nikola smolic, croatia

“I was born in Split in 1980, where I received my high school education in classical gymnasium learning ancient Greek and Latin, together with classical piano and opera singing in music school. Music has remained my big love and great part of my life. Through the years I also lived in Russia, Italy, Switzerland and England. In 1999 I moved to Zagreb, where I studied Psychology and Entrepreneurship.

My first show dog was an American Staffordshire Terrier, Multi Ch. Cheyenne That’s The Point. Since 2005 I bred and owned Shih Tzus, Lhasa Apsos, Miniature and Kaninchen Dachshunds, Shiba Inus, English Bull Terriers and Old English Sheepdog, and since then I had numerous BIS winners, World & European Winners, top dogs of all times in our country, winners of numerous BIS on many prestigious shows and bred approximately 200 champions all over the world. Since 2023 together with my fiancé I am breeding Australian Shepherds, Miniature American Shepherds and Miniature and Kaninchen Dachshunds under prefix Nizio’s. Also, for many years I worked as an all breed handler winning many BIS, groups, European and World Winner titles.

I am International FCI all breed judge. Til now I judged in most of the European countries, Asia and South Africa. I am also the President of Breeding Comission of the Croatian kennel club, acting President of the FCI Breeding Commission and President of Tibetan breed club in my country.”

suzana simon, Croatia

“Dogs have been an important part of my whole life.
I grew up with German Shepherds and started breeding them at a young age.
25 years ago I started breeding different Terrier breeds under the kennel name „The Best Colour“. I bred more than 30 litters of Irish, Lakeland, Welsh, Kerry Blue, Soft Coated Wheaten and Airedale Terriers and also a few litters of Miniature Schnauzers. I bred and owned more than 100 national and International Champions inlcuding several European and World Winners.
I was born in Zagreb, Croatia and I am a veterinary techican by profession.
As a young girl I started grooming and showing different breeds and during that time I won multiple Bests in Show with different dogs and won many grooming competitions.
More recently I have put my passion for breeding and showing aside as my husband Oliver, who is an FCI all breed judge, and I travel a lot and run two very busy and successful grooming shops.
In 2014 I started my judges education and I have so far judged numerous Specialty, National and International shows all around the world, including the World dog show in Germany.
I am permitted to judge all the breeds from the FCI groups II, III, IV and IX and most of the FCI group VIII breeds.
I have dedicated my whole life to dogs and I enjoy sharing our everyday life with my 13,5 years old Irish Terrier female. I also love judging dogs and I am very passionate about my job which icludes grooming of different breeds, whether they be purely companions or successful show dogs.”

Chie Yamakado Ejima, Japan

“Mrs Chie Ejima Yamakado has been involved in the Dog World since she was a child as her parents were both dog breeders.
She has bred Akitas, Japanese Spitz, Shibas, Pomeranians, Poodles and she is a successful breeder of Papillons and Golden Retrievers under the world-renown prefix Queen Bless, recognized by the JKC and FCI. She has bred dogs with over 1000 different titles and exported dogs all over the world. Her Papillons are the most titled dogs in this breed all over the world including Group winner & 3 BOBs at Crufts (including 2017), 3 BOB winners at Westminster and many World Winners and European Winners, 4 times BISS at the Papillon club of America National speciality show too.
Mrs Ejima got her All-breeds judging licence in 1998. She has judged in Japan, Italy, Sweden, Finland, Australia, USA, Canada, Estonia, Latvia, Brazil, Romania, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Portugal, the Netherlands, Denmark, Mexico, Costa Rica, Slovakia, New Zealand, Singapore and other European and Asian countries. She judged in 35 countries over the world.
She also judged Winner Shows of many of those countries. From 1980 to 2005 she worked as a professional All Breeds handler and has handled many different breeds all over the world including America, the UK and many other European countries, receiving BIS on many occasions. She has No1 dogs in the breed in Japan from 2014 till 2023 with Papillons & Poms.”

Hans van den Berg, The Netherlands

“I started showing dogs when i was 16 years old. My first dog was a Welsh Terrier who never won a CAC, but it proved to be the start of a lifelong love of dog showing, breeding and judging. I both bred and showed many winners in Scottish Terriers, Norfolk Terriers and Chihuahuas. My judging career began in 1978 with being appointed as an all rounder by the Dutch Kennel Club in 2000. I was the first all rounder in The Netherlands after a very long time, a wonderful achievement. Since 2000 I have travelled much of the world, officiating in many countries across the continents. I have had the honour of being invited to judge at some of the world’s best events including at least 10 World dog shows. I judged 3 times at Crufts and was selected to do Best in Show at a number of UK major shows including Scottish Kennel Club, Belfast Dog Society, Darlington Kennel Club and Birmingham National. I had the opportunaty to judge some of the best dogs in the world across Europe, the UK, Asia, the USA, Canada etc. I am very much looking forward to come to Split! Hospitality is great, organisation is professional and more important – I am sure I will have some outstanding dogs!”

Helen Tonkson, Estonia

“- Estonian Kennel Union Chairman of the Board (since 2023)

– Former President of Estonian Kennel Union (2014-2020)

– FCI General Assemble Chairman

– FCI Disciplinary and Arbitration Commission member

– Europe Section´s representative in the FCI Financial Commission

– Estonian Show Judges Committee member 2006-2010

– Estonian Kennel Union, proxy and auditor 2002-2006

– Estonian Society of the Staffordshire Bull Terriers, member of the board

– Estonian Terrier Club, former member of the board.

– Founding member of Great Dane Club and former vice-chairman

Engaged in breeding Staffordshire Bullterriers and Miniature Bullterriers under the affix MOONCRAFT´S since 1996 and breed over 100 Champions – among them several World Winners, European Winners, Crufts class winners, many International and National Champions, USA Champions, Latin-America, Nordic, Baltic, Eurasia, National Champions and Winners. Mooncraft´s kennel has been the TOP-kennel of the year. Helen has owned and shown also Great Danes and a Rough Collie.

Helen got her judges license in year 2000 and judged several International Shows among them World Dog Show 2018 in Amsterdam, World Dog Show 2022 in Brazil, European Dog Show 2021 in Hungary, European Dog Show 2023 in Denmark, Belgium „50-th Eurodogshow“ and Germany „VDH-Europaseiger Show“, Eurasia Winner and Baltic Winner shows. Helen has been invited to judge also the European Dog Show 2020 in Slovenia and World Dog Show 2024 in Croatia.

Helen also judged several Specialty Shows – Amsterdam WDS Terrier Show 2018 (Best in Show judge); Australia Staffordshire Bullterrier Club Specialty Show; Denmark Terrier Festival (Terrier Club 90-th year Anniversary Terrier Festival – Best in Show judge); Belgium C.E.T.S (Continental Europe Trophy Show for Bullterriers & Miniature Bullterriers); Belgium American Staffordshire Terrier Specialty; Czech Republic Bullterrier Club Specialty Show; Chile Bull Terrier and Staffordshire Bullterrier Club Show; INTERRA Show 2021 in Hungary; Finland (Finnish Terrier Club main show, Bullterrier Club Trophy and Open Show, Staffordshire Bullterrier & American Staffordshire Terrier Club Show); Germany (VDH-GBF Bayern-Cup and Bull-type Terriers Club Show, VDH-DCBT Club Show); North Ireland Terrier Association Specialty Show; Latvian Terrier and Molos Specialty Show; Lithuania (Bullterrier Club Show, Terrier Club Show); Norway EDS Terrier Club Show; Slovenia Terrier Club Show (Best in Show judge) and Amstaff Major (Best in Show judge); Spain (Terrier Club Show); Sweden (Terrier Club Show); Great Dane Club Show; Mastiffs Club Show.

Helen has judged Staffordshire Bull Terriers and Miniature Bull Terriers at Championship Show (CC) level in England and have ROM status for Standard and Miniature Bullterriers in Australia.”

Jean Lawless, Ireland

“I am originally from Dublin and I now live in Kildare, just south of the capital. My family always had dogs but my involvement in the world of show dogs began when I met Paul in the late 1980’s. We are best known for our Revloch Belgian Shepherd Dogs and Schipperkes, but in the past we have also owned Australian Silky Terriers, Rottweilers and Bullmastiffs. We have won numerous World and European Winner titles in our breeds and we also bred and own Multi Ch Revloch Figo, the first and only BSD Groenendael to win BIS at an All Breeds Championship Show in the UK and Ireland. I first judged at Championship level in 1994 and became an All Breeds judge earlier this year. I was delighted and honoured to judge all four varieties of Belgian Shepherds at Crufts between 2017 & 2018 and to have judged all over Europe as well as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada and the USA. This will be my first visit to Croatia, it was always on my bucket list to attend the Split Four Summer Nights, so even extra special to judge here now.”

Alberto Cuccillato, Italy

“Alberto Cuccillato was born in Naples in 1956 and in 1983 he started breeding English Cocker Spaniels (Di Cesarina Kennel) producing several Champions in the course of thirty years of breeding; activity currently suspended.

Starting June 2003 he is a national Judge ENCI and from 2005 an International judge Enci/FCI.

Currently Alberto is an all-rounder judge and also a trainer and examiner for new judges.

Alberto Cuccillato judged in all the most prestigious Italian Dog Shows, have been invited further to judge more times in France (twice to the Championnat de France) and in Finland and then in Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Norwey, Belgium, Holland, Latvia, Estonia, Lituania, Republic of San Marino, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia Erzegovina, Macedonia, Greece, Turkey, Ukraine, Bielorussia, Cina, Russia, Australia, Argentina, Austria and USA.”

Saija Juutilainen, Finland

“Breeds owned / bred: Saluki, German Pincher and Labrador Retriever. Breeder since: 1979 ​​Prefix: Wallaby’s. Languages: Finnish, English, Swedish. Year of first qualification: 1999 I have judged in following countries: besides Finland, in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine and USA. Qualified to judge: All Breeds. Already in my child hood, I used to live with dogs, because my grandparents had a Rough Collie and later a Welsh Corgi Pembroke. In the late 60´s, we lived in Helsinki and I saw formal President Urho Kekkonen walking with his Borzois, which he had as a presents from the Soviet Union – my very first contact to Sighthounds. My parents bought their first pedigree dog in the early 70´s – a Karelian Bear Dog for elk hunting and we had a Bear Dog litter, with seven puppies at home. My first, own dog, was a black & tan German Pinscher bitch and I bred my first own litter with seven puppies, in the July 1979.

Dogs have been an important part of my everyday life ever since the 1960s – for that reason, one can easily draw the conclusion that I am a well over middle-aged, passionate friend of dogs. My grandparents had a few Lassie-like shepherd dogs and later a Welsh Corgi. We always had dogs at home, everything from Karelian Bear Dogs to Pinschers. We got our first Saluki in the autumn of 1980 and started breeding them in 1984. So far, we have had altogether 28 litters. I have also bred one Pinscher litter in the summer of 1979. Today we have three Salukis and a Labrador Retriever at home.

The Saluki has always been The Breed for me in all respects – even though I sometimes feel that my hands are completely full during our walks when we meet dogs or people we know, not to mention cats and bunnies! The intelligence and ease of the Saluki make everyday life together comfortable. On the other hand, their independence and stubbornness make my blood pressure go up from time to time. Nowadays, my work in the Customs, judging appointments and hobbies fill my calendar years ahead and take up a great part of my time. Consequently, I do not breed as much for now – I like however to follow up on the development of the breed and litters both in Finland and abroad.

I felt that studying to become a dog show judge was a natural way for me to pursue my interest in dogs; ever since I got involved with dogs, I had been active in different clubs as a secretary, member of show committees, as a ring steward and as chair of the Finnish Saluki Club from 1995 to 2003. Today, I am in charge of training new judges into the secrets of the breed. Studying and judging different breeds is continuous learning and that is why it is interesting – I also feel that it gives one new points of view for understanding and judging one’s own breed. The first time I judged Salukis was at an unofficial show in Sweden in 1997. This gave me the idea of applying to a judge’s course. I authorized to judge Salukis in the summer of 1999 and today I am judging all breeds. Judging appointments have taken me to several different countries and I love to come and judge in famous Split Summer Show 2024.”