PON Milestones in America The history of the breed in America began rather unexpectedly. Moira Morrison, a pioneer for the Bearded Collie in the U.S.A., began to research the origins of the breed she loved so dearly and discovered that it was thought to be descended from a shaggy sheepdog native to Poland. Her search for information on this obscure dog put her in touch with a rare breed enthusiast in England, Muriel Landers Cooke. Muriel had visited Poland while writing a book on rare breeds and met with breeders who were willing to part with some PONs. In 1979, with Muriel's help, Moira became the proud owner of two roughly eight month old PONs: Bundz z Starego Lupkowa and Fajerka z Kordegardy. Then in the summer of 1980, three other puppies came to reside with Moira: Kontrapunkt Lakotka and two others by Kaduk Tytus out of Pol. Ch. Lada z Kordegardy. Moira bred several litters and luckily, one puppy remained from the last litter she would breed when the woman considered to be the foremost pioneer of the PON in America, Betty Augustowski, inquired about the breed who shared her Polish heritage. In 1982, at the age of four months, Pan Vladek would become the first PON with Betty's kennel name of Elzbieta. Although it was believed there may be as many as 12 other PONs in the U.S. at the time, brought over from Belgium and Germany by American service families and tourists, it was Vladek who would be the "father" of the breed in America. He was the sire or grandsire of nine of the first American PON champions. Having fallen in love with Vladek, Betty pursued her dream of finding a mate for him and her relentless search would eventually be rewarded when word arrived that a pregnant bitch would be sent from Poland in March of 1983. Krymka z Kordegardy, a gold-medal winner in Europe, gave birth in April to five healthy PON pups: Anetka, Anolik, Polamka, Stasia and Brunek. For breeding purposes, the Augustowski's kept two bitches from the litter, Anetka and Anolik and the only male, Brunek. Krymka, Elzbieta's foundation bitch, was the mother or grandmother of seven of the first ten U.S. champions. Then, quite unexpectedly, a pilot contacted Betty in June of that same year, with information that her two dogs had arrived at Baltimore-Washington International. Somehow, despite botched trans-Atlantic translations, Polish breeders had eventually sent Awans z Kordegardy and Branka z Kordegardy to America on a flight from Germany. These nine were joined by Moira Morrison's original bitch Kontrapunkt Lakotka in September of 1983, who by now was an adult, and it was Lakotka (nicknamed "Latchka") who would be bred with Vladek in April of 1984 to produce Elzbieta's first homebred litter. Among this litter of seven was Vladja z Elzbieta (Ski) who would become the mother of the breed's first American champion. Roughly a year later a nine-week-old pup, Klon Akribeia, was delivered from Poland bringing the number of Elzbieta's stud dogs to four. Then in 1989 Inbred Lapowka was brought to America by her breeder/owners Dr. Margaret Supronowicz and Dr. Tomasz Borkowski. Lapowka would be followed by Kontrapunkt Lawenda in November of 1991. Lawenda was the first Polish and Danish champion imported into the U.S. Premier Oligarchia came to the U.S. from Poland in January of 1992 for a few weeks to be bred to Inbred Lapowka and Elzbieta's Ciena, a daughter of Vladek and Lapowka. There would be more polish imports to the U.S. who arrived with Betty on her return from a visit to Poland in 1992. The three were: Zapaska Oligarchia Kawalkada, a female; Kontrapunkt Rozgrywka, a female; and Kontrapunkt Ryzykant, a male.  No history for the breed in America would be complete without recognizing the individual milestones accomplished by the breed since coming to the USA. Watch here for more firsts as we begin another exciting chapter in PON history by moving into the AKC Herding Group August 1, 2001.   First recorded win of a Polski Owczarek Nizinny in an American show ring: Pan Vladek at the age of seven months won Best of Breed 10/1982 breeder: Moira Morrison; owner: Betty Augustowski The American Polish Owczarek Nizinny Club (APONC) was established in 1987 First PON to become a (conformation) champion: Europa Casimir z Elzbieta 10/1988 bred by: Betty Augustowski; owned by: Loana Shields First Bitch to become a (conformation) champion: Magda z Elzbieta 2/1989 breeder: Betty Augustowski; owners: Betty Augustowski and Janet Masters First American PON to earn International and Mexican titles: Drobna z Elzbieta 1989 breeder: Betty Augustowski; owner: Dorene Zalis First obedience titled PON: Europa Casimir z Elzbieta 1990 bred by: Betty Augustowski; owned by: Loana Shields First BIS in an American ring: Elzbieta's Drzowie z Rockrun bred by: Betty Augustowski; owner: Dorene Zalis BOB at the first APONC National Specialty: Inbred Lapowka 1992 breeder/owners: Dr. Margaret Supronowicz and Dr. Tomasz Borkowski BOB at the 1994 APONC National Specialty: Lechsinska's Tosia breeder/owner: Kim Richmond BOS at the 1994 APONC National Specialty: Shaggi Pons Duzy Bozolski breeders/owners: Loana Shields and Tom Wason BOB at the 1995 APONC National Specialty: Elzbieta's Czmatke z Polish Hill bred by: Betty Augustowski; owned by Pam and Vic Siehr BOS at the 1995 APONC National Specialty: Ponwood's Esther Ofarim bred by: Barbara Bruns and Wolfgang Stamp; owned by: Nancy Gardzelewski First PON (female) World champion (aka World Winner) title: Elzbieta's White Zinfandel 1997 breeder: Betty Augustowski; owner: Merrilee Finch-Cirtwell BOB at the 1997 APONC National Specialty: Polish Hill's Batman the Caped Crusader breeders/owners: Pam and Vic Siehr BOS at the 1997 APONC National Specialty: Polish Hill's Boze Narodzenie breeders/owners: Pam and Vic Siehr BOB at the 1998 APONC National Specialty: Polish Hill's Batman the Caped Crusader breeders/owners: Pam and Vic Siehr BOS at the 1998 APONC National Specialty: White Star's Tzarina Alexea breeder: Merrilee Finch; owner Cheri O'Neal BOB at the 1999 APONC National Specialty: Burmar's Tadeus breeders: Bert and Mary Simberg; owners: George and Jane Ghesquirre BOS at the 1999 APONC National Specialty: Elzbieta's Isa z Sinclair breeder: Betty Augustowski; owned by Cheryl Kerner and Ryan Kerner The PON enters AKC's miscellaneous class: July 1, 1999 First PON(female) to earn AKC NA title: Pon z Rosa's Moseley 7/25/99 breeder: Christine Ferraro; owners: Elizabeth and Joseph Evans First PON(female) to earn AKC NAJ title: Pon z Rosa's Moseley 7/25/99 First PON(female) to earn AKC CD title: Ksiezna Kaska 8/15/99 breeder: Margie Loewen; owner: Gretchen Barker-Murphy and Gary Murphy First PON(female) to earn AKC OA title: Pon z Rosa's Moseley 9/12/99 breeder: Christine Ferraro; owners: Elizabeth and Joseph Evans First PON(male) to earn AKC CD title: Kosciuszko's Stasiek Borecka Grodec 11/6/99 breeder/owner: Julia Kennedy-Cochran First PON(female) to earn AKC OAJ title: Pon z Rosa's Moseley 12/12/99 breeder: Christine Ferraro; owners: Elizabeth and Joseph Evans First PON(female) to earn AKC AX title: Pon z Rosa's Moseley 2/12/00 breeder: Christine Ferraro; owners: Elizabeth and Joseph Evans BOB at the 2000 APONC National Specialty: DarBozy Oscar Harrison breeder: Susan Stekoll; owners: Rich and Ann Glazeski BOS at the 2000 APONC National Specialty: Elzbieta's White Zinfandel breeder: Betty Augustowski; owner: Merrilee Finch-Cirtwell First PON(female) to earn AXJ title: Pon z Rosa's Moseley 7/21/00 breeder: Christine Ferraro; owners: Elizabeth and Joseph Evans First PON(male) to earn NAJ title: Kosciuszko's Stasiek Borecka Grodec 8/5/00 breeder/owner: Julia Kennedy-Cochran First PON(male) to earn NA title: Kosciuszko's Stasiek Borecka Grodec 8/19/00 breeder/owner: Julia Kennedy-Cochran BOB at the 2001 APONC National Specialty: Dumka Hajko-Nerita breeder: Rafal Hajko; owner: Roxanne Connor BOS at the 2001 APONC National Specialty: DarBozy Oscar Harrison breeder: Susan Stekoll; owners: Rich and Ann Glazeski First PON (female) AKC champion: Elzbieta's White Zinfandel 8/04 breeder: Betty Augustowski; owner: Merrilee Finch-Cirtwell First American-bred PON (female) AKC champion: Elzbieta's White Zinfandel 8/04 breeder: Betty Augustowski; owner: Merrilee Finch-Cirtwell First PON (male) AKC champion: Furman Konkury 8/04 breeder: M. Kozlowska-Koza; owner: M. Mieczyk First foreign-owned/bred PON (male) AKC champion: Furman Konkury 8/04 breeder: M. Kozlowska-Koza; owner: M. Mieczyk First American-bred PON (male) AKC champion: Spioszek Pacynka z Sinclair 8/11 breeder: Agata Kowalyk; owners: Cheryl Kerner and Ryan Kerner First foreign-owned/bred PON (female) AKC champion: Ponwood's Fancy Girl breeder/owners: B. Bruns and W. Stamp First breeder-owner-handled PON (male) AKC champion: Polish Hill's Batman the Caped Crusader breeders/owners: P. Siehr & V. Siehr First breeder-owner-handled PON (female) AKC champion: Sinclair's Let Me Entertain You breeders/owners: R. Kerner & C. Kerner First PON (male) AKC Group Placement (4) : Furman Konkury 8/04 breeder: M. Kozlowska-Koza; owner: M. Mieczyk First PON (female) AKC Group Placement (2) : Ponwood's Fancy Girl 9/15/01 breeder/owners: B. Bruns and W. Stamp First American-Bred PON (male) AKC Group Placement (4) : White Star's Tigger Too 11/24/01 breeder: M. Finch-Cirtwell; owner: M. Hirata First BOB at the American Eukanuba Invitational show 2001: Ponwood's Fancy Girl breeder/owners: B. Bruns and W. Stamp First BOS at the American Eukanuba Invitational show 2001: Fuman Konkury breeder: M. Kozlowska-Koza; owner: M. Mieczyk First Best Bred-by Exhibitor at the American Eukanuba Invitational show 2001: DarBozy Black Tie No Tails breeder/owner: S. Stekoll First BOB at Westminster KC show 2002: Furman Konkury breeder: M. Kozlowska-Koza; owner: M. Mieczyk First BOS at Westminster KC show 2002: Malina z Gangu Dlugich breeder: B. Larska; owners: M. Supronowicz, K. Wagner First AOM winners at Westminster KC show 2002: Elzbieta's White Zinfandel breeder: B. Augustowski; owner: M. Finch-Cirtwell Racuch Blusalka breeder: E. Dobrzynska; owner: R. Connor BOB at the first AKC APONC National Specialty 2002: Ponwood's Izabella breeder: B. Bruns and W. Stamp; owner: S. Mills BOS at the first AKC APONC National Specialty 2002: White Star's Tigger Too breeder: M. Finch-Cirtwell; owner: M. Hirata First BIS by foreign-bred/owned PON (female): Ponwood's Fancy Girl 4/27/02 owner/breeders: B. Bruns and W. Stamp total entry: 675 dogs First PON to qualify for the AKC National Agility Championships: Pon z Rosa's Moseley 7/21/02- placed 6th breeder: C. Ferraro; owners: E. and J. Evans First American-Bred PON (female) AKC Group Placement (4) : Starpons Material Girl breeder/owner: D. Gray BOB at the American Eukanuba Invitational show 2002: Ponwood's Fancy Girl breeder/owners: B. Bruns and W. Stamp BOS at the American Eukanuba Invitational show 2002: White Star's Tigger Too breeder: M. Finch-Cirtwell; owner: M. Hirata Best Bred-by Exhibitor at the American Eukanuba Invitational show 2002: Tzarina's Got an Attitude breeder/owner: C. O'Neal BOB Westminster KC show 2003: Ponwood's Fancy Girl breeder: B. Bruns and W. Stamp; owner: B. Bruns and W. Stamp BOS Westminster KC show 2003: Zhiggins Goral White Star z Barnciarni breeder: B. Rayska Swist; owners: M. Finch-Cirtwell and J. Cirtwell BOB at the AKC APONC National Specialty 2003: Preciouspons Man z Starpons breeder: K. Theys; owners: D. Gray and M. Leaf BOS at the AKC APONC National Specialty 2003: Ponwood's Izabella breeder: B. Bruns and W. Stamp; owner: S. Mills BOB at the American National Championship show 2003: Czaber z Wielgowa breeder: J. Zerebecki, owner: A. Erickson BOS at the American National Championship show 2003: Nowinka Kosy Dziechcinek breeder: Beata Lesniak-Malecka; owner: N. Bogdanow Best Bred-by Exhibitor at the American National Championship show 2003: Nadzieja's Icy Odyssey breeder/owners: S. Willson & K. Willson BOB Westminster KC show 2004: Nowinka Kosy Dziechcinek breeder: Beata Lesniak-Malecka; owner: N. Bogdanow BOS Westminster KC show 2004: Czaber z Wielgowa breeder: J. Zerebecki, owner: A. Erickson BOB at the APONC National Specialty 2004: Ponwood's Izabella breeder: B. Bruns and W. Stamp; owner: S. Mills BOS at the APONC National Specialty 2004: Czaber z Wielgowa breeder: J. Zerebecki, owner: A. Erickson BOB at the American National Championship show 2005: Zhiggins Goral White Star z Barnciarni breeder: B. Rayska Swist; owners: M. Finch-Cirtwell and J. Cirtwell BOS at the American National Championship show 2005: Tzarina's Limited Edition breeder: C. O'Neal; owner: C. O'Neal Best Bred-by Exhibitor at the American National Championship show 2005: Premier's Bajka Bebe breeder/owners: B. Gilchrist & L. Gilchrist First American Bred BOB Westminster KC show 2005: White Star's Zachary T breeder: M. Finch-Cirtwell ; owner: M. Finch-Cirtwell and G. Helmbrecht First American Bred BOS Westminster KC show 2005: Tzarina's Limited Edition breeder: C. O'Neal, owner: C. O'Neal & G. Ritter BOB at the APONC National Specialty 2005: Poprad Azurowa Amhara breeder: E. Besaraba; owner: A. Klocke BOS at the APONC National Specialty 2005: Nowinka Kosy Dziechcinek breeder: B. Lesniak-Malecka; owner: N. Bogdanow BOB Westminster KC show 2006: Zhiggins Goral White Star z Banciarni breeder: B. Rayska Swist; owners: M. Finch-Cirtwell and J. Cirtwell BOS Westminster KC show 2006: Molly Dziechcinek breeder: B. Lesniak-Malecka; owner: C. Gibson BOB & Best Bred-by Exhibitor at the American National Championship show 2006: White Star's Zachary T breeder: M. Finch-Cirtwell & J. Cirtwell; owners: G. Helmbrecht & M. Finch-Cirtwell BOS at the American National Championship show 2006: Nowinka Kosy Dziechcinek breeder: B.Lesniak-Malecka; owner: N. Bogdanow BOB at the AKC APONC National Specialty 2006: Zhiggins Goral White Star z Banciarni breeder: B. Rayska Swist; owners: M. Finch-Cirtwell and J. Cirtwell BOS at the AKC APONC National Specialty 2006: Nowinka Kosy Dziechcinek breeder: B.Lesniak-Malecka; owner: N. Bogdanow BOB at the American National Championship show Dec 2006: Nowinka Kosy Dziechcinek breeder: B.Lesniak-Malecka; owner: N. Bogdanow BOS at the American National Championship show Dec 2006: White Star's Baron breeder: M. Finch-Cirtwell and J. Cirtwell; owner: K. Wozniak Best Bred-by Exhibitor at the American National Championship show Dec 2006: Bogdanka's Amazing Amalia breeders: N. Bogdanow, B. Wilson & M. Cabral; owners: N. Bogdanow, B. Wilson & M. Cabral BOB Westminster KC show 2007: Ozdoba Kontekst breeder: G. Robak; owners: A. & V. Klocke BOS Westminster KC show 2007: Zarys Ama Canem breeder: M. Szczygiel; owner: C. Gibson BOB at the APONC National Specialty 2007: Nowinka Kosy Dziechcinek breeder: B.Lesniak-Malecka; owner: N. Bogdanow BOS at the APONC National Specialty 2007: White Star's Baron breeder: M. Finch-Cirtwell and J. Cirtwell; owner: K. Wozniak BOB at the American National Championship show Dec 2007: Nowinka Kosy Dziechcinek breeder: B.Lesniak-Malecka; owner: N. Bogdanow BOS at the American National Championship show Dec 2007: Bluegrass Ivy League z White Star breeders: Jan & Pat Wilkison; owner: Jenny Devlin Best Bred-by Exhibitor at the American National Championship show Dec 2007: Bogdanka's Abba Gale breeders: N. Bogdanow, B. Wilson & M. Cabral; owners: N. Bogdanow, B. Wilson & M. Cabral Complete List of AKC Conformation Champions 2001 (click here) Complete List of AKC Conformation Champions 2002 Complete List of AKC Conformation Champions 2003 Complete List of AKC Conformation Champions 2004 Complete list of AKC Conformation Champions 2005