Today’s judges have been chosen for their experience and commitment to the Canine world across many breeds and for many years. They are still very active in the organization of shows throughout the UK, the educational programmes, as well as continuing to breed and show. We hope they will enjoy their experiences of the Middle East dog world and we know they will find it a happy and progressive day.

Sandra Johnston

From a child Sandra kept animals and her parents encouraged her to breed her rabbits and guinea pigs. The family had dogs – terriers originally then a golden retriever. The first dog she owned was a Tibetan Terrier who was looking for a home. She has now owned and bred basset hounds for many years and has been the top breeder in Scotland together with husband Tom. On leaving school she worked in insurance then stock broking before moving into market research and then into journalism. She currently works for a Canine Newspaper, writing features, covering show news and local events. She covers the annual Crufts Dog Show going behind the scenes to catch up with all the news and gossip from the show. She has also worked with various television companies in the development of TV programmes on dogs and dog shows. Her dogs have been used by the BBC for television programmes and have also been used in advertising campaigns. She is a Committee member at the Kennel Club as well as her National breed club, and also the Secretary of a successful General Canine Society organising four shows each year. She is an International Judge and has exported show dogs across the world. This is one of her favourite events and she always enjoys the show and looks forward to meeting both the regular and new exhibitors each year.


Tom Johnston

Tom grew up with a pet dog and it was when he married that he got the first of his Basset Hounds with his wife Sandra. As a husband and wife team they have become well known breeders with many winning dogs and champions. Tom trained as a technical instructor and after working in the UK for a few years moved to Abu Dhabi where he worked at the Sheik Zayed College for the Combined forces just outside Abu Dhabi. He then transferred to Dubai to the Institute of Applied Technology and Sandra was a frequent visitor. A few years ago Tom and Sandra judged the Dubai Dog Show stepping in when the judges were snowbound on route to the show. Shortly after that show Tom began to steward each show and then organise and run the show ring together with Sandra who now also does the commentary. Although currently working in the UK they still retain their contacts in the United Arab Emirates and look forward each year to the show.


David and Angela Cavill

David and Angela have been actively involved in the world of dogs for over 40 years as exhibitors, breeders, judges, show administrators and publishers. Both trained as teachers: David has been a Fellow of the Institute of Directors since 1984 became a member of the Institute of Management in 1987 and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2010. Angela has been a full Member of the Institute of Public Relations since 1988.

Angela is passed to judge at Championship show level and has judged in many countries. As an organiser she has been Secretary of one of Britain’s most prestigious Championship Shows, Southern Counties Canine Association since 1975. David is a very experienced judge across many breeds and covers the Championship Show groups and Best in Show appointments. He too is a popular judge working in many countries and awards Best In Show. In their working life they are Directors of the prestigious weekly canine newspaper Our Dogs and for 11 years, worked as senior managers for Battersea Dogs Home where they ran the Home’s country annex near Windsor, together with a large rescue and boarding kennel, grooming parlour and kennel staff training organisation. They own the most successful breeding prefix in the UK producing over 70 Champions and for over 30 years, since the Top Breeder Competition was introduced in the UK, the Cavills have been top of all breeds every year but five -and have always been included in the top four so quite a record. Both are members of the UK Kennel Club and Angela was a founder member of the Kennel Club Junior Organisation Council set up to encourage sensible dog ownership by young people. Between them they are experienced in all of the Groups at the show.

Glynn Payne

Glynn has owned, bred and shown Bulldogs since 1984. He became a Committee member of the Junior Bulldog Club in 1988 and President in 1998. He represents the Club on the Bulldog Breed Council and is on the Breed Council Judges subcommittee. Glynn has been a Committee member of The South of England Bulldog Society since 1996. He has owned, bred and shown Mastiffs since 1994, was Chairman of the Mastiff Association and served on the judges subcommittee. Glynn has also served as the Hon. Secretary of The Old English Mastiff Club. Glynn who is a member of the UK Kennel Club is currently a Committee member of the Southern Counties Canine Society Championship Show and Vice Chairman and Show Manager of the Canine Supporters Charity which holds the Contest of champion Show Dogs. He has owned and bred Champions both in Bulldogs and Mastiffs and also owns a Finnish Spitz Champion. His judging career has taken him to Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Russia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain and Tenerife. He has judged Bulldogs at the European Dog Show in Hungary in October 2008 with further appointments booked in Sweden, Finland and America. Outside of dogs his hobbies are Chelsea Football Club and Scuba diving where he is an advanced open water diver. His passion is Sharks. He has dived and stroked a Great White Shark. Whilst in the Emirates he is hoping to find some time to dive in the warm Gulf waters.

Karina Le Mare (Helmlake)

Karina was born in Norway. Her parents bred Great Danes, Setters, Pointers and Wire Fox Terriers, and she grew up surrounded by animals. Karina attended the Rudolf Steiner School which instilled in her a reverence for life and animals. She graduated from University with a BA Degree in Modern Languages and speaks Norwegian, French, German, Spanish, Italian and English. Karina is the Proprietor of Wey Farm Boarding & Breeding Kennels & Cattery and Wey Farm Quarantine. She is a published author – her book "Great Danes - An Owners Companion" was published in 1992 and she has written many articles on Canine subjects.

Karina has judged in Australia, USA, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Africa and in Europe. She has judged four prestigious World Shows. Karina specializes in Great Danes, Dobermans, Rottweilers, Bull Mastiffs, Newfoundlands, Boxers, Border Collies, Pekingese and Bulldogs and several other breeds across all groups. In the working group, 25 UK Champion Great Danes carry the the Helmlake prefix, winning over 140 CC's. Karina has made up 4 Champion Dobermans, winning 28 CC's & 18 Res CC's. She has made up 2 Chihuahuas winning 14 CC's & 5 Res CC's, a Hungarian Vizsla winning 4 CC's, 1 CH Standard Poodle, a Finnish Spitz with 25 CC's and CC's in Cocker Spaniels and Miniature Pinschers and the Prefix, HELMLAKE, is known worldwide. There are many international champions carrying the name of HELMLAKE.

Andrew Dicker

Agility Commentator

Andrew lived in East Africa where his family worked in Dog training with GSD for the East African Police. Once settled back in the UK he continued his interest in training and has worked Cocker Spaniels, German Shepherd Dogs, Cairn Terriers, Shetland Sheepdogs and Border Collies in Agility and Obedience. In business he and his wife run their own training club and a hydrotherapy establishment for dogs near London.

In Obedience he trains at Championship level and after winning the Championship at Crufts several years back he was invited to join the team acting as Primary Ring Steward for the Main Obedience Ring at Crufts and also at the Obedience World Cup. Currently he still competes in Obedience and Agility and judges both disciplines throughout the UK, Europe and as far afield as Singapore.

His Agility team competes regularly and won Crufts in 2012. Andrew judged there the previous year and as a Championship Show judge is in demand across the UK, Europe and Asia. Also trains in many countries. He is a member of the UK Kennel Club and on the Main Committee of the Kennel Club International Festival and Arena Manager both there and Discover Dogs in London. Several years ago he became the commentator for Eurosports. Horse and Country Televison and the prestigious Olympia Christmas Horse Show covering the Agility section for the BBC. This is his first visit to the Emirates and he is excited to be part of this popular show.