Mr. Thomas W. Coen

MR. THOMAS W. COEN of Great Barrington, Massachusetts, became interested in the world of purebred dogs at the age of twelve and whelped his first Shetland Sheepdog litter in 1964 while still in high school on Long Island, New York. Over the past five decades of breeding Shetland Sheepdogs, Madega has bred or owned seven National Specialty Best of Breed winners, eight All-Breed Best in Show winners, and more than twenty Register of Merit producers, including the breed's All-Time Top Sire. After graduating from college, Mr. Coen taught art on the Junior High level outside of Woodstock, New York. In 1970 he obtained his handler's license, and that was the beginning of an exciting career that spanned thirty years. 

In 2000, he retired from handling and received his AKC judging license. He is approved to judge the Herding Group, Dachshunds, and Best in Show. Mr. Coen has had the honor of judging Best of Breed at the Collie and Australian Shepherd National Specialties and twice at the Shetland Sheepdog National Specialty. His judging assignments and his "Quest For Quality" seminar have taken him to Canada, Japan, China, Denmark, Norway, and Brazil. This is his third judging assignment at Westminster.