Our History
The European Grooming Association -non profit making-, targeted on promoting and developing the grooming profession, was born from an Umberto Lehmann's idea shared with Mijo Klein, his friend and very known and appreciated French groomer, during a grooming contest in 2001. More and more contests are held, people can meet and compare different schools, but most of all competitions are a stimulus to improve one's capacities and the best way to achieve success in professional activity.
Each Country can count at least one National Association trying to obtain the official recognition of our profession, organizing formation courses and specific seminars and contests to estimate acquired levels as well.
Nowadays in Europe they are trying to equalize every different Country's activities following a common standard, and we too should work on that way.
Umberto and Mijo let the groomers that usually attend contests all over the world, people that got great success representing their Country or their own National Association, but first of all friends, enthusiastic about their work and longing for constituting something active and functional, know those thoughts.
On the 6 of April 2002 twenty-two, at the same time candidates and voters, they voted to compose the Board: a President, a Vice President, and six Councilors.
First aims of the European Grooming Association were the organization of the European Individual Championship and of the World Team Championship as well.
The first "European Individual Championship" was held on the occasion of "MilanGroom" on April 2003, 26 and 27 in Verbania (Italy). The second "European Individual Championship" on the occasion of "Campeonado AEEC" on October 2004, 16 and 17 in Castelldefels (Spain).
The "Campeonado AEEC" also hosted the first "World Team Championship" in Barcelona on the 26 of October 2003. Seven Countries, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Spain and USA have been competing in the Show.
2005 World Team Championship that has been held with "Ciseaux d'Or" on February 6 has seen 10 competing Teams: Belgium, Canada, France, Holland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Spain, and USA.
The third "World Team Championship" organized by E.G.A. and supported by Oster Europe, has been successfully held with "MilanGroom" on 2007 April 15.
We had the pleasure to host 11 teams: Austria, Belgium, Canada, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Spain and USA.
It was the first World Championship for Austria and, for the first time, we could see competing altogether England, Ireland and Scotland.
The World Champion Team is France, confirming the leadership obtained two years ago in La Grande Motte/Montpellier.
Six the judges composing the Jury Panel: Lassie Gomez (Spain), Ilaria Girardelli (Italy) and Vincent Pastor (France) for Spaniel and Handstripping classes - Mirjam v.d. Bosch (Holland), Jay Scruggs (USA), Romana Divisova ( Czech Rep.) for Poodle and Scissoring. President of the Jury Mijo Klein (France).
The fourth World Team Championship has been held with great success in Dachau (Germany) on September 2009, the 20th hosted by "German Grooming Masters" thanks to the 12 teams attending the show.
We have been missing Ireland and Scotland hoping to see them back on 2011 and we have welcome two new entries: Australia and Switzerland. We congratulate every Team, especially the experienced and strong American one that, after several years of European supremacy, brought back the title to the USA. Colin Taylor (UK), Kitty Dekeersgieter (Belgium), Paola Acco (Italy) for Poodle and Purebred Scissoring ; Christina Pawlosky (USA), Eve Raison (France), Enric Vilavedra (Spain) for Spaniel and Handstripping composed the Jury Panel with the President Umberto Lehmann.
Emilia Diaz, Ilse Frenk-Kleton, Sue Zecco, Anders Rosell, Rony de Munter and Umberto Lehmann with Denys Lorrain as President of the Jury, had the pleasure and the responsibility to judge the fifth World Team Championship held with "Groomania" on September 2011, the 18th in Kortrijk (Belgium).
We have been honoured with the participation of fifteen Teams, welcoming for the first time Poland, Ukraine and Russia.
The title came back to Europe and went to France.