I got my first Samoyed in 1985 and started showing in 1986. Shortly thereafter, I started to sled and enlarged my “kennel” to accommodate my new hobby. I have never been without at least one Samoyed since that time and over the years I have bred five litters and owned two very successful stud dogs. While in Finland, my native country, I sledded competitively with my Samoyed team and ran the #1 Samoyed sledding team and #1 skijoring Samoyed team for 4 years straight as well as competing successfully with my dogs in the conformation ring. Currently living in New Jersey, via Sweden and then Canada, I am no longer interested in competitive sledding but still take my dogs out for a recreational run when time and snow permits. While in Finland, I was applying for my Finnish judging license for Samoyeds and have judged all-breed matches and Samoyed sweepstakes. I owned the #1 show Samoyed in Finland in 1990 and 1991 and the #2 Samoyed in Canada in 2006 (#5 in 2005), winning multiple Groups (mostly owner-handled) and an owner-handled Best in Show!