Meet the Dog Grooming Championship Judges

Meet the judges for the Dog Grooming Championships at Crufts 2026. Select a tab below to learn more about each expert.

Thursday Judges- Poodles

Allison Alexander began her career as a professional handler in 1987 and went on to present many of Canada’s and the world’s top dogs. She achieved over 750 All-Breed Best in Show wins, with major successes at the World Dog Show, Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show and AKC Invitational. Today, Allison continues her lifelong commitment to purebred dogs through her work as a judge, bringing decades of hands-on experience and a deep understanding of breed type, structure, and condition.

Believing that you should always do what you love, Allison Alexander began her career as a professional handler in 1987, presenting Canada’s — and the world’s — top dogs on the most prestigious stages. Over the course of her handling career, she earned more than 750 All-Breed Best in Show wins and was highly awarded at renowned events including the World Dog Show, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, and the AKC Invitational. She also handled Canada’s Top Dog All Breeds on three separate occasions, with all three dogs remaining record holders in their own right.

Today, Allison continues her lifelong commitment to purebred dogs through her work as a judge, bringing decades of hands-on experience, a deep understanding of breed type, structure, and condition, and an unwavering respect for the sport. Her judging reflects the same standards of excellence that defined her career in the ring, reinforcing her role as a trusted authority and advocate for the preservation and advancement of purebred dogs.

Dongseok has many grooming accolades including:

FCI national all breed judge FCI KKF trimmer judge Ilsan dog grooming academy master Best KKF academy of the year 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022 (4 years in a row) Artero grooming slam 2023 “best all round groomer” Artero grooming slam 2023 poodle champion class “gold” Artero grooming slam 2023 pure breeds champion class “gold” Groomania 2023 in belgium poodle open class “gold” Groomania 2023 in belgium pure breeds open class “gold”

Kirsty Hunt has been involved in dog showing and grooming since childhood, growing up in a family deeply rooted in the profession. She owns a grooming salon, school and retail business, and is a Level 4 judge for Poodles, awarding CCs in all three sizes. A breed specialist, she is also an EGA-qualified grooming judge and a World Champion with Groom Team England.

I have shown and handled dogs since the mid 1990s as a very young child, my mother bred and showed Miniature Poodles and was a dog groomer with her own grooming salon, so my future was a little inevitable.

I opened my own grooming salon in 2008 and I now have grooming school and salon as well as large retail.

I am a Level 4 judge for Poodles, Awarding CCs in all 3 sizes numerous times. Have made up numerous Champions in Poodles in all 3 sizes and handled and made up Champions in many other breeds for other people.

In grooming, I am a qualified EGA Judge for Poodles at Grooming Competition but also judge many other categories regularly.

My main awards include multiple Best In Shows, Best All Round Groomer, and also World Champion as part of Groom Team England in 2022.

I am a breed specialist in Poodles in both showing and grooming. Both judge, breeder, owner and handler of my own dogs at dog shows as well as a judge, teacher, educator and grooming salon owner of almost 20 yrs

Marita Rodgers grew up in the world of dog showing with her family’s Montravia Poodles and Afghans. She is a highly successful breeder, exhibitor and judge, having made up over 100 champions, including 37 Standard Poodles. A two-time Crufts Best in Show winner, she judges across three groups and is honoured to be part of the judging panel for the first grooming competition at Crufts.

'I grew up into the world of dogs showing my parents Montravia Poodles and Afghans. I won my first Best of Breed at Crufts at the age of 14 with a Toy Poodle that I owned and prepared for the ring myself. I have been a very successful breeder & exhibitor making up well over a hundred champions. In Standard Poodles alone I have campaigned 37 to the title of champion, 18 won groups and 7 won Best in Show at general championship shows. I have won Best in Show at Crufts on 2 occasions once with an Afghan and the other a Standard Poodle. Over the years I have judged grooming competitions at Euro groom and in the USA. At Crufts this year I am judging Basset Hounds and Toy Poodles; I will have then judged all three 3 sizes of Poodles at Crufts. I award Challenge Certificates across 3 groups and judge the Hound Group. I am very excited to be given the opportunity to be on the panel of judges to judge the first grooming competition at Crufts.'

Melanie Winters-Holmes is a respected grooming show judge with over 37 years in the animal industry. Guided by deep respect for the animals in her care, she is a former British Dog Groomer of the Year and Founder of the Golden Scissor Awards, judging with pride, compassion, and a commitment to education, craftsmanship, and the future of the profession

Friday Judges- Spaniel and setters

Amy Manser is one of the UK’s most successful competitive groomers, with 27 years’ experience at the highest level. Specialising in American Cocker Spaniels when competing, she is an international judge and seminar presenter, and was a member of Groom Team England for three seasons, winning gold in 2022.

Dongseok has many grooming accolades including:

Mike Wildman opened Classie Dog Grooming in 2011 and in the same year began competing in grooming competitions, winning his first ever for Best Technique at the British Dog Grooming Championships and the Hand Stripped Gundog class.

Since that time, having won British Dog Groomer Of The Year in 2013 he has won many grooming competitions internationally and is a much sough-after judge in the discipline. He is also a widely recognised speaker and tutor at grooming seminars, delivering many in different countries.

Saturday Judges- Workshop

Dongseok has many grooming accolades including:

Georgia Ashton Fuller has come from a family of dog showing and dog grooming, with her father of Farnfield Gundogs and her mother of Louisianna Bichons, meaning her love of dogs really is in her blood. She has been grooming 15 years and owns a salon in Llanelli, South Wales, specialising in Poodles, Bichon and anything in between. She stepped into competition grooming in 2015, achieving multiple Best in Shows and placings in the UK and internationally. Trained in Asian grooming in Thailand, she has since won Asian Groomer of the Year twice and was a finalist on BBC Pooch Perfect.

Hiya I’m Georgia Ashton Fuller, I’ve come from a family of dog showing a dog grooming. My father of Farnfield gundogs and my mother of Louisianna bichons, my love of dogs really is in my blood. I’ve been grooming 15years can own a salon in Llanelli South wales were we specialise in poodles, bichon and anything inbetween.

I stepped into the competition grooming world in 2015 and have achieved multiple best in shows, reserve best in shows and multiple placings in the uk and international.

I did an intense Asian grooming training out in Thailand and have since been known for my Asian styles, I’ve also won Asian groomer of the year twice. Along with the up and coming speaker and voice of the year.

I’ve been judging and demoing around the world and my grooming career has really taken me wide and far including onto the tv where I was a finalist of bbc pooch perfect.

Ilse Frenk-Kleton comes from a strong Poodle background and was educated in England, later gaining her diploma in the Netherlands. She continued with Bichon Frisé, achieving national and international success, including Reserve Bitch at Crufts 2023 and Best of Breed at Windsor 2024. A multiple grooming title holder, she works at two major grooming schools in the Netherlands and runs a long-established training salon. An experienced judge at home and abroad, she is honoured to judge this competition at Crufts.

She comes from a real Poodle family and was educated in England and later got her diploma in the Netherlands. However, she continued with the Bichon Frisé and won several national and international prizes. In England during the Crufts in 2023 reserve Bitch and in Windsor best of breed in 2024.She has won several titles with dog grooming, including French, Dutch and Millenium champion. She works at two large dog grooming schools in the Netherlands and also has her own grooming salon with training. The grooming salon has been around for 40 years.

She loves the challenge in the dog grooming and showing dogs. Judges at home and abroad and likes to convey the passion of the beautiful profession to upcoming and qualified dog groomers.

In 2005 she was allowed to judge the dog grooming of the youth at Crufts and think it is a great honor to be able to judge this wonderful competition now. Looking forward to meet you all.

Lisa Hart Is a award winning multi qualified groomer from the UK with over 20 years experience. She specializes in Asian fusion styles and was the first ever recipient of the Liz Paul Asian fusion groomer of the year award. She was also the winner of The best asian style groomer in Europe award. She regularly competes has multiple placings up to champion level and RBIS. Lisa is a qualified teacher and She has recently been traveling all over the world to teach Asian Fusion and salon styling and to Judge at grooming competitions. She was nominated as Speaker of the year at the 2023, 2024 and 2025 Barkleigh honors awards.

Sunday Judges- Handstrip

Dongseok has many grooming accolades including:

She loves the challenge in the dog grooming and showing dogs. Judges at home and abroad and likes to convey the passion of the beautiful profession to upcoming and qualified dog groomers.

In 2005 she was allowed to judge the dog grooming of the youth at Crufts and think it is a great honor to be able to judge this wonderful competition now. Looking forward to meet you all.

Internationally renowned dog groomer and breeder, raised among show dogs and specialized in Miniature Schnauzers. At 18, co-owner of Tajinastes Kennel, with 250+ international titles, including 50+ All-Breed Best in Show awards. Award-winning groomer, global educator, Product Manager at Artero, all-round grooming judge and President of the FCI Grooming Commission.

Mich began showing dogs in 1990 and runs a small but highly successful kennel, producing multiple champions worldwide in West Highland White Terriers, Kerry Blue Terriers, Welsh Terriers and Scottish Terriers. She awards Challenge Certificates in several terrier breeds and has been a professional groomer since 1995. A multiple Best in Show winner at major grooming competitions in the UK and Europe, she is an international judge, seminar presenter, EGA Judge, member of Groom Team England, and a founder member of the Artero Styling Team UK.

Mich started showing in 1990 and has a small successful kennel that has Multiple Champions Worldwide with West Highland White Terriers (WHWT) , Kerry Blue Terriers, Welsh Terriers and Scottish Terriers. Mich currently gives Challenge Certificates at Championship Dog Shows in West Highland White Terriers, Kerry Blue Terriers and Australian Terriers.

She started professional grooming in 1995 running a successful small salon in the heart of the English countryside in Staffordshire. In 2017 she opened The Lynnsto Grooming Academy where she specialises in 1 to 1 tuition to City & Guilds qualification. .

She was persuaded to compete at Premier Groom in 2008 her first ever grooming competition and went on to win BIS (Best in Show) something that she repeated in 2010 in the Champion class and in 2017 at Premier Groom’s 10th anniversary, competing at very few grooming competitions since 2010 she has gained many Best In Show and 1st placings both in the UK and Europe along the way.

After a few years out of competition Mich took top honours again in 2014 at the Golden Groomer Competition at Liege, Belgium en-route to Split in Croatia where she went on to win the Terrier group and other group placings with her WHWT’s. Mich has earned great respect from fellow groomers and exhibitors all over the world for her unique grooming style and faultless presentation.

She has also judged at Premier Groom in 2009 and The British Dog Grooming Championships in 2014 the IPDGA grooming competition in Ireland in October 2018, The Great British Groom Off 2023 and at the 1st International Grooming Competition at Crufts 2026

She given seminars in Ireland, Belgium, Denmark and Japan in the techniques and styling vision that has brought her great success all over the world, including Japan, Norway, Denmark, America, Portugal, New Zealand, South Africa, Hungary, Croatia, France, Belgium, Ireland & Russia.

Mich has also been one of the founder members of Artero Styling Team UK , is a current member of Groom Team England (2025-2026) and an EGA Judge.

Sunday Judges- Pure breed scissor

I entered the grooming industry in my teens as an assistant at my neighbours shop. The business was later purchased by my future husband who encourage me to get qualified and enter competitions. We also ran a grooming training school together for many years in the Midlands. I specialise in terriers. We have shown and competed with many breeds but notably Kerry blues and fox terriers.

I have been fortunate to have had several Best In Show placings. Some notable shows include The Challenge (E.G.G), The British Grooming Championships, Premier Groom, The Extraordinary grooming show, The British creative grooming show and also an amazing placement at the first Groom Team Scotland Show where I gained both BIS and RBIS

Cheryl Howard is an award-winning professional groomer with nearly 30 years of industry experience and a World Champion Gold Medal title as part of Groom Team England. A respected member of the Artero Styling Team UK, Cheryl is internationally recognised as a Champion competitor and, in more recent years, a highly regarded judge in the UK

She is the co-founder of Groomphoria, the UK’s largest grooming competition, and has achieved multiple UK and European Best in Show wins throughout her career. Cheryl specialises in Kerry Blue Terriers and scissored breeds, and is widely admired for her technical precision, breed knowledge, and commitment to excellence within the grooming industry

Dongseok has many grooming accolades including:

I started in Show Kennels at 15, predominately with poodles. Since 1984 I have owned “Top Hat and Tails” - specialising in Show and Pet specific grooming, but love the creative side.

Qualifications and achievements include:-

C&G Distinction

Advanced Master Groomer UK and USA

Groomer of the Year – Twice

Best in Show at Grooming Competitions – 9 times

Member of UK Grooming Team – 6 times

Best Scissored Poodle in Show - Intergroom USA

Multiple Medal Winner

I have groomed multiple Champions over the years – including the 1999 UK Top Dog All Breeds, as well as my own.

I have judged International Grooming Competitions and give Challenge Certificates in Bichon Frisé.