A teenager from Cambridgeshire has been awarded the title of National Junior Handler of the Year, and will represent the UK at the Joe Cartledge Memorial International Junior Handling final at Crufts 2026 and in the junior handling final at the World Dog Show in Italy 2026.
Megan Slack, aged 17, from Wisbech was awarded the top spot by judge Kirsty Ryan, at the prestigious final, organised by the Junior Handling Association (JHA), alongside her Portuguese Water Dog called Hudson (Multi Ch Macduff’s Critical Acclaim Imp Can) who she co-owns with Byron Williams and Glenda Newton.
The event took place alongside The Kennel Club’s Junior Warrant of the Year semi-final, both held at The Kennel Club Building in Warwickshire on Saturday 18 October 2025. Megan has been a Young Kennel Club (YKC) member for 8 years, was runner up National Junior Handler of the Year in 2024 and runner up YKC Show Handler of the Year at Crufts in 2024. She will now represent the UK at the Joe Cartledge Memorial International Junior Handling Final held at Crufts 2026, on Friday 6 March, where the judge will be Jason Lynn.
The final results of the National Junior Handler of the Year 2025 were:
Winner: Megan Slack, aged 17, Portuguese Water Dog
Runner-up: Alexis Kirkwood-Emery, aged 14, German Wirehaired Pointer
3rd: Amelie Smith, aged 17, Parson Russell Terrier
4th: Grace Rutherford, aged 16, Pug
5th: Daisy Bray, aged 12, Whippet
6th: Gemma MacKenzie, aged 16, German Spitz (Mittel)
In the second part of the competition, the top six competitors were given a Flat Coated Retriever to handle, with Megan handling four-year-old Bonnie (Sh Ch Moontorn Better Half Of Me JW OSW). The Kennel Club and JHA would like to thank the owners of these Flat Coated Retrievers for lending their dogs - Abby Bellamy and Dawn Warrington.
Commenting on her win, Megan said: “I am absolutely over the moon, winning the finals really is a dream come true. The feeling of representing the UK in a hobby I love so much really does mean the world to me. I feel so excited to be in the big ring at Crufts! I cannot thank my friends and family enough for all the support they have given me over the years. Of course a huge thank you to the judge Mrs Kirsty Ryan for thinking so highly of Hudson and me.”
Megan won her spot in the final by winning first place at the JHA semi-final heat in July 2025 at National Working & Pastoral Breeds Society, held at Three Counties Showground in Malvern, under judge, Jodi Allen. It was Megan’s fourth time reaching the finals.
Megan wants to be a canine hydrotherapist and she trains at Top Flight Dog Training Club. Her favourite hobby is dog showing. In her spare time, she plays tennis with her granddad weekly. She’s also a keen crocheter and enjoys making animals and presents for people.
The National Junior Handler of the Year final, organised by the Junior Handling Association, has been running since the 1970s and is one of the most hotly contested junior handling finals in the country. The semi-final heats for the 2025 competition took place between December 2024 and August 2025 and more than 150 junior handlers competed in these classes at the national group championship shows.
For more information about Junior Handling, please visit the Junior Handling Association’s Facebook page here.
For up-to-date information about Crufts 2026, visit crufts.org.uk.