Judges

Kurt Becksteiner, Austria

Hello, my name is Kurt Becksteiner. I have been handling retrievers, Goldens and Labradors, for over 20 years now. I am a passionate participant at retriever events at home and abroad. I have been representing Austria several times at the Coup d’Europe, ICC, Skinners World Cup, IWT and the CLA Game Fair.

My personal highlight was the qualification for and participation at the British Retriever Championship with Int. FTCH Bell Oktave Apollo (my own breed Golden) as the first participant from Continental Europe. Up to now I could make up five of my dogs to International Field Trial Champions (two Goldens and three Labradors), three Austrian-, two Italian- and one Hungarian Filed Trial Champion.

With Int. FTCH & AUT FTCH Doubleuse Helagsmountain „Vicky“ (Golden) I was the second best dog at the Skinners 2011. He was also the top Golden at the CLA and we won the European Challenge with the Austrian team 2013.

Int. FTCH & AUT FTCH Denbank Kirky „Scott“ (Labrador) was the top dog at the Skinners Event in 2016. As a team, we have been three times 3rd and two times 2nd at the Skinners World Cup.

At the moment I run two open dogs and one novice.

  • Int. FTCH & AUT FTCH; HU FTCH; IT FTCH Fendawood Dave (Labrador). “Dave” is brilliant - he won 13 CACIT – the Austrian/Hungarian Championship 2019, he was third in the Italian Retriever championship 2018 and much more, also on WT).
  • Int. FTCH & IT FTCH Ragweeds Codex aka “Ravik“ (Labrador)
  • Waterfirend Indiana Jones, a son of my outstanding Dave (already qualified for open by gaining a 2nd in a 24 dog novice Trial in Austria).

We also have a very promising young bitch Buccleuch Eclipse aka “Maisie” (she is trained and handled by my wife.)

At the moment we have eight dogs (two retired, two open, two novice and two youngsters).

My heart is definitely in dogs. I really enjoy to watch a good dog work and I love to train and to compete as well.

I wish all competitors that their dog is able to shine!

Mark Demaine, Great Britain

I live in North-West England, and my kennel name is Caytonfell. I have made up 4 FTCH and competed in trials for 12 years. I am an A panel KC judge and have been fortunate to of judged many trials and working tests. 

I judged the ICC in Denmark in 2018 and more recently the IGL in 2021. 

I look forward to judging the ICC again in Finland and would like to wish all the competitors good luck.

Thomas Plamboeck, Denmark

Thomas runs dogs for his wife, Iben, who owns Kennel Batmoors. Thomas has been training and handling dogs for the last 20 years.

Thomas has made up 3 Danish Field Trial Champions; Hillus Powell and Broadlaw Ebony. Made up Hillus Powell a Danish Workingtest champion. And latest made Astraglen Bailey into Danish Field Trial Champion.

Won the Danish Field trial championship in 2012 and 2014, and 7 other times been placed with 4 different dogs. Won the Nordic Field Trial championship with Hillus Powell, and the couple was placed 3rd at the Europe Cup.
Thomas has been placed in field trials with several other dogs.

Thomas is an international Field Trial Judge under the FCI, and besides judging in Denmark, Thomas has judged in Sweden, Finland, England, Italy, France ect.

Tomi Sarkkinen, Finland

I got my first labrador in the year 2000. I am a serious hunter, and I wanted a dog that could pick up game. My first dog made me interested about competing in retriever events. I have trained two international champions and four cold game test champions.

CIT FI & SE & NO KVA FI & DK &SE KVA-FT Blackthorn Bion has been the most successful dog for me. I have won a lot of trials and working tests with him. He has also won the Finnish Labrador Championship in 2009, the Swedish Retriever Championship in 2012 and 2014, and he has been voted Best Hunting Labrador of the Year four times in a row.

My other international champion is CIT FI KVA FI KVA-FT Wijmas Mumin, who finished second place in ICC 2017. At this moment we have five working labradors at home.

I started small breeding working labradors in 2012 with kennel name No More. Now we have four dogs at home, and I compete with three of them: Shimnavale Jay, Carmal's Olympic Medalist and Carmal's Very Nice.

I have been a full time professional gundog trainer for retrievers since 2013 when I started my own
company called Koirapalvelu Tomi Sarkkinen. I love to watch dogs, which can work in a good relationship with their handler yet can still also work independently. We don’t need a dog to pick up the bird that we can pick up ourselves - we need a dog if the game is missing!

Thank you for inviting me this great event and looking forward to seeing you all!