This annual prize, which will be awarded at the Montgomery County Kennel Club (MCKC) show in October, will be given to the owner or owners of a Norwich Terrier selected at random, provided the dog meets the following criteria:
1. is an AKC-registered Norwich Terrier residing in North America,
2. has been scoped and scored for NTUAS by a veterinarian,
3. has a completed NTUAS scoring form publicly available on the Norwich Terrier Club of America (NTCA) website or the Shaksper Norwich Kennel website, and
4. has results that are more recent than those from the previous year's Montgomery show.
For the inaugural drawing at the 2025 Montgomery show, the names of three Norwich Terriers meeting the first three requirements will be randomly selected, regardless of when the scoring was completed or reported. Each winning owner will receive a prize of $1,000.
Owners need to take no action - so long as the NTUAS score form for their dog is publicly available, they are automatically entered into the drawing. Membership in the Norwich Terrier Club of America is not required to be eligible for the prize.
About NTUAS
Norwich Terrier Upper Airway Syndrome (NTUAS) is the leading health issue affecting Norwich Terriers. A scoring system developed by Dr. Bryden Stanley allows interested veterinarians to evaluate a dog's upper airway health. (Any board-certified veterinary surgeon is qualified to do an evaluation and scoring.) More information about NTUAS can be found on the websites of the Norwich Terrier Club of America (NTCA) and the Shaksper Norwich Kennel.
About the Upstart Crow Prize The prize is open to all AKC-registered Norwich Terriers, including pets and those intended for breeding. The primary goal is to gather comprehensive data on NTUAS. The actual score is not a factor in eligibility. The prize is solely intended to encourage airway testing, scoring, and public sharing of results.
About the Shaksper Norwich Kennel
Since 2001, the Shaksper Norwich Kennel has bred over 25 litters of Norwich Terriers. In addition to advocating for health testing, the kennel maintains an online Norwich pedigree database, offers an Embark DNA test cost-sharing program, and has DNA data on over 300 Norwich Terriers. The kennel also calculates estimated breeding values (EBVs) for hip dysplasia and NTUAS.
About the Name "Upstart Crow"
The phrase "Upstart Crow" appears in the 1592 pamphlet "A Groat's Worth of Wit" and is among the earliest references to William Shakespeare as a playwright.
17 Sep 2025
Camio's Believe It Or Not At Half A Bob
Coventry's Got Moxie
Verdant's Radiant Camila
have each won $1,000 for their owners. These Norwich had each been scoped and scored for NTUAS, and the results made public. The Shaksper Kennel thanks Norwich breeder Norma Braun for drawing the dogs at random from those eligible.
One dog will be eligible for the 2026 Upstart Crow Prize from those Norwich between now (6 Oct 2025) and the 2026 Montgomery show whose airways are scoped and scored for NTUAS, and the results made public.