Unsung Hero – This award, established in 2010, recognizes a Boxer and a Person who has demonstrated exemplary service of some nature. The service can be in therapy, rescue, search, alerting, behind the scenes club work, blood banks, goodwill ambassador, education or other types of work. There is no requirement that the owner of the Boxer or the Person being nominated be a member of ABC. Nominations are vetted by the Unsung Hero Committee and voted upon by the Unsung Hero Committee. Previous nominees may be re-submitted. An award to a specific person /Boxer will only be granted once every 10 years. Nominations may be made by ABC members and ABC member clubs. Nominations are due not later than February 5 each year. All nominations which have been accepted and nominees who have accepted the nomination will be published via “In the Know” and within various other ABC communications. The winners will be announced at the ABC Dinner at the National each year. [Additional Information and Prior Recipients https://americanboxerclub.org/unsung-hero]

Good Sportsman – This award combines the award, established by ABC in 1991, and the AKC Outstanding Sportsmanship Award program established in 2006, and recognizes the individual who has demonstrated the qualities of promoting goodwill amongst others, supporting the activities/wins of others, and extending good wishes, having the “good of the boxers” at heart, encouraging others who may need encouragement, demonstrating qualities of courteousness, friendliness and kindness, especially to newcomers, volunteering time to educate people about boxers, the club and club activities and displaying integrity, fairness and honesty and adheres to the AKC Code of Sportsmanship and has been an active and valued member of an AKC member club. The nominee must be an ABC member in good standing and must not have been a winner in the last ten years. The nominator must be an ABC member or officer of an ABC member club. Nominations are due not later than February 1 each year. Recipients are voted upon by the ABC members. The recipient is announced at the ABC Dinner at the National each year. [Additional Information and Prior Recipients https://americanboxerclub.org/good-sportsman]

Lifetime Achievement – This award was established by John Connelly and Suzie Campbell in the 1990’s to recognize the ABC life member who has contributed not only to the Boxer Breed, but also to the American Boxer Club. Recipients are nominated by ABC Life Members.  A committee will select the top three nominations for the final vote for the Lifetime Achievement by all ABC Life Members. Nominations are due not later than February 14 each year. The recipient is announced at the ABC Dinner at the National each year. [Additional Information and Prior Recipients https://americanboxerclub.org/lifetime-achievement]

Directors Award – This award was established in 2001 and is granted to the ABC member who has made a significant contribution to the American Boxer Club in his/her efforts on behalf of the club. The recipient must be nominated by the ABC Board and voted upon by the ABC Board annually. No sitting Board member is eligible to be nominated. The recipient is announced at the ABC Dinner at the National each year. The ABC Board has the option not to nominate in a particular year. [Additional Information and Prior Recipients https://americanboxerclub.org/directors-awards]

Hall of Fame – This award is granted annually to a Lifetime Achievement recipient who has given extraordinary service to the ABC and the Boxer breed in multiple facets. The recipient must be nominated by and voted upon by ABC Life Members. Nominations are due not later than February 14 each year. The recipient is announced at the ABC Dinner at the National each year. [Additional Information and Prior Recipients https://americanboxerclub.org/hall-fo-fame]

Special Award – This award is to recognize ABC or NON-ABC MEMBERS that have contributed extensively to the Boxer breed outside of service to the ABC. Any ABC member or ABC member club may nominate. Nominations are due not later than February 14 each year. Members of American Boxer Club Board of Directors will vote on nominees. This is not an annual award. The recipient is announced at the ABC Dinner at the National. [Additional Information and Prior Recipients https://americanboxerclub.org/special-awards/]

100 Best in Show – This award was established in 2019 and recognizes the Boxer who has achieved 100 or more AKC all breed Best In Shows. [Additional Information and Prior Recipients https://americanboxerclub.org/100-best-in-show-club]

Special Awards

Privately Sponsored Awards

Periodically a donor will wish to honor an accomplishment for an Owner, Breeder or Dog exemplifying the Boxer Breed and support of the efforts of American Boxer Club.  The donors establish the criteria for eligibility for the award and for how long they wish to undertake the sponsorship.  In some cases, the award may be undertaken by a successor sponsor, or in other cases, the award may be retired.  All privately sponsored awards to be granted under the auspices of American Boxer Club must be approved by American Boxer Club.

Current Privately Sponsored Awards are:

  • Holly Lane Award. This award was established in 2016 by and is by Lori McClain Ferguson in memory of Eileen McClintock and her bitch Ch Holly Lanes Windstorm, DOM who holds the record for the dam producing the most champions, at 11.  This award is granted to the dam producing the most champions in a single year.  This award recognizes the bitch producing the most champions in the previous year.  The minimum number of champions to obtain this award is 4 champions.  In case of a tie, the tie breaker will be that the bitch having produced the minimum champions, will have to have produced them in one litter.   If it is still a tie, then the bitch producing those champions in the least amount of litters will be the winner.   If this does not break the tie, then those bitches will be considered co-winners of the award.  To be eligible for this award at least one owner or one breeder on the dam must be a member of ABC or a member of an ABC member club.  Only one award is granted each year (except in a tie).  If co-owners or co-breeders wish an additional trophy, they must pay for the additional award plus shipping, if applicable.
  • Charlotte Brayshaw Award. This award was originally established by Bruce Korson and is currently sponsored by Pat Healy and Butch Engel.  The award recognizes the bitch with the highest points in the Bred by Exhibitor Puppy, Bred by Exhibitor Adult and Bred by Exhibitor classes using the same method of calculation as American Boxer Club does, for winning the class with competition then gaining additional points for going on to winning Winners Bitch, Best of Winners, Best of Opposite Sex and/or Best of Breed.  To be eligible for this award at least one owner or one breeder on the dam must be a member of ABC or a member of an ABC member club.  Only one award is granted each year.  If co-owners or co-breeders wish an additional plaque, they must pay for the additional award, plus shipping, if applicable.
  • Rummer Run Award. Commencing in May 2025, Mrs. Ann Anderson is sponsoring the Rummer Rum Award which will be granted to the Kennel Producing the Most Champions in a calendar year per ABC and AKC records using the breeder name, not kennel name.  This award recognizes the kennel which seeks to preserve the Boxer breed to the standard established by the American Boxer Club.  To be eligible for the award the winner must be an ABC member or member of an ABC member club.  There will be one award per kennel.  In the event there is more than one breeder shown for the kennel, any additional awards must be paid for, plus shipping, if applicable.

Privately Sponsored Retired Awards: