STCA is the AKC parent club for the American Staffordshire Terrier, and its 90th national is the breed's biggest annual gathering. The performance weekend (October 24–25) opens with supported-entry obedience (hosted by the Licking River Kennel Club) and agility (hosted by the Dayton Dog Training Club), on-site Fast CAT, plus Saturday-only Fetch tests, temperament (ATT) tests, Fit Dog, CGC/CGCA/CGCU, and Trick Dog evaluations. Sunday brings two rally trials, then an evening program: regional Junior Showmanship, regional sweepstakes, the inaugural STCA Champion Challenge, and the welcome party. Monday (October 26) is regional specialty day — the regional specialty and 4–6 puppy competition judged by Carla Restivo — plus the parade of titleholders, the general membership meeting, the first-ever stud dog social, and a pizza party. Tuesday (October 27) is national day one: national sweepstakes (Giuseppe Commisso), the national specialty dog and bitch classes (Christine Erickson), a free judges-education seminar on the breed (1:00 PM), Amstaff of the Year, and the awards banquet. Wednesday (October 28) closes with the national futurity and maturity (Gerry Thornton), national juniors, the non-regular classes, the 4–6 puppy competition, and Best of Breed.

Week
Saturday, October 24 – Wednesday, October 28
National
Tuesday, October 27 – Wednesday, October 28
Venue
Roberts Centre, 123 Gano Rd, Wilmington, OH 45177 — off I-71, Exit 50 (US-68)
Host club
AKC parent club for the American Staffordshire Terrier

Superintendent: Jim Rau Dog Shows, Ltd.

Enter the show
Superintendent
Jim Rau Dog Shows, Ltd., P.O. Box 6898, Reading, PA 19610 — online entries at raudog.co/entries
Closing
Registration closed — entries closed Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at 12:00 noon ET
Fees
$38 first entry / $18 additional entry of the same dog; Junior Showmanship free; sweepstakes, 4–6 beginner puppy, futurity/maturity $18; STCA Champions Challenge $25; Amstaff of the Year and Generations Class free
Premium list
2026 premium list (PDF) Verified 2026

♡ Save this show — keep it in your personal show list and get back to the judges, ring times and weekend details from any device.

Save keeps the weekend in your list · Plan adds it to your show schedule · Calendar puts it on your TPA calendar.

02

The days

Five days built around the breed: a performance weekend, a regional specialty, and the two-day national specialty.

01Saturday, October 24

Performance day 1

Roberts Centre, Wilmington, OH

Supported-entry obedience (Licking River KC) & agility (Dayton Dog Training Club) · Fast CAT on site · Fetch (2 tests), ATT (2 tests), Fit Dog, CGC/CGCA/CGCU, Trick Dog evaluations

02Sunday, October 25

Performance day 2 · regional evening

Roberts Centre, Wilmington, OH

Fast CAT · Two rally trials (Jill Lowry, Anita Eisthen) · Evening: regional juniors (Adrienne Hill), regional sweepstakes (Gina Datillo), inaugural STCA Champion Challenge, welcome party

03Monday, October 26

Regional specialty

Roberts Centre, Wilmington, OH

Regional specialty & 4–6 puppy (Carla Restivo) · Parade of titleholders · General membership meeting · First-ever stud dog social · Pizza party

04Tuesday, October 27

National specialty, day 1

Roberts Centre, Wilmington, OH

National sweepstakes (Giuseppe Commisso) · National dog & bitch classes (Christine Erickson) · Judges-education seminar, free, 1:00 PM · Amstaff of the Year · Awards banquet

05Wednesday, October 28

National specialty, day 2

Roberts Centre, Wilmington, OH

National futurity/maturity (Gerry Thornton) · National juniors · Non-regular classes · 4–6 puppy (Christine Erickson) · Best of Breed

03

Build your day plan

Add your dogs, pick this show, and get your ring times in order — class dogs, bitches, and champions factored automatically.

Day-by-day assignments come from the official 2026 premium list and the 2026 judging program. Verified 2026

We never guess ring times — every time here comes from the official program. Verified 2026

  • Sat Oct 24 — Supported-entry obedience (Licking River Kennel Club); supported-entry agility (Dayton Dog Training Club); Fast CAT (on site); Fetch x2, ATT x2, Fit Dog, CGC/CGCA/CGCU, Trick Dog
  • Sun Oct 25 — Fast CAT; rally trials x2 (Jill Lowry, Anita Eisthen); evening: regional juniors (Adrienne Hill), regional sweepstakes (Gina Datillo), STCA Champion Challenge, welcome party
  • Mon Oct 26 — Regional specialty & 4–6 puppy (Carla Restivo); parade of titleholders; membership meeting; stud dog social; pizza party
  • Tue Oct 27 — National sweepstakes (Giuseppe Commisso); national dog & bitch classes (Christine Erickson); breed seminar 1:00 PM (free); Amstaff of the Year; awards banquet
  • Wed Oct 28 — National futurity/maturity (Gerry Thornton); national juniors; non-regular classes; 4–6 puppy (Christine Erickson); Best of Breed

We never guess ring times — every time here comes from the official program.

04

Breed Judge Finder

The verified judging panel for the 2026 national specialty week. Verified 2026

National specialty — breed, BPUP & juniors (Tue–Wed)

  • Christine Erickson

National sweepstakes (Tue Oct 27)

  • Giuseppe Commisso

National futurity / maturity (Wed Oct 28)

  • Gerry Thornton

Regional specialty & BPUP (Mon Oct 26)

  • Carla Restivo

Regional sweepstakes (Sun Oct 25)

  • Gina Datillo

Regional juniors (Sun Oct 25)

  • Adrienne Hill

Fetch & ATT (Sat Oct 24)

  • Tanner J. Flood

Rally trials (Sun Oct 25)

  • Jill Lowry (Trial 1)
  • Anita Eisthen (Trial 2)

All assignments from the official 2026 premium list (Rau Dog Shows).

05

Juniors

Junior Showmanship is offered at both the regional (Sunday) and the national (Wednesday) — free entry. Verified 2026

Sun Oct 25 — Regional

Junior Showmanship — Adrienne Hill judges. Free entry.

Wed Oct 28 — National

Junior Showmanship — Christine Erickson judges. Free entry.

06

Specialties & supported entries

Beyond the regular classes: the AKC National Owner-Handled Series (NOHS) is a separate competition for dogs handled by their owners — no professional handlers — and points for Reserve means Reserve Winners earn points toward their championships. Verified 2026

STCA Champion Challenge (inaugural)

Invitation-only: champions and grand champions titled January 1, 2025 – June 1, 2026 compete in male/female classes before a three-judge panel. The trophy winner cannot defend the title the following year. Sunday evening; $25 entry.

Amstaff of the Year

Free to enter — presented Tuesday.

Generations Class

Free: teams of three or more American Staffordshire Terriers in consecutive generations, judged as a unit on breeding-program consistency.

Stud Dog Social (first-ever)

Monday evening after the membership meeting — meet potential sires (up-and-coming, tested, and proven) with their owners. Contact Mary Jo Morgan to sign up.

Parade of Titleholders

Monday — celebrate titled AmStaffs ($30 per dog, personalized rosette; dogs need not be present).

Points for Reserve

Reserve Winners earn points toward championships.

Sweepstakes / futurity / maturity

Puppy & veteran sweepstakes ($18); futurity and maturity Wednesday ($18).

Judges-education seminar

Tuesday 1:00 PM — American Staffordshire Terriers, presented by Carla Restivo. Free; ringside mentoring during breed judging.

07

Plan your visit

Venues

Roberts Centre

Address
123 Gano Rd, Wilmington, OH 45177
Hosts
Hosts the full specialty week, October 24–28.
More about this venue
Details
Indoors, unbenched — show hours 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Off I-71 at Exit 50 (US-68); Gano Road is immediately west of the interchange.

Hotels

Holiday Inn at Roberts Centre
123 Gano Rd, Wilmington, OH 45177
Host hotel — on the show grounds.
Hampton Inn & Suites Wilmington
201 Holiday Drive, Wilmington, OH 45177 — 937-382-4400
Pet-friendly option near the grounds.
Holiday Inn Express Wilmington
155 Holiday Drive, Wilmington, OH 45177 — 937-382-5858
Pet-friendly option near the grounds.

Emergency vets

Care Center Dayton, 6421 Clyo Road, Centerville, OH 45459 — 937-428-0911, open 24/7 (about 21 miles / 30 minutes from the grounds). Also Orchard Veterinary Care, 45 Orchard Rd, Wilmington (937-383-0008) and Country View Pet Hospital, 6574 OH-73, Wilmington (937-382-7387).

Photographer

Alyssa Janiszak is the official show photographer.

Campgrounds

Several campgrounds near Wilmington are listed in the premium — Pine Cove, Kirkwood Camp & Adventure Park, Caesar Creek State Park, Thousand Trails, Maple Grove, Frontier, and Beechwood Acres.

Social events

Welcome party (Sunday evening); pizza party (Monday); awards banquet (Tuesday).

Event chair

Dana Maines — 570-578-6784, [email protected].

08

Documents

Current 2026 documents for the national specialty week. Verified 2026

Sources