Judge Information
Judge Name: Michael Leonard
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Kennel Name:
Website:
Types of Shows: Conformation
Type of Breeds
   
Biography
I have been involved in show dogs for the past 40 years. Although I grew up with Dogs as my father had Gundogs on the family farm.

The breeds that I have been involved in and made up champions are: Old English Sheepdogs, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Japanese Spitz and Tibetan Spaniels.

Under Irish Kennel Club rules and FCI, I am now qualified as An All Breeds Judge. My Licence Number is EI00085.

I am also a Best in Show Judge and have had this honour in Ireland, Denmark, Italy, France, Norway, Japan, Columbia, Malaysia, Sweden, South Africa, Hong Kong, Philippines, Thailand, Canada, Mexico, Indonesia, Brazil and China.

I have judged Pup of the Year Competition in Ireland in 1997 and 2007, Dog of the Year in Denmark in 1998 and Show Dog of the Year in Sweden in 2001. Champion of Champions in Prague. In December 2016 I judged Champion of Champions in Estonia.

I have judged in most European countries and further afield in Argentina, America, Brazil, Canada, Australia, Japan, Columbia, New Zealand, Malaysia, South Africa, Hong Kong, China, Phillipines, Mexico Indonesia and Thailand.

In 2008 I had the great honour of Judging Tibetan Spaniels at the World Dog Show in Sweden. In 2018 at The World Dog Show in Amsterdam I will judge Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and Rough Collie. At the Benelux Winners Show the day before the World Show I will judge Smooth Collie, Old English Sheepdog and Irish Wolfhounds.

With regards to Old English Sheepdogs I have judged the Breed Speciality Shows in Ireland, Finland, Germany and Denmark. I have also judged the Breed in many countries.

In respect of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels I first judged the Breed in Ireland in 1983 and also over the years in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Germany, and Holland, Argentina, Japan, Australia, Columbia, France, Estonia, Lithuania, Canada, Italy and Spain. My most exciting appointment was in France in 2012 when I was one of six judges for the Cavalier Speciality with an entry of over 600 Cavaliers. I have also judged Breeds Specialities in Sweden and in June of 2015 I judged the Speciality in Los Angeles. In September 2015 I judged CC's under English Kennel club rules at Belfast Championship Show. In June 2017 I judged the Cavalier of the Northeast of America Speciality. In 2018 will judge the Breed at the World Show in Amsterdam.

In respect of Japanese Spitz I judged the Breed Speciality in May 2012 in Sweden, in 2013. The Breed Speciality in Finland and The Norwegian Japanese Spitz Speciality in 2014. In August of this year I judged the Speciality in Sydney Australia.

In respect of Bernese Mountain Dogs I have judged Breeds Specialities in Ireland, Argentina, New Zealand and Canada. In 2018 I am one of the 3 judges who will judge The Bernese National in America. This is a very big honour for a European judge as was voted by the members and I will be the First Irish Judge to have this honour.

I have been involved in Show Dogs since 1977 when Michael Forte and I bought an Old English Sheepdog from Stella Harte.

We quickly caught the show bug and within 2 years we were showing the Old English sheepdog and Cavaliers. We set up the Kennel Prefix Leonfort and we quickly became known in Cavaliers as we won Best of Breed under Pamela Cross Stern with a ten month old puppy Ch Ronnoc Vicenzo at his first St Patricks Day Show (The Irish Crufts) in 1980. He won again the following year under Russell Roberts. Ch Ronnoc Vicenzo was the top stud dog in the breed for 6 years in a row.

We made up 2 other Champions Ch Leonfort Vicenzo and Ch Vandyck Jester of Leonfort who both had wonderful show careers.

I was a committee member of The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club of Ireland for approx. 10 years from 1980.

In Old English Sheepdogs we made up one champion and bred 2 litters. I was secretary of the club for 4 years and the IKC Representative. In Bernese Mountain Dogs we made up champions and bred litters. We had the breed recognized with the IKC in 1979 and set up the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Ireland. I served as Secretary/Treasurer and in 2007 had the honour of been the Judge for their 25th Anniversary show.

In Japanese Spitz I had the Breed recognized in the IKC with Stella Harte and Michael Forte in 1983 and owned the first champion to be made up which was bred by Stella Harte. We set up the Japanese Spitz Club of Ireland and I served as Secretary, Treasurer and IKC Representative.

In Tibetan Spaniels I made up champions and bred litters and served as Chairman for over 10 years. I had the honour of judging the breed at the World Show in Sweden in 2008.
   
Future Assignments
   
Past Assignments

2024


Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club Of Canada [National]
on Saturday, August 31, 2024 (Event Details)
on Saturday, August 31, 2024

2020


Red Deer & District Kennel Club [Cancelled]
on Friday, April 03, 2020 (Event Details)

2014


Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Ontario
on Sunday, August 24, 2014 (Event Details)
on Sunday, August 24, 2014

Bouvier des Flandres Club Of Canada
on Saturday, August 23, 2014 (Event Details)
National Specialty on Saturday, August 23, 2014

Ottawa Valley All Setter Association
on Saturday, August 23, 2014 (Event Details)
on Saturday, August 23, 2014

Stormont Dundas & Glengarry Dog Association
on Friday, August 22, 2014 (Event Details)
on Friday, August 22, 2014
on Saturday, August 23, 2014
on Monday, August 25, 2014
               

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