I competed in Junior Handling for three years of the possible eight. The main reason why I started so late was that I didn't have a dog to compete with. This changed when I met Heidi Valo, a puli breeder from Helsinki. I had been interested in pulis for years and wanted to know more about them, so I contacted Heidi. Then I came up with the idea of asking if I could compete in JH with one of Heidi's dogs, and she said yes. Her choice for my JH-dog was Afro (Ch Narukerän Afro Afrodite), with whom I then started exploring the world of dog shows.

One of my best memories:
Winning BIS-JH and Helsinki Kennel District Championship with Afro.

Because any of the golden memories I have from junior handling wouldn't even exist without the dogs I shared the competitions with, it seems only natural to start by introducing the most important ones.

Fin & Est Ch FinW-04 NordW-05 BaltW-06 FinW-06
Narukerän Afro Afrodite, Afro

Photo: Tintti Salo

When I first met Afro, she politely ignored me. She looked the other way when I tried to talk to her, followed Heidi even though it was me holding the leash. That was my first contact with pulis, and I was mesmerized. At that moment I knew what I wanted: to be worth the friendship of a puli.

It wasn't easy. Our first show together was in Tampere Int 2003, and Afro spent most of the time trying to find Heidi. But we got some nice feedback from the friendly lady judging the competition, and that kept me going. I travelled to many shows with Afro, and she stayed at our house during those trips. And step by step, she began to trust me and work with me, inside and outside the ring. One of my favourite memories is when after one of our show weekends we took Afro back to Heidi and then headed home. The next day Heidi told me that Afro had run after our car. Such a small thing, really, but it meant the world to me.

We had many memorable competitions together, and now keep working together in the breed rings. With me showing her, Afro has achieved several BOB&BOS wins, Finnish Winner and Nordic Winner -titles and a group placement in an international show. She is a beautiful puli and a pleasure to show, and I hope we have many more shows and other experiences left for us in the future.

Pectus Alabama Sweet, Ria

Photo: Anu Järvinen

The best of the best, my soulmate. When Ria came to our family she was to be my showdog. As I was already into junior handling it was natural that she became a part of my hobby. When she didn't turn out to be exactly the "star quality" in the breed rings, it didn't even matter anymore, because she had shown she could be so much more.

I took Ria to her first JH competition when she was only seven months old. She was scared to death by the slippery floor, and you could say our performance could've gone better. The next day she showed beautifully, with much more confidence, and you could tell she was having fun. That was the beginning of our little story.

"Practise makes perfect" really goes for Ria. She began to enjoy the show life more and more, and we competed together when ever possible, with some success, too. We had our ups and downs, and when she returned to the show world after her first puppies it seemed like she didn't enjoy it anymore. However, I was happily surprised when in our last competitions together she showed her best and we both enjoyed ourselves like never before.

Pectus Larissa, Ronja

Photo: Tintti Salo

Ronja was already a part of our family when I started junior handling, but she wasn't (and still isn't) too into the whole showing thing. When she was two and a half years old I finally had the courage to try competing with her. Not too enthusiastic, that's for sure, but she surprised me by showing quite beautifully and patiently.

With Ronja it always depended on the day. Sometimes she loved being in the ring and blew me away by behaving like a real show star. Other days, she looked more like and old cow who had been forced to the ring. However, I'm just glad to say that we did have those good days, and those days always made me happier than anything.

On my last year I only competed with Ronja a couple of times. After January 2005 she was retired from the rings permanently. I'm grateful for all those moments we had together, but now it's time to have fun outside the rings.

Fin Ch Rantalaukan Kuningascobra, Cobra

Photo: Noora Suurnäkki

With Cobra I didn't share that many competitions, but he has taken his place in my heart nevertheless. On my second year in JH I had this idea to try competing with a completely new dog of a breed completely unknown to me. So I contacted Cobra's owner Tuua, who told me I could have a go with Cobra at the Porvoo National show in September. I went to see him before the show, and I was immediately impressed by his amazing character and beautiful looks. But I would've never guessed that it was with this boy I would experience one of my biggest wins. We won the whole thing at the Porvoo show, gaining qualification to the Finnish Championship final!

Our second show together was the final. It went relatively well, but naturally we weren't placed. More important to me was that I enjoyed being in the ring with this gentleman and felt like we did our best.

On my last year we shared some competitions and did quite well. I was always happy to compete with him, but the moments I enjoyed the most was when I went to see him in Espoo, where he still lives with his family. I'm more than grateful to Tuua who has let me show Cobra in the breed ring, too, and I really hope our friendship doesn't end here.

Those three years I competed in JH contain loads of great memories. Next I shall share some of them with you.

My first competition with Ronja and first placement in JH
(Pinscher-Schnauzer Specialty Show, June 2003).

At Super Summer Show, Helsinki in July 2003 with Afro.

4th at Eckerö Int Show in September 2003
with Ronja.

Helsinki Kennel District Championship
win and overall 4th with Ria, 5/04.
(photo: Tintti Salo)

Mäntyharju National Show, no placement
but probably the best competition ever
with Ronja.

BIS-JH (qualification to the Finnish Championship final) with Cobra
in Porvoo, September 2004.
(photo: Johanna Jykylä)

Finnish Championship Final with Cobra,
December 2004.




One of Ronja's good days at Turku Int 2005.

BIS-JH and Helsinki Kennel District Champion with Afro, Helsinki 5/05.

The next day we were placed 2nd.

2nd place at the Let's Go Show in September 2005 with Ria,

My last competition with Ria: 4th place in Porvoo, 9/05.
(photo: Anu Järvinen)

My last competition ever: 3rd place with Afro at
Jyväskylä Int Show in November 2005.
(photo: H. Keränen)

Nowadays my show days are usually spent around the puli ring. I'm very honoured to be Afro's "private handler", and we have had some really great moments together. As I said, it's always a huge pleasure to show Afro. I have, however, been lucky enough to get to know other pulis as well and occasionally even show them in the ring, too. Below you can see photos of some of the nice moments I've had in the ring with pulis.

Afro Excellent and 2nd in Champion class at the
Specialty Show for Hungarian Herding Dogs, 2003.
(photo: Heidi Valo)

Nesta (Narukerän Bia-Ballerina) 2nd in Open
Class with Exc. at the Specialty show in 2004.
(photo: Heidi Valo)

Afro BOB (FinW-04) and short listed in the Herding
group at Helsinki Winner Show, 2004.
(photo: Jenni Niemelä)

Komisz (VDH Ch Bocskai-Telepi Komisz) 2nd in Champion class at Pori Int Show -05.
(photo: Heidi Valo)


Afro BB2 with CACIB at FinW 2005 -show.

Afro BOS and NordW-05 in Helsinki.
(photo: Heidi Valo)

Afro BOB and FinW-06 in Helsinki (photo taken in the
Group Ring).


Masi (Loncsosi-Bátor Maszkos) BM2, CC & res-CACIB
at Tampere Int Show, 3/2007.
(photo: Heidi Valo)

Besides pulis, I've also shown some schnauzers, both Giant and Miniature ones. Now when my Junior Handling career is over I've shown some of the Super Play's Miniature Schnauzers.

Gandi (Super Play's Gandalf) Best Male 2nd
with CC at Lahti Int Show, 2006.

I would like to thank everyone who has somehow helped me with my hobby. Especially Heidi for introducing me to the world of Pulis, THANK YOU :)