International Championship in Special Service Cynology

Five days of competition, international participation, and tension until the very last discipline. From September 14 to 18, 2026, the ZVJS Championship in special service cynology took place at the Training Center of the Prison and Judicial Guard Corps in Santovka. The event was also an opportunity to commemorate 50 years of service cynology and the history of the center, which has been associated with training generations of dog handlers and service dogs.

Alongside members of the Prison and Judicial Guard Corps, the championship was attended by representatives of the Hungarian Prison Service, the Prison Service of the Czech Republic, the Customs Administration of the Czech Republic, the Financial Administration of the Slovak Republic, the Military Police of the Slovak Republic, and the Police Force. The contestants' performances were evaluated by an international team of judges.

Dog handlers with their service dogs competed in the categories of narcotics and psychotropic substances detection and explosives detection. In addition to obedience, their readiness was tested through various scent-work disciplines. Success required precision, concentration, and mutual coordination between the handler and the dog.

Tension until the last package

The consistency of performances maintained competitive tension right until the very end. The winner was decided by the final discipline – the package search. The competition remained open practically until the search of the final package, where every correct marking could influence the final ranking.

The championship also provided space for professional discussions, comparing training procedures, and exchanging experiences between domestic and foreign participants. Insights from the competition sites and shared discussions can be used by dog handlers in their further training and daily service duties.

Maroš Javor and Milan Marušinec became the ZVJS Champions

In the category of narcotics and psychotropic substances detection, the title of ZVJS Champion for 2026 was awarded to 1st Lt. Maroš Javor with his service dog DAN, who scored 555 points. Second place went to Warrant Officer Marek Reindl with the dog DEFFENSA with 552 points, and third place to 1st Lt. Dušan Plavecký with his service dog VASIL with 543 points.

In the explosives detection category, Lt. Milan Marušinec won with his service dog DANTE, scoring 545 points. Second place went to Warrant Officer Tomáš Sloboda with his service dog ARON with 531 points, and third place to 1st Lt. Peter Kubinec with his service dog ASLAN with 475 points.

In the team competition, the Leopoldov team consisting of 1st Lt. Maroš Javor with the dog DAN and Warrant Officer Tomáš Sloboda with the dog ARON placed first, scoring a total of 1,086 points. Second place was taken by the Banská Bystrica – Kráľová team consisting of 1st Lt. Martin Látka with the dog HELLS BELLS and 1st Lt. Peter Kubinec with the dog ASLAN with 1,018 points. Third place went to the joint team of Bratislava and Ilava, consisting of Ivana Šramková with the dog ARON and Lt. Milan Marušinec with the dog DANTE, scoring 998 points.

Awards for obedience, scent work, and a successful competition debut

The best obedience among all participants was demonstrated by Master Warrant Officer Jiří Petrus from the Prison Service of the Czech Republic with his dog MAXIMUS, who scored 93 out of 100 points.

The award for the best scent work in the narcotics category went to 1st Lt. Maroš Javor with the dog DAN, scoring 480 out of 500 points. In the explosives category, the best result was achieved by Lt. Milan Marušinec with the dog DANTE, who scored 470 out of 500 points.

Awards for the best newcomers were given to 1st Lt. Dušan Plavecký from Dubnica nad Váhom with the dog VASIL in the narcotics category and Lt. Milan Marušinec from Ilava with the dog DANTE in the explosives category.

Fifty years of experience and knowledge transfer

The jubilee year also created a space for meetings with former colleagues, now retired. Their presence served as a reminder that behind the fifty-year history of service cynology are specific individuals, their daily work, and the experiences passed on to future generations.

The meeting of current and former dog handlers was an opportunity to reminisce about the beginnings, the development of training, and shared service. At the same time, it was a thank you to those who helped build the professional background of service cynology within the corps through their work.

Part of the ceremonial program was the awarding of the Honorary Medal of the Prison and Judicial Guard Corps, 3rd Class. The recipients were Sgt. Zoltán Bagdi from the Hungarian Prison Service, 1st Lt. Jozef Klíma from the Financial Administration of the Slovak Republic, and Master Sergeant Marek Slebodník and Maj. Jan Pleskáč from the Customs Administration of the Czech Republic.

A special moment was the extraordinary promotion of 1st Lt. Ľuboš Rázga from the Ružomberok institute to the rank of Captain.

Thank you for the week together

Our thanks go to all contestants, judges, members of the technical team, colleagues from the training center, and everyone who ensured the individual workstations, material, logistics, and organizational support. Their cooperation contributed to the successful course of the championship and a friendly atmosphere throughout the week.

Congratulations to the winners and the awarded participants. We thank everyone for their performances, fair play, and willingness to share their experiences.

We will meet the specialists again in 2028!