About Butler County Kennel Club

The Butler County Kennel Club, an AKC member club, held its first dog show on August 12, 1939 at the Dance Pavilion in Alameda Park near Butler, Pennsylvania. The benched show featured 356 entries representing 43 breeds, with exhibitors and handlers who would later become respected figures in the sport.

The club was officially incorporated on January 9, 1946, with the mission of promoting responsible dog breeding, education, and the hosting of sanctioned and licensed dog shows in Butler County.

In the mid-1950s, Earl Poole guided the club through a period of financial difficulty and helped restore its stability, remaining an influential leader until his retirement in 1975. The club expanded in 1976 by adding a second show and obedience competition.

Throughout the years, dedicated members continued to strengthen the club, including Wayne and Jeanne Karnes, named the club’s first lifetime members in 1984, and Pepi Meixner, who led the club through another financial recovery in the 1980s.

After participating in the Memorial Classic cluster for several years, the club introduced its own two-day stand-alone event in 2009—the Butler Autumn Classic—held at the Butler County Fairgrounds in Prospect, Pennsylvania, where it continues to be offered today.