AWC 2021: Svetlana Zolotnikova will not judge at the home World Championship

The Estonian judge Svetlana Zolotnikova announced immediately after the confirmation of the cancellation of the Agility World Championship 2020 in Estonia that she will not judge World Championships anymore. This decision includes also the home World Championship in Tallinn for 2021, which has now been postponed for a year. However, this was not known at the time of the statement she was writing. Svetlana Zolotnikova was already a judge at the European Open 2018 in Austria. In the following year she also demonstrated her extensive judge knowledge at the 2019 Obedience World Championship.

All the trips, preparations and invitations to judge in various countries around the world also took their strength, as she explains on Facebook. Which means the contact, training and competitions with her own dogs were neglected, and the many absences from home and family also contributed to this. Not to mention the resulting irregular income trough all the absences. This information has not yet been officially commented by the organizers. A statement about this should follow in the next few days. Probably also with the announcement of the judge, who will judge along the Norwegian Jan Egil Eide who has already confirmed his commitment in 2021 in a statement.

Statement Svetlana Zolotnikova

I would like to inform you with sadness in my heart that I have decided not to be a judge on FCI Agility World Championship in 2021 or later. Last couples of years I have very warm memories from Agility European Open 2018, Obedience WC 2019 and all travels and competitions have been held for AWC 2020. Unfortunally to live the same lifestyle four years in a row (without trainings and competitions with my dogs, without stable income, far away from home and family…) is pretty impossible for me. I wish you all the best in sport and real life. Stay safe.