Thank you for this much-valued invite to judge at the main event of the dog show year, Helsinki Winner 2023 and Finnish Winner 2023.

My judging career began in 2011. At the moment, I’m qualified to judge groups 5 and 6, as well as some breeds from groups 1 and 7. I’ve also been permitted to start training for groups 2, 3, and 4.

In my childhood, we had Finnish Spitz at home. I always read the Finnish Spitz Club’s magazine very carefully, followed trial and show results and matings that were carried out. My penchant for all Finnish breeds probably stems from these times. My first own pure-bred dog was by coincidence an East Siberian Laika. Ever since then, there’s always been one or more East Siberians in the family, in addition to Lapponian Herders. When my place of residence allowed for it, a Finnish Spitz joined our pack. At the moment, with my daughter’s dogs included, our pack consists of 8 dogs. 

We do small-scale breeding of all breeds we have at home. I’ve been awarded with the Finnish Kennel Club’s Vuolasvirta prize for merited breeding of Lapponian Herders.

Moving out in the terrain is the best counterbalance to office work. As the dogs have gotten older, hunting has become a less serious activity.

Highlights of my judging career including specialty show judging appointments in Finland and abroad. For instance, I got to judge Swedish Elkhounds and a great number of Karelian Bear Dogs at their main specialty shows in Finland this year. Judging at the East Siberian Laika specialty in Russia and The Finnish Spitz 50th Anniversary Show in Great Britain have also been memorable judging appointments. In addition to Finnish specialty shows, I’ve judged Lappish breeds at Helsinki World Dog Show 2014 and a few specialty shows in Norway, Sweden, and France.