Maria Gkinala
was it for me. I used to spend all my pocket money buying dog books from abroad and saving up for my own Great Dane. It’s the most enduring love affair in my long adventurous life and together with my daughter dogs are my best friends.
» When did you start with judge career and why did you chose to become a judge? Please tell us about your judges carrier and your highlights . First of all I don’t consider judging a career. I was sort of very reluctantly got dragged into it as I was very involved with Greek dogdom and setting up judges’ education for the Kennel Club of Greece. As I had an active involvement with other breeds in FCI group II, Boxers, Bullmastiffs, Dobermanns, Rottweilers and others, I completed the group. I can’t really fake deep interest in all breeds and as it’s not possible to pick and choose the breeds I am most interested in from other groups, like the Irish Red & White Setter and the Greyhound, because the system requires the judge to complete whole groups before moving onto another, I’m happy where I am. I would like to see that changed, allowing people to choose what they are truly interested in, as I think that would improve the quality of judging. I don’t believe a judge can be really efficient in depth without a personal involvement, breeding experience and specialist study in each breed. The judge’s duty to be an educator goes much deeper and further than merely a good knowledge of the breed standard; the judge should know the breed’s history in great detail, have a broad perspective and be aware of what are the particular problems in the breed at any
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| THEDOGM AGA Z INE
· IS S UE 08/ 2016
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