Judges T-Z

My doggy life started with hunting in the late 1960s and that time I got my first dog – a Finnish Spitz. In the beginning of 1980s I owned a Finnish Spitz Kimi, who became a Hunting Champion and a Show Champion. I accomplished judges license for different kind of hunting tests and I am a chief judge for bird barking trials. In the beginning of 1990s I got my show judge license and I am judging most of the breeds in the FCI groups 5 and 6 and I am doing some more breeds in the FCI group 8. Besides Finland I have judged in Sweden, Norway and Great Britain and I have judge in many breed specialties. I breed together with my wife some Terrier breeds and some Spitz-breeds under the prefix “Karahkan”. At the FCI World Dog Show I am judging Jämthund (Swedish Elkhound) and in this breed I have bred champions in Finland and dogs I have bred have become champions in Sweden and Norway.

I have spent all my life with dogs. My parents had German Shepherds and later St. Bernhards, long haired, even one BIS-winner. After moving from home I got a Lapponian Herder and this lovely breed I bred between 1966-1998 under the prefix “Toiskan”. I bred many Show Champions and dogs bred by me were working as reindeer herders in Lapland. Also Finnish Lapphunds I had during many years. When we moved to Helsinki city year 1984, I had to think a different kind of breed. That´s how I turn into terriers, first Scottish Terriers, in which I had some litters, among them many Champions and some International Champions.  Year 1986 I got the first Dandie Dinmont Terrier and under prefix” Winterway´s” I have bred with my youngest daughter many litters. Among dogs bred or owned by us are many International Champions as well as European Winners, Junior World Winners and of course many Finnish Champions. We have exported dogs to USA, Italy, Sweden, Germany, Netherlands, England and Portugal. I have had also two Bouvier des Flandres, a male and a bitch from Holland, I have so far bred one litter of the breed.

I have got my judging license in 1982 and I am now judging all breeds. II have judged all over the Europe, in Australia, Mexico, Chile, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Costa Rica and Canada and have had the pleasure of judging in many FCI European and World Dog Shows as well as Asian Winner, German Bundessieger and Amsterdam Winner. I have also acted in different positions in different breed clubs. I have been member of the Board of the Finnish Kennel Club in 1996-2006, Chairman of the Judges and Show Committee of the Finnish Kennel Club, member of the Judges and Show Committee of the FCI and Chairman of the FCI Show Committee in 1996-2006. At the moment I am member of the Council of the Finnish Kennel Club.

Harry got his first dog in 1963 and the first litter was born in 1968, breed is Wire-haired Fox Terrier and prefix “Bonnie Step”. He was awarded in 1982 the Vuolasvirta Award, the highest award of dog breeding by the Finnish Kennel Club. At the moment he has a Smooth-haired Fox Terrier at home.

Harry has had many positions of trust in the Finnish Kennel Club, regional Kennel Clubs and breed clubs. He has been member of the board of the Finnish Kennel Club and a member of the Council of the Finnish Kennel Club. He has been the chairman of the Future Planning Committee of the Finnish Kennel Club and the Show and Judges Committee of the Finnish Kennel club and a member of the Breed Standard Committee of the Finnish Kennel Club. He has been chairman of the Ferreting Dog Division of a regional Kennel Club and President of the Finnish Fox Terrier Association. He has been a delegate of the Finnish Kennel Club in the Show and Judges Commission and the Ferreting Dog Commission of the FCI.

He became a judge in 1985 and nowadays he is an all breed judge. He has judged in most of the European countries and in Asia, Africa, Australia and North America. Besides dog Harry’s hobbies are horse riding and breeding horses. He has been a judge for dressage and of gait in riding.

My family have owned Pembrokes since 1963 and Cardigans since 1980.  Over the years we have had 20 UK Champions and many more top winning dogs both in the UK and overseas bred under the Bymil affix. In more recent years a joint venture with Simon Parsons (Deavitte) and Diana & Gerald King (Bimwich) saw us import a litter brother and sister from the U.S.A. and with these we started a new line under the Oregonian affix which has also proved highly successful. I first judged Pembrokes in 1976 and I have judged both Pembrokes & Cardigans at Championship show level on many occasions in the U.K. including both breeds at Crufts and the Welsh Corgi League and the Cardigan Welsh Corgi Association.

I have also judged in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Switzerland, Slovakia, France, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and on many occasions in America including the Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of America  I have been an Executive committee member of the Welsh Corgi League for a number of years and served as Chairman from 1996 – 99.  I am also a full member of the Kennel Club.

I am 52 years old judge and dogs have always been a part in my life. I started to hunt at a young age with hounds, retrieving dogs and barking dogs. My first own dogs were Beagles and the next breed became to my passion - the Finnish Spitz. Being active in breed clubs and organizing dog shows lead me to the world of judging. I qualified for my first breed in 2001 and now I judge all breeds in the FCI groups 4,5,6,7 and 8 and many breeds in groups 3 and 10. I judge about 20-25 shows per year and besides Finland I have judged in Sweden, Norway, United Kingdom and Canada.

I have been member in the Show and Judges Commission of the Finnish Kennel Club and have held various positions in the Spitz Club of Finland and am educator for some breeds. I have been chairman of numerous dog shows and have organized bird barking trials and acted as a Chief Judge in bird barking trials.

I breed Finnish Spitzes and Norrbottenspitzes under the prefix "Reppukorven". Photographing and writing are also close to my heart and my articles and pictures have been published in hunting and dog magazines and in literature.

I became interested in dogs in the 1970’s with my first own dog.  I showed my dogs and became also a ring steward. In the beginning of 1980’s I became a judge, first breed was Boxer. Group 2 is my own group but special interest and wish to learn more about Mastiff type breeds has lead me also to small Molossians.

I have judged in approximately 20 different countries. I have had several different positions in breed clubs and at the moment I am in charge of the judges training and education in the Finnish Boxer Club, must be my 15th year in that position. I am the representative of the Finnish Boxer Club in the Council of the Finnish Kennel Club. 

I have owned or co-owned about dozen Boxers, at home we have usually 1-3 at the same time. With my husband I have bred couple litters of Boxers in the 1990’s but due to the lack of time we finished with breeding. Now we have two Boston Terriers at home.

I am working on financial and insurance business and we have a son who is a student. My other hobbies are travelling, reading and music from opera to fado and even to heavy rock. I love movies. I am on voluntary diaconal work and like Lions Club work. 

It would be an understatement, if I say judging is a hobby for me. However, it is a hobby, as I do not get salary from it, but more or less it is a passion and ongoing process of learning, which gives joy and energy that makes me a happier person.

My experience with show dogs started in 1962 when I worked at Ryslip Kennels which at the time was a training kennel for Breeding, Trimming, Boarding and Showing of dogs.  Joe Cartledge, Jane Miller, Barbara Sedorski and Mary Swash were my tutors.  This sparked my interest in showing dogs. I was given a Wire Haired Fox Terrier for my 21st Birthday, Wyrecroft Seamaid and after marrying Andrew in 1966 properly started showing.  We had both Wire and Smooth Fox Terriers as well as American Cockers and Boxers and we regularly showed them all.  The West Highland White Terriers joined the kennel in 1969.  I am proud to have bred to date 29 homebred Ashgate WHWT champions (2 with Kath Berry who shares my prefix).   There are also 5 champions with Ashgate as a suffix and I am delighted that many of the Westies I have exported are now Champions.  Probably my best known boys were Ch. Ashgate Sinclair, Ch. Aristea Pilgrim to Ashgate and Ch. Ashgate Connel.   Sinclair won 19 CC’s, Pilgrim won 21 CC’s and  also won the accolade of being World Champion in Germany which was a great honour. Connel also features in many pedigrees, he has won well including 40 BIS awards for Jesus Pastor in Spain.  I am also delighted that my Westie stud dogs have sired so many successful dogs for other people. 

I started judging in 1972, awarding my first CC’s in 1982.  I award CC’s in both WHWT and Scottish Terriers.

Zena first showed an Irish Wolfhound in 1968, & her first homebred Miniature Wirehaired Dachshund in 1970. Both became famous champions. Since those days her Drakesleat kennel has been responsible for 134 British Champions, of which 112 are Min/Wire Dachshunds. She is the first person in any breed, to own or breed 100 Champions since records began in 1873, in the Uk. The hounds have won well over 800 Challenge Certificates, over 50 groups & many all breed Best in Show’s. Zena is an FCI all breed judge, & is currently the only judge in the UK who is passed to award Challenge Certificates in every breed. She has a vast collection of early dog books & enjoys studying the history of all breeds. She holds several honorary positions in various breed clubs.

My first breed was a Wire-Haired Fox Terrier, after that I had a Borzoi, Miniature Pinscher and then came Whippets in 1978. The first Whippet litter under prefix “Woodbrooks” was born in 1980. We have exported Whippets to 12 foreign countries and dogs bred by us have been very successful both in Finland and abroad. We have bred a couple of litters in Chihuahuas and nowadays we have also Miniature Smooth-haired Dachshunds.

Before becoming a judge I used to handle many different breeds, which has been a very instructive and educational. I got my judging licence in 1994 for the Whippets and nowadays I judge all breeds in the FCI groups 4 and 10 plus also breeds in FCI Groups 1, 2, 5, 6 and 9. Besides Finland I have judged Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia, Russia, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Poland, Gibraltar and Australia.

We have at home also a Netherland Dwarf (rabbit) and a couple of birds. My other interests include horse riding (dressage and trail riding) and gardening.

My family had always had dogs so with my late husband Fred Ward we were asked one day to help at the canine show part as they were short of stewards in the Staffordshire Bull Terrier ring, we were smitten. Our first Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy came in 1970, where we began our show career starting from the early 70’s in Stafford’s and later in 1986 our first Airedale Terrier and were lucky to have some success. I judged my first show in March 1980, giving my first set of Staffordshire Bull Terrier CC’s in 1989, and Airedale Terrier CC’s in 2007, I also give CC’s in Miniature Bull Terriers: I have been judging Staffords throughout from that time both at home and abroad. I was honoured to judge the Staffordshire Bull Terrier bitches at Crufts in 2011 and see our Best of Breed take 3rd in the Terrier Group. On the official side I am Treasurer for the East Midlands SBT Club also their Breed Council representative and health representative, I am also a committee member of the Nott’s & Derby District SBT breed club, and Chairperson of the Midland Counties Airedale Terrier Club and have the honour of being the President of the National Airedale Terrier Association, and committee member.  I am very honoured to be asked to officiate today and very much look forward to the appointment.

Pyrenean Mountain Dog breeder, since 1987, owner also of Boxer and Saint Bernard, breed’s name “Domaine de L’ Étoile”, owner and breeder of several champions. Was president of the Portuguese Newfoundland Club, vice president of the Portuguese Great Dane Club and of the Portuguese Saint Bernard Club, President of the Boxer Club, member of the Portuguese KB Breeding committee. Is FCI International judge since 1996 of Group 2 and breeds from groups 1,5,8, and 10. Have judged in all countries in Europe, USA and Australia.

Roberto has been actively involved in world of dogs for over four decades, becoming an FCI all breed judge in 1985.  He holds numerous official positions including Executive Director of the Federación Canófila de Puerto Rico, and member of the FCI Show and Judges Commission. 

Prior to concentrating on his judging and official roles he was an accomplished breeder and exhibitor. Roberto gained Champion Status, and was most famously known, for the many Afghans he bred and exhibited under the kennel prefix, “RADESA”. Over the years he has also bred and exhibited with great success Briards, Whippets, Scottish Deerhounds and Lakeland Terriers.   

Extensive international judging assignments have taken him around the world, officiating in many countries including at FCI World Shows in Peru, Argentina, Poland, Mexico, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Germany, France and Hungary.  He has enjoyed other notable assignments in Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Australia, Ireland, Brazil, Bolivia, Canada, Russia, Spain, Gibraltar, France, Slovakia, USA, Chile, Venezuela, Guatemala, Argentina, Panamá, Costa Rica, Colombia, Croatia, Slovenia, Iceland, New Zealand, Turkey, Cyprus, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Thailand, China, Malaysia and the Philippines, among others.

In his daily working role as the Chief Financial Officer of Imagen Optima, an advertising and public relations agency in Puerto Rico, Roberto is regularly dealing with high profile clients such as Digital Equipment Corporation, Ray Ban Sunglasses, Danosa, among many other well-known brands.

First exhibited a German Shepherd in 1952. Subsequently bred/owned Shetland sheepdogs (Sharval prefix) having Champions in the 3 main recognised colours including Scotland’s first ever blue merle Champion.  Also the breed CC record holder and won Groups & BIS at UK Ch. Shows.  Ch. Sandpiper of Sharval was the first ever British sheltie to win BIS at an all breeds Ch. Show in UK.  I have also owned a dual CC winning beagle and a Ch. Long coated Chihuahua. Currently approved by the K.C. to award Challenge Certificates in 90 breeds. I have judged 72 Ch. Show Groups in UK and  18 times Best in Show at some of this countries most prestigious shows, ie  LKA, WINDSOR, THE SCOTTISH KENNEL CLUB. I was  the BIS judge at Crufts 2003  it’s 100th show .  Also at Crufts  I judged the Working Group in 1994, the  Toy Group  in 2002, the Utility Group in 2007 then the Pastoral Group   in 2012.  Since then I have judged in all 5 Continents including: Australia, Barbados, Belgium, Denmark, Eire, Finland, Germany, Holland, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, San Marino, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden. United Arab Emirates & the United States of America. KC JUDGES Group Development:  I am actively involved in this scheme as a Kennel Club Assessor for those studying & being examined as prospective judges in the Pastoral Group.

My involvement in dogs goes back to 1959 when our family bought our first dog, a German shepherd. We bred and showed German shepherds for 8 years before we imported our first Pembroke Corgi from England. We had a very successful start with our new breed as our first Corgi ended up as Dog of the Year all breeds in Norway 1968. Since then we have made up more than 100 homebred national champions, and 30 international champions. Also most of our imported dogs have become champions. Since the Norwegian Welsh Corgi Klubb started the Corgi of the Year competition in 1974, our dogs either homebred or imports have won the title 28 times with 17 different dogs.

We have bred numerous group and best in show winners, and also champions in the countries where corgi are strongest, England, USA and Australia as well as all over Europe, and all our dogs all up to this day can be followed in a straight line back to our first imported bitch. In my younger days I used to handle many different breeds for other people, for example Poodles, Boxers, Keeshonds, Whippets, Golden Retrievers and Scottish Terrier.

I have held all different board positions in the Norsk Welsh Corgi Klubb and have served on the Norwegian Kennel Klub general committee from 1996 – 2006. I have been in charge of the NKK committee for judging education and examinations for more than 20 years, and am the representative for the NKK in the FCI committee for judging education. In February 2006 I was also elected. President of the FCI Show Commission, and am still serving.

I have been an FCI judge since 1976 , and was appointed an FCI all breeds judge in 2010. I have judged at major shows all over the world, among which are many world and section shows, and specialty shows in many different breeds.

Rainer has bred Rough Collies on prefix ”Rainwood” and he has also owned Welsh Corgi Pembrokes, German Shepherds, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Border Terrier. Before becoming a judge he used to handle many different breeds.

He has been chairman of different breed clubs and associations and acted as a member of breed councils. He has been member of the board of the Finnish Kennel Club almost 10 years. He is an all round judge and has judged on all continents. He has also judged Collies at the famous Crufts in England.

I have been in close contact with a dog since I was born though at that time my parents had a pet dog. When he passed away my parents agreed to have a Boxer as for all of us it was the nicest dog in the world. So I got my first pure bred Boxer when I was 12 years old. I was lucky to get a nice show dog, so I got very enthusiastic about showing and training. Since that dogs occupy large part, if not the largest, of my life. For many years I have bred Boxers and have been Chairman of Latvian Boxer Club 1981-1995. No dogs at present. Before becoming a Dog show judge I became trainee and judge for general obedience and special trials. In 1984 I become a Dog show judge and gradually stopped my training dogs. Since 2012 all-breed judge. At the moment I work for Latvian Cynological Federation as Bureau administrator and I am also the member of the Board and chairman of Judges Committee. Have judged in most of the European countries as well as in Australia, Japan, Philippines and Thailand.