The GSCA Lifetime Achievement Award honors those rare and exceptional individuals who have dedicated their lives to the Giant Schnauzer and to the Giant Schnauzer Club of America, positively influencing people and the breed itself along the way. Breeders, competitors in performance or conformation events, leaders in GSCA, or others who have contributed significantly to the Giant Schnauzer community may be considered for this award. This award is the most prestigious offered within the club, and only those having devoted themselves to Giants over the course of a lifetime will be considered. Please refer to the GSCA Annual Awards Program documentation for more information and join us in honoring the very special individuals who have been recognized with this award.

Enid S. Lagree – Inaugural Recipient

Background

Enid Sailer was born in August 1944 in the Washington, DC area. During the summers, her mother would take Enid and her sister to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, a place that ultimately became Enid's true home. She completed an undergraduate degree in language and education at the University of Kansas, where in 1964 she met her future husband, Jay Lagree. They married in 1965, and Jay went on to attend dental school at the University of Missouri in Kansas City. After graduation, Jay joined the Air Force, and later while he was based in Houston, Enid earned her master's degree in library science from UT Austin in 1978. Enid and Jay obtained their first Giant (Geoffry) in 1972 and joined GSCA that same year.

Qualifications

Enid's education and skills made her particularly adept at writing and editing. In addition to the well-known books Just Giants and The Giant Schnauzer in the United States 1930-2005 , she contributed to numerous magazines and publications. She served as editor of Giant Steps for many years and wrote numerous articles for the magazine, including a column on obedience from 1975 to 1985. She was the GSCA breed columnist for the AKC Gazette . As its editor, she produced the 1979 edition of What You Should Know About the Giant Schnauzer for GSCA, which won an award from the Dog Writers’ Association of America (DWAA). In the mid-1980s, Enid and Judi Boston launched the award-winning annual magazine GIANT which was published from 1986 to 1991 and truly a treasure trove of information, photos, and artwork about the breed. The South Central Giant Schnauzer Club (SCGSC) was formed in the early 2000s, with Enid publishing their quarterly magazine The Giant Hotline from 2003 to 2011.

Enid was also a highly talented photographer, though she described herself as “just an amateur”. This amateur status didn’t deter her from winning awards or from helping others learn how to photograph Giants effectively so they didn’t appear as “big black blobs” as she called them. She was an avid collector of Giant memorabilia and collaborated with talented artists including Gary McGirr, Dee Dee Rose, Betsy Kirk, and Julie Brenan to create new artwork for the breed.

Enid was a proud advocate for the breed as well as a student and teacher of its history for over five decades. Her lifetime of effort as a researcher, author, editor, publisher, photographer, and art patron have left a legacy unparalleled within the United States and one very much on par with the pioneers of our breed in Germany. Her legacy will benefit the Giant Schnauzer long after all of us are gone.

Roles

Owner, Exhibitor, Trainer/Handler, Judge, Author, Historian, Photographer, Art Patron

GSCA Contributions

Club member since 1972, AKC Delegate, Giant Steps editor, Newsletter editor, AKC Gazette columnist, Information Center, Archivist, Obedience Judge

Christine Lietzau – 2026 Recipient

Background

Christine Lietzau was born in July 1951 in Michigan where, with the exception of a college term in Oregon, she has lived her entire life. She worked for the Michigan State Agricultural Department. Chris obtained her first Giant in 1976, joined GSCA in 1979, and established Momentumm Kennels in 1980.

Qualifications

Chris has devoted her life to the Giant Schnauzer breed. She has served the Giant Schnauzer Club of America including as President and Vice President. For decades she was the club’s registered agent in the state of Michigan until stepping down in 2025. She has taught multiple grooming seminars over the years and has always been willing to assist those new to the breed with grooming and general giant knowledge. Her breeding program has produced over 30 champions under the Momentumm kennel name and has contributed to many other champions and wonderful family pets through the use of her stud dogs and by working with other kennels.

Her most noteworthy wins include winning Best of Breed at the 2014 National Specialty as a Breeder/Owner/Handler with GCH Ch Momentumm Stars And Bright Lights TD (aka Marquee) and then winning back to back Best of Breeds at the 2020 and 2021 National Specialties with Marquee’s son GCHB Ch Momentumm King of Hearts CD BH CGC TKN FTI (aka Henry). Chris' breeding program has made a lasting impact on the Giant Schnauzer breed by focusing not only on conformation and the correctness but also on performance and temperament – always prioritizing the total dog. In addition to conformation, her Giants have earned multiple advanced performance titles in Obedience, Agility, Tracking, Rally, Scent Work, Herding, Carting, and IPO. She was the first to obtain Schutzhund III titles on her Giants, MACH3 Momentumm Behind The Wind v Iro (aka Breezy) was the first AKC Agility Champion.

Chris Lietzau is one of those rare and exceptional individuals who has dedicated her life to the Giant Schnauzer. She has positively influenced and educated people about the breed for over 50 years while her breeding program has remained true to what a correct Giant Schnauzer should be in both mind and body.

Roles

Owner, Breeder, Exhibitor, Trainer/Handler, Judge, Author, Groomer

GSCA Contributions

Club member since 1979, multiple officer positions including President and Vice President, Breeders Education chair, Membership chair, grooming seminar teacher, registered agent in Michigan