About this event

Born into a family where Greyhounds were part of everyday life since 1955, Espen has been very actively involved with dogs from a very early age. The first litter carrying the prefix Jet’s was bred by Espen and his late mother Kari in 1975.

The Jet’s are the top winning Greyhound kennel of all time, having made up 212 individual homebred champions with more than 770 champion titles in 62 different countries, including 103 FCI International champions. Over the years 47 individual homebred Jet’s Greyhounds have won Best in Show.

Espen has imported several international champion Whippets and has also co-owned several Afghan Hound champions with his life partner Åge Gjetnes.

Espen, is also approved to judge 112 breeds with CCs by The Kennel Club, all Groups and Best in Show. Appointments in the UK include more than a dozen breed club championship shows over three groups, with some five Best in Show appointments at all breeds shows. Espen is also approved for All Breeds and BIS by the American Kennel Club and has judged a number of National Specialties, together with all groups and BIS on a number of occasions.

Espen has officiated at 14 World Dog Shows, Westminster Kennel Club, a number of European Dog Shows, the FCI Centenary Show in Dortmund, and Crufts UK on a number of occasions. Other notable appointments include more than twenty FCI title shows, including World Shows and several FCI European, Asian, American and Caribbean shows.

A veterinarian by education, Espen finished his doctoral thesis at the Norwegian College of Veterinary Medicine and was Associate Professor of Comparative Medicine at the University of Oslo, and more recently Chief Executive Officer of the Norwegian Kennel Club.