Labrador Retriever ‘Zesty’ Wins the 2025 AKC National Obedience Championship
- Melanie Haid
- Jul 7
- 5 min read
Originally published here at AKC.org on October 6, 2025 by Melanie Haid
The nation’s most obedient dogs gathered for the 31st year to crown their National Obedience Champion, this year at Purina Farms in Gray Summit, Missouri. The 2025 National Obedience Championship took place over the course of two packed days of competition on July 6 and 7.
The 2025 obedience competition saw dog-and-handler teams from 32 different states, representing 41 different dog breeds. Golden Retrievers made up the highest represented breed with 39 dogs, and Border Collies and Labrador Retrievers came up next with 16 and 14 dogs respectively. Many dogs were the only representatives of their breed, including the Airedale Terrier, Norwegian Elkhound, Siberian Husky, Australian Cattle Dog, and All-American Dog.
The competition was head to head over three rounds: first narrowed down to the Group and Top 50 teams placements on Monday morning. The Top 50 then narrowed to the Top 20, who would then battle it out on Monday afternoon to determine the top Top 10 teams in each division. The top four dogs in each group were recognized: Herding, Hound, Non-Sporting, Sporting, Terrier, Toy, Working, and All-American Dog. Meet the overall champion, Labrador Retriever “Zesty,” plus the top 10 obedience teams in the country.
Crowning the Obedience Winner
The 2025 AKC National Obedience Championship has a new champion: Labrador Retriever Zesty OTCH2 Maranatha’s Like A Man Possessed UDX2 OM3. Zesty is owned and handled by Petra Ford of Washington, New Jersey, who also placed with her other Labrador Retriever, “Zayna” OTCH11 Quantum’s She’s Red Hot UDX8 OGM, in the Top 10.
Ford was shocked to win, especially with Zesty. “I can’t even believe it. I’m exhausted – I showed two dogs, but I’m overwhelmed right now. I was absolutely not expecting this,” she says. Tears streamed down her face when her armband number was called for first place for Zesty. At five years old, it’s his first time competing at the AKC National Obedience Championship – and first time winning the whole thing. Ford wasn’t even sure he’d make it to the second day. “He’s still young and inexperienced, so it’s a bit of a shock – in a good way,” Ford says. “He tried his little heart out for me.”
Ford has been doing obedience with Labradors since the late 90’s. “It’s been a long time,” she laughs. She started training Zesty for obedience when he was eight weeks old. His favorite exercise shouldn’t shock you: Zesty loves the retrieves. “I think he likes doing all of it, because he works for me,” Ford says. “He’s just doing it to make me happy.”
Looking to start out in obedience? “My best advice is to find a good trainer near you,” Ford says. “Get somebody to help you, because it’s going to be challenging doing it just on your own.”
The 2025 AKC National Obedience Championship Top 10
2025 AKC National Obedience Champion
Call Name: Zesty
Breed: Labrador Retriever
Registered Name: OTCH2 Maranatha’s Like A Man Possessed UDX2 OM3
Handler: Petra Ford
Owner: Petra Ford
Hometown: Washington, NJ
Score: 559.0
Second Place
Call Name: Swift
Breed: Golden Retriever
Registered Name: OTCH3 Surefire Up To Speed UDX2 OM3 MH
Handler: Mara Lynne Wacker
Owner: Mara Wacker
Hometown: Hastings, Minnesota
Score: 558.5
Third Place
Call Name: Riot
Breed: Golden Retriever
Registered Name: OTCH7 High Times Quiet Riot UDX6 PCD OGM BN JH
Handler: Janice Curran
Owners: Janice Curran/Mark Curran
Hometown: Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania
Score: 556.5+
Fourth Place
Call Name: Dell
Breed: Border Collie
Registered Name: OTCH9 HC MACH2 RACH Rapideye Wireless Dell UDX10 PCDX OGM VER RM2 RAE2 HSAs HSBs HIBs HXAds MXG MJS MXF TQX T2B2
Handler: Mary Whorton
Owner: Mary Whorton
Hometown: Rougemont, North Carolina
Score: 556.5
Fifth Place
Call Name: Zayna
Breed: Labrador Retriever
Registered Name: OTCH11 Quantum’s She’s Red Hot UDX8 OGM
Handler: Petra Ford
Owner: Petra Ford
Hometown: Washington, New Jersey
Score: 556.0 +
Sixth Place
Call Name: Zayne
Breed: Border Collie
Registered Name: RNC TC OTCH17 AGCH MACH5 PACH RACH2 Norwood Color Me Zayne UDX18 OGM RM4 RAE4 HSAd HSBds HXAds HXBd MXC PDS MJC PJS MXPB MJPB PAX MFG TQX MFP T2B5
Handler: Kim Berkley
Owner: Kim Berkley
Hometown: Caseyville, Illinois
Score: 556.0
Seventh Place
Call Name: Cookie
Breed: Belgian Malinois
Registered Name: OTCH10 Cookie God Of War UDX10 OGM BN RN
Handler: Jennifer Weinik
Owner: Jennifer Weinik
Hometown: Pipersville, Pennsylvania
Score: 555.5 ++
Eighth Place
Call Name: Zuko
Breed: Border Collie
Registered Name: RNC TC OTCH11 MACH2 RACH Bolser Zuko You’re The One UDX11 OGM RM3 RAE3 HSAd HSBds HXAds HXBd MXG PAD MJG PJD MFS TQX T2B3
Handler: Kim Berkley
Owners: Kimberly Berkley/Megan E. Harrison
Hometown: Caseyville, Illinois
Score: 555.5 +
Ninth Place
Call Name: Nudge
Breed: Golden Retriever
Registered Name: OTCH15 Dream’s Jump Start UDX11 OGM
Handler: Kathy Rasinowich
Owner: Kathy Rasinowich
Hometown: Farmington, MN
Score: 555.5
Tenth Place
Call Name: Willie
Breed: Australian Shepherd
Registered Name: OTCH6 Blue Skies At Dejavu UDX4 OM8
Handler: Kathleen Keller
Owners: Kathleen Keller/Stephen Keller
Hometown: Flemington, NJ
Score: 555.0
AKC National Obedience Championship Group Winners
The top four dogs of each Group were given awards after Sunday’s competition. Here are the winners from each group: Herding, Hound, Non-Sporting, Sporting, Terrier, Toy, Working, and All-American Dog.
Herding Group
Call Name: Zayne
Breed: Border Collie
Registered Name: RNC TC OTCH17 AGCH MACH5 PACH RACH2 Norwood Color Me Zayne UDX18 OGM RM4 RAE4 HSAd HSBds HXAds HXBd MXC PDS MJC PJS MXPB MJPB PAX MFG TQX MFP T2B5
Handler: Kim Berkley
Owner(s): Kim Berkley
Hometown: Caseyville, Illinois
Score: 586.5
Hound Group
Call Name: Pickle
Breed: Dachshund
Registered Name: RACH Dominos I’M A Pretty Big Dill Mwcp UDX2 OM2 RM2 RAE2
Handler: Annette Sizemore
Owners: Annette Sizemore/Sarah Saddoris
Hometown: Clive, Iowa
Score: 519.5
Non-Sporting Group
Call Name: Emma Claire
Breed: Poodle
Registered Name: OTCH Emma Claire UDX10 OGM BN GN GO CGCA CGCU
Handler: Nancy Warshauer
Owners: Betsy Carr/Nancy Warshauer
Hometown: Carbondale, Illinois
Score: 564.5
Sporting Group
Call Name: Zesty
Breed: Labrador Retriever
Registered Name: OTCH2 Maranatha’s Like A Man Possessed UDX2 OM3
Handler: Petra Ford
Owner: Petra Ford
Hometown: Washington, New Jersey
Score: 587.0
Terrier Group
Call Name: Abel
Breed: Miniature Schnauzer
Registered Name: OTCH3 L’s Legacy’s Fortunate Son UDX13 OGM VER NA NAJ AXP AJP ACT2 RATS CGC
Handler: Martin Zarge
Owner: Martin Zarge
Hometown: West Chester, Pennsylvania
Score: 565.5
Toy Group
Call Name: P T
Breed: Papillon
Registered Name: OTCH4 Coria It Is My Friend UDX11 OGM BN GN OA OAJ
Handler: Susan Nagel
Owner: Susan Nagel
Hometown: Fargo, North Dakota
Score: 574.5
Working Group
Call Name: Sparkle
Breed: Samoyed
Registered Name: PACH6 RACH2 Wind Chaser’s Twilight Sparkle Over Vegas UDX4 OM2 BN GN GO RM6 RAE6 MXP16 MXPS2 MJP18 MJPG2 PAX6 TQX MFPS TQXP T2BP BCAT
Handler: Debbie Seder
Owner: Debbie Seder
Hometown: Sussex, Wyoming
Score: 544.5 +
All-American Dog Group
Call Name: Abby
Breed: All-American Dog
Registered Name: Abby Sax UDX3 OM4 BN OA OAJ THDN CGCA CGCU TKE
Handler: Shirley Sax
Owners: Ronald James Sax/Shirley Sax
Hometown: Eagan, Minnesota
Score: 486.0
Want to Get Involved in Obedience?
If you’re interested in the AKC National Obedience Championship and want to know how to get started yourself, all you need is five minutes a day with your dog. Getting started in obedience with your dog is an easy way to work on cues that can be utilised in everyday life. Strengthen your bond with your dog by going to an obedience class. Who knows – maybe you’ll be the next team competing at the AKC National Obedience Championship!
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