Karyna Pavlenko — Official Participant of The Continental Pageants Europe® 2026

Hello, I'm Karyna Pavlenko, and I am 52 years old. Although I have a background in biology, my professional life has primarily been devoted to cynology. I am a dog sports judge, a Master Dog Training Instructor, and for the past 18 years, I have been the head of the Brig Dog Training Center in Kharkiv.

This journey began 30 years ago with a small German Shepherdpuppy. He was my first dog, my dream. I named him Arno and immediately sought out a trainer to teach him simple commands: "sit," "stay," "heel"... A year later, Arno was a champion in dog obedience competitions, and ten years after that, with a different dog, I was competing in the World Championship.

Today, my achievements as an athlete and trainer include participating in eight World Championships in dog sports. I have received numerous awards for my athletic accomplishments and for promoting dog sports, both nationally and internationally.

I dedicate a lot of time to coaching. I love observing the transformation in the relationship between a person and their dog. Whenever someone brings me an "unruly" or "aggressive" dog, I tell them there are no bad dogs. And so, we begin the journey. It is a special source of pride to see those same "unruly" and "aggressive" dogs win obedience competitions over time.

Work, as it is for most women, is half of my life. I am a happy mother, daughter, and sister. My family is my main motivation for getting up every morning, creating, and growing. My parents are an example of true love carried through the years. My daughter is my best friend, my strongest support, and a special source of pride.

February 24, 2022, divided the life of every Ukrainian into BEFORE and AFTER. My family was no exception. We had to endure separation—my loved ones evacuated from the frontline city, but I couldn't leave due to the dogs remaining at the kennel. But now, we are all together again. We live and work in Kharkiv, despite all the horrors my city and country are experiencing.

The war forced me to look at my life, ambitions, plans, and dreams in a new way. I decided to stop putting anything off "until tomorrow."

I have always loved theatre and dreamed of being on stage. Now, I have finally taken the leap. I am currently studying acting at the UPGRADE academy and performing in plays. I also graduated from an international modeling academy and became an age+ model at 49. Over 20 of my photo stories have already been published in glossy magazines across America and Europe.

I am delighted to be part of this competition, whose values resonate deeply with me.

Participating in this project is an opportunity for me to show that a person, regardless of age and despite circumstances, can fulfill their potential, learn new things, be happy, and change the world around them for the better.