A Little About Me…
My name is Kevin Carroll. I grew up in a small village just outside Limerick City in the southwest of Ireland. I moved to the USA in 2013 and I am now a dual citizen of Ireland and the USA. Growing up, I was fascinated by society and its interaction with the environment. As a result, I pursued a degree in the Environmental Science field and I am now a Senior Environmental, Health and Safety Manager here in Western New York. I enjoy literature, hiking and caring for my dogs.
I grew up with many different breeds throughout the years. My parents were Pomeranian breeders so my love for spitz and primitive breeds stems from childhood.
My passion and dedication to the Japanese Akitainu began 17 years ago. My father showed interest in the breed and purchased a brindle male from a breeder in Ireland. That dog quickly sparked a passion in me that exists to this day.
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During my time campaigning across Ireland, I was asked to be one of the founding committee members of the Akita Association of Ireland which still exists today.
Today, I am actively involved in the dog sport scene internationally. I started off judging for FCI in Ireland and now, I am the only Akitainu licensed conformation judge in the USA (through the United Kennel Club & American Kennel Club). I have judged in 8 countries worldwide and in many states/provinces in the USA/Canada. I am also a licensed Canine Good Citizen (AKC) Evaluator and SPOT (UKC) temperament test evaluator. I am both proud and honored to be a part of the Japanese Akitainu breed journey in North America. Things are changing fast & now more than ever; we need educated preservationists committed to safeguarding this breed.
Why Yakumo Sou...
As mentioned above, I have a passion for literature. Who better to inspire my kennel name than writer Patrick Lafcadio Hearn. He was raised in Ireland by his father’s family as Patrick Hearn; but is better known to the rest of Europe and the USA as Lafcadio Hearn. He took up citizenship, married and raised a family as Koizumi Yakumo in Japan. His writings about Japan offered the western world a glimpse into the largely unknown but fascinating culture. That Irish-American/Japanese connection that Hearn lived resonated with me and thus inspired me to name my kennel Yakumo Sou.