GOTM – Halloween 2026

A Spooktacular Celebration: Halloween Groom of the Month Winners

Halloween brought out the wonderfully wicked creativity in our grooming community! From creepy crawlers and vibrant fantasy-inspired designs to a delightfully haunting clown transformation, our talented groomers pulled out all the stops for our Halloween 2026 Groom of the Month competition.

Running from September 1 through October 31, this special edition showcased the incredible imagination, artistic expression, and technical talent that make creative grooming so extraordinary. Each entry brought its own unique Halloween magic, proving that creative grooming is limited only by the imagination!

We are thrilled to announce our three Halloween Groom of the Month winners!

3rd Place: Cecilia Clare Schalken

Handle: @Ccspamperedpups

Prize: $50 Cash Prize

Cecilia Clare Schalken earned third place with a wonderfully wicked transformation that brings one of Halloween's most iconic characters to life: Pennywise the Clown!

This striking groom captures the eerie personality of the infamous clown through its vibrant orange mane, dramatically sculpted facial features, and unmistakable bright red nose. The voluminous orange coat frames the face beautifully, while the contrasting white and red details bring the character together with impressive visual impact.

Set against a dark, atmospheric Halloween backdrop, this creation is equal parts playful and creepy! Cecilia's attention to detail and ability to transform a groom into such a recognizable character make this a truly memorable Halloween entry.

View Cecilia's winning entry on Instagram

2nd Place: Jimena Villafuerte Saucedo

Handle: @igriz

Prize: $100 Cash Prize

Taking second place, Jimena Villafuerte Saucedo dazzled us with a spectacular explosion of colour and creativity!

This vibrant transformation features an incredible combination of electric blues, greens, yellows, pinks, and purples, creating a whimsical, almost fantastical creature straight out of a Halloween dream. The carefully sculpted coat showcases beautiful volume and texture, while the bold colour placement gives the entire design incredible dimension.

The striking black-and-yellow patterned body adds another layer of visual interest, beautifully contrasting with the bright rainbow colours throughout the groom. From the colourful topknot to the fluffy legs and perfectly coordinated details, every element contributes to this eye-catching creation.

Jimena's fearless use of colour, imaginative styling, and impressive execution make this entry a wonderful celebration of the artistic possibilities of creative grooming!

View Jimena's winning entry on Instagram

1st Place: Iryna Savenkova

Handle: @Irispetgrooming

Prize: $200 Cash Prize

Claiming first place, Iryna Savenkova delivered a wonderfully creepy Halloween transformation that is sure to make anyone do a double take!

This imaginative spider-inspired creation turns a classic white-coated groom into a spooky Halloween spectacle. The dramatic dark, hairy spider-like details extending across the dog's body create the illusion of multiple creepy crawlers emerging from its coat. The contrast between the soft white fur and the darker, textured sculptural elements makes the design particularly striking.

What makes this entry so captivating is the creative concept and the way the additional elements transform the overall silhouette into something unexpected and delightfully eerie. It's a fantastic example of how creative grooming can turn an ordinary groom into a fully realized Halloween character!

Iryna's originality, attention to detail, and ability to bring such a fun and spooky concept to life earned her the top spot in this year's Halloween competition. Congratulations on a well-deserved first-place finish!

View Iryna's winning entry on Instagram

A Huge Thank You to Our Halloween Participants!

What a spooktacular competition! We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated in our Halloween 2026 Groom of the Month challenge. Your creativity, passion, and willingness to push artistic boundaries continue to inspire our entire creative grooming community.

From creepy characters to colourful fantasy creations, every entry brought something special to this Halloween celebration. We are continually amazed by the talent and imagination within our community, and we are so grateful to everyone who took the time to create, share, and participate.

A huge congratulations to Iryna, Jimena, and Cecilia on their incredible achievements! Our three winners will receive their respective cash prizes of $200, $100, and $50, along with a special GCGA gift package featuring a commemorative plaque, GCGA patch, stickers, and other goodies.

Thank you once again to all our participants for making this Halloween edition such a memorable one. Keep creating, keep experimenting, and keep bringing your imaginative ideas to life!

We can't wait to see what spooky, spectacular, and wonderfully creative transformations you come up with for our next Groom of the Month challenge!