My name is Dirk Baars, born in 1951, living in Zaandam, The Netherlands.
Purebred dogs (Poodle, Irish Setter, Belgian Shepherd, Chow Chow) were in my family during my whole youth; only just after my 17th birthday I got my own dog, a Boxer. That breed stayed in my life since then, but I unfortunately do not own a Boxer myself anymore. Luckily my brother owns an Airedale Terrier and a very good friend in my hometown is a breeder of those Terriers.
At the local clubshows in the seventies and eighties Giant Schnauzers were always present, both black and pepper&salt. They were of excellent quality, I realised later.
It took a few years after my Boxer-judges-exam in 1994, that I also was approved to judge all Schnauzers. That was in 1998. Since than I judged the breed several times in the Netherlands (including the Clubshows and the Dutch Winner-Show).
Several times I judged the breeds in Germany as well once or more often in Finland, Sweden, Danmark, Norway, Poland, France, Ireland, Switzerland, Italy, as well in Czech including the ISPU-show.
I am approved to judge breeds in FCI-group 1, the complete group 2, and breeds in the groups 3, 6 and 9.
I am much involved in educating judges-to-be in many breeds, as well as taking exams.
Among other activities like stewarding, I wrote showreports and a monthly column in Hondenwereld, I now and then do the microphone at all-breedshows, I also was and am involved in the organisation of all-breed-shows.
I very much look forward to judge the Schnauzers at the European Dogshow 2025 and the National Show. They are the breeds I judged most. My deep interest for all Schnauzers is also proven by being the main author of the Chronical of the Dutch Schnauzerclub published in 1998.
