Kennel Club .
MR . RYAN LEE HORVATH of Oakland , California . Inspired by his mother , who sparingly showed her Dachshund in the 1960s , Mr . Ryan Lee Horvath attended local shows in Wisconsin as a child . At age 13 , he was gifted his first Dachshund , a dappled miniature smooth , sparking a lifelong passion for the breed and dog shows . For nearly 30 years , Ryan and his family have bred Dachshunds under the HoMar prefix . Beyond breeding , Ryan has been deeply involved in club operations for almost 25 years , holding leadership roles with the Dachshund Club of the Great Lakes , Del Valle Dog Club of Livermore , and Skyline Dog Fanciers , among others . He is also an active member of the Dachshund Club of America , National Miniature Dachshund Club , Morris & Essex Kennel Club , and Santa Barbara
Ryan began his judging career in 2005 with Dachshunds and Junior Showmanship . Over the years , he has expanded his judging career to include approximately two-thirds of the Hound Group and Dandie Dinmont Terriers . His judging highlights include presiding over longhairs at the Dachshund Club of America National Specialty and various host shows across the U . S . and Canada . Ryan has also had the privilege of judging multiple specialties for other breeds in which he is approved , solidifying his reputation as a knowledgeable and dedicated figure in the world of dog sports . This will be his first Westminster assignment .
MRS . TAMMY K . JACKSON of Bristol , Connecticut . Mrs . Tammy Jackson began showing dogs in 1985 when her grandmother gifted her a Shih Tzu as a Chanukah present . At 14 , she fell in love with the sport while competing in Junior Showmanship . Her passion quickly grew as she spent weekends assisting professional handlers and later worked full-time with several handlers after graduating high school . Since 1996 , she has been a key member of numerous breed and group clubs in New England , contributing to the success of the country ’ s largest all-Toy breed event .
Tammy began her judging career in 2002 , after serving in the US Navy . She earned approval for the
Toy Group in 2012 and had the honor of judging Best in Show in 2013 . Her impressive assignments include the Progressive Dog Club , the Kennel Club of Philadelphia Toy Group , and the AKC National Championship . She has also judged for numerous prominent Toy clubs , including the Patriot Pug Dog Club , the Toy Dog Club of Central Florida , and the Florida-Alabama Toy Breeds Club . This will be her first Westminster assignment .
their breeds .
MS . VICTORIA M . JORDAN of The Villages , Florida . Ms . Victoria Jordan ’ s history in dog sports began in the late 1960s with an Alaskan Malamute puppy she saved from being sold to a pet store . This pup , who became her son ’ s beloved companion , introduced her to the joy of training and the potential of the show ring . While her first dog ’ s show career was cut short , this early experience ignited a lifelong passion for purebred dogs . Lacking a mentor in her early years , Ms . Jordan learned through persistence and dedication , eventually breeding beautiful champions after mastering the intricacies of canine anatomy and movement . Now a strong advocate for mentorship , she encourages newcomers to absorb the invaluable wisdom of experienced breeders and handlers to preserve the rich knowledge of
In 1994 , Ms . Jordan began her judging journey , a process requiring meticulous preparation and dedication . Now in her 31st year , she has judged in most U . S . states and internationally in countries such as Mexico , China , and Australia . Her assignments reflect her extensive expertise and passion for the sport of purebred dogs . This will be her first Westminster judging assignment .
MR . JUSSI LIIMATAINEN of Klaukkala , Finland . Born into a family with Samoyeds and Huskies , Mr . Jussi Liimatainen was introduced to the dog show world in the 1980s through his uncle , who was a dog show judge . His first show dog was an English Cocker Spaniel , and he later expanded his expertise to include Welsh Springer Spaniels and American Cocker Spaniels . As a skilled handler , he celebrated his first all-breed Best in Show win in 1988 with a Tibetan Spaniel , followed by a Norwich Terrier victory in 1989 . Today , Mr . Liimatainen is a longstanding chairman of both the Finnish Toy Dog Club and the Finnish Kennel Club Board . Over the years , he has owned or bred an array of breeds , including Siberian Huskies , Pomeranians , Bichon Frises , Löwchen , Papillons , Chinese Cresteds , and Malteses .
An FCI all-breed judge , Mr . Liimatainen has judged in many competitions , including several Fédération Cynologique Internationale World Shows , with Best in Show assignments on every continent . He has judged breeds from every group in the United Kingdom and will debut his first Toy Group judging at the Windsor show in 2025 . His judging assignments also include Champion of Champion shows across Europe . This year marks his first assignment at Westminster .
30 THE WESTMINSTER KENNEL CLUB 2025