Judge CV
Born into a family where greyhounds have been part of everyday life since 1955, Espen Engh has been very actively involved in the dogs from a very early age. The first litter of greyhounds carrying the prefix Jet’s was bred by Espen and his late mother Kari in 1975.
The Jet’s are the top winning greyhound kennel of all time, having made up 224 individual homebred champions, including 106 FCI International champions. The Jet’s bitch line includes a unique ten consecutive generations of Best in Show winning international champion bitches. Int.Ch. Jet’s Once Upon A Dream was Norway’s Dog of the Year in 2001, Int.Ch. Jet’s Something In The Way U Smile in 2003, Int.Ch. Jet’s Just Take Me Home Tonight in 2013 and Int.Ch. Jet’s Man in the Moon in 2016.
Espen has also co-owned several Afghan Hound and Whippet champions with his life partner Åge Gjetnes. Their latest venture is Griffon Bruxellois where several Jet’s homebred champions have been made up, including the first ever English and American champion bitch in the breed. Åge won the group at Crufts 2015 with his home-bred Miniature Poodle.
Espen judged his first dog show in 1984 and was approved to judge at championship show level in 1987. He was authorized to judge all breeds by the Norwegian Kennel Club and FCI in 2011. He has officiated in 98 countries around the world, including all-breed Best in Show in more than 60 of these.
Appointments include more than 160 specialties and fourteen FCI World show. He has judged three times at Westminster and will have the honour of judging the Hound group at Crufts, his tenth appointment at the world’s premier dog show.
A veterinarian by education, Espen finished his Doctoral Thesis at the Norwegian College of Veterinary Medicine, his work has been focused on promoting animal welfare.