Arja Koskelo

Finland

My judging career started in 1986 and as a Cocker Spaniel breeder I started with breeds of FCI group 8 – a group that I still feel like my own group. Today I am breeding Norfolk Terriers and Portuguese Water Dogs under prefix Hooligan. At home we have two of each breed and couple of females living elsewhere. In both breeds there are several champions and CC winners. I have judged on all continents and countries like Japan, Australia, South Africa, USA and many European countries and icing on the cake Cocker Spaniels at Crufts. As a teenager I was working at Astrawin Cocker Spaniel kennel in UK and from that time I started to visit Crufts, a show that is on my list every year since then. It is absolutely awesome to follow during four days the top dogs from around the world, never mind the breed. I am qualified to judge all breeds in FCI groups 4, 6, 7 and 8 and some breeds in groups 3 and 10. I have been acting in different show committees as well as in the board of the Finnish Kennel Club and in the Show and Judges Commission of the Finnish Kennel Club and the FCI. I am also educator of for new judges of some breeds in the gundog group. By profession I have a small studio in my home town and I am selling doggy art and gifts. Besides dogs I am interested in photography, gardening and archipelago. I live with my four dogs and spouse in the city of Turku and half of the year in the beautiful archipelago close to Turku.