American Groomer of the Year

This award recognizes an outstanding American Groomer.

Criteria: grooming ability, professional spirit and attitude, integrity, courtesy and good sportsmanship, condition of the dogs presented in competition, humaneness to animals and, especially, the groomers accomplishments in the competitive ring during the year previous to voting.

International Groomer of the Year

This award recognizes an outstanding groomer from a country other than the United States .

Criteria: grooming ability, professional spirit and attitude, integrity, courtesy and good sportsmanship, condition of the dogs presented in competition, humaneness to animals and, especially, the groomers accomplishments in the competitive ring during the year previous to voting.

The David G. Salzberg Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Industry by an Individual or Organization

This category for Outstanding Contributions is currently given in honor of David G. Salzberg, former owner of The Village Groomer in Walpole , Massachusetts , who was an example of an individual who personally inspired groomers and supported the advancement of the grooming industry.

Criteria: The award specifically honors the Grooming Individual or Organization that has contributed most significantly to the advancement of the grooming industry through personal service or research during the past 12 months.

Grooming Contest Judge of the Year

This award recognizes the outstanding male or female from the United States of another country who ahs made a valuable contribution to the grooming world as a contest judge.

Criteria: knowledge of the dog breeds and their grooming procedures, knowledge of the rules of the contest being judged, good judgment of competitor’s grooming ability, honesty, integrity and courage of convictions.

Outstanding Grooming Journalist of the Year

This award salutes a writer, editor or publisher who has most helped advance grooming education and/or the grooming profession during the past 12-month period.

Criteria: the writer, editor or publisher who has done the most to promote an interest in the grooming profession in magazines, newspapers, or on-line via website column or blog, or has informed readers about grooming news, competitive results or grooming instruction or techniques in a professional grooming trade magazine, a writer who has had a grooming column or regular grooming feature in a published grooming or pet magazine that was of consistently high caliber, or a writer, editor or publisher of a book about grooming techniques, operating a grooming business or a grooming text book during the previous year.

The Congeniality Award

This award pays tribute to the man or woman from the U.S. or another country who has demonstrated good-fellowship and other positive attributes which have bettered the grooming profession during the last year.

Criteria: outstanding sportsmanship, congenial attitude, amicability, camaraderie, humaneness to animals, encouragement and support of fellow groomers, positive attitude and friendliness to associates as well as the general public.