A striking image illustrating the herding instincts of a Border Collie has been chosen as the winner of this year’s Kennel Club Dog Photographer of the Year competition.

The winning image, taken by Catherine Laurenson from Glasgow, beautifully represents her Border Collie, Max, at work. It beat off competition from 5,000 other canine images to win the prestigious annual competition run by the Kennel Club.

Speaking about winning the competition, Catherine said: “Photographing animals is my passion and I'm absolutely delighted to have won this award - it is so exciting!

“The photograph is of Max, our working Collie at home on our farm in Shetland, although he is more of a part-timer these days! I currently live in Glasgow and work as a livestock photographer, so I'm more used to photographing cattle and sheep. I travel the country visiting farms and can never resist snapping the dogs that are around. If there's a dog in the house it almost always gets its picture taken!”

Catherine’s image will be on display throughout London’s leading dog event, Discover Dogs which takes place at Earls Court on 10th and 11th November. At Discover Dogs Catherine will be presented with the Dog Photographer of the Year trophy, a glamorous Uggie dog collar from Holly and Lil and a framed print of her winning shot.

Professional dog photographer Nick Ridley, who was one of the judges of the competition, said: “Congratulations to Catherine on this wonderful image. The Border Collie is a highly intelligent and active breed and she has managed to capture both of these characteristics in a single shot.

“We can reflect upon this image and consider the natural instincts that reside in every dog breed - there are 210 dog breeds in the UK all with different traits and characteristics. This image, as well as a number of others in the competition, informs its viewer about exactly why that breed of dog is so unique.”

The Dog Photographer of the Year Competition has been taking place annually for seven years. It is open to both professional and amateur photographers, and, for the first time in its history, the competition was free to enter for all this year, attracting a record breaking 5,000 entries.

In previous years, the competition entry fee was donated to the Kennel Club Charitable Trust, the charity which looks after the health and welfare of all dogs. Despite the free entry, many people still donated money and over £1,000 was raised for the charity.
The Dog Photographer of the Year Competition consists of six categories: Portrait, Man’s Best Friend, Dogs At Play, Dogs At Work, Puppy and I Love Dogs Because – a category specifically for those aged 16 and under.

The winning images will be on display at Discover Dogs which takes place at Earls Court, London on November 10th and 11th and are available to view on Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/thekennelclub/collections/72157606667542420

For tickets to Discover Dogs to see the images up close, please visit www.discoverdogs.org.uk/ticket-office.

ENDS
1st October 2012
[365.12]

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Notes to editors:
The winners for each category were as follows:
Dogs At Work: Catherine Laurenson from Glasgow
Dogs At Play: Doug Jewell from Bristol
Man’s Best Friend: Emma Carter from Hailsham, East Sussex
Dog Portrait: Shane Wilkinson from Salisbury
Puppy: Rhian White from Hove
I Love Dogs Because (16 and under category): Jessica Keating from Newcastle Upon Tyne

The Kennel Club is the largest organisation in the UK devoted to dog health, welfare and training. Its objective is to ensure that dogs live healthy, happy lives with responsible owners.

It runs the country’s largest registration database for both pedigree and crossbreed dogs and the Petlog database, which is the UK’s largest reunification service for microchipped animals. The Kennel Club Assured Breeder Scheme is the only scheme in the UK that monitors and sets standards for breeders, in order to protect the welfare of puppies and breeding bitches. It also runs the UK’s largest dog training programme, the Good Citizen Dog Training Scheme and licenses shows and clubs across a wide range of activities, which help dog owners to bond and enjoy life with their dogs. The Kennel Club runs the world’s greatest dog show, Crufts, and the Discover Dogs event at Earls Court, London, which is a fun family day out that educates people about how to buy responsibly and care for their dog.

The Kennel Club invests in welfare campaigns, dog training and education programmes and the Kennel Club Charitable Trust, which supports research into dog diseases and dog welfare charities, including Kennel Club Breed Rescue organisations that re-home dogs throughout the UK. The Kennel Club jointly runs health screening schemes with the British Veterinary Association and through the Charitable Trust, funds the Kennel Club Genetics Centre at the Animal Health Trust, which is at the forefront of pioneering research into dog health.

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