Kari Jarvinen (Finland)

Kari Järvinen got his first dog at the age of eight in 1957. Kari has had dogs of many breeds. He started breeding with a beagle and with his late wife Raija they bred Scottish and West Highlandterriers with great success.

When judging in England in the seventies he saw Agility competitions and introduced it here. And in the mid-eighties, with the sponsorship of his employer, he was able to arrange the first training course for judges and invited a coach from England. Now agility gathers most entries and Finnish Agility competitors have been very successful in international games.

Kari started also Junior Handling activities in Finland. This was in 1973.

Kari started his own judging career in 1972, became all-rounder in 1991 as a first Finnish judge. In Finland it takes a long time to get rights to judge all breeds. You cannot buy the rights to judge: you study and pass exams breed by breed and advance to groups.Kari has judged in 80 countries all over the world. And he has enjoyed it enormously. Kari has said that the highlight and the most magnificent moment in his judges life was 1998 in the Helsinki FCI World Dog show. Kari was BIS judge and found the most gorgeous/beautiful Papillion for the winner of that memorable show.

He has represented Finland on the board of Nordic Kennel Union longer than anybody else, twice as a chairman.