Young dog lovers aged from just 6 to 24 years of age have spent the weekend competing with their dogs in Young Kennel Club (YKC) Agility and Grooming Crufts qualifiers at London’s biggest dog event, Eukanuba Discover Dogs at ExCeL London.
YKC members impressed the crowds, demonstrating their skills, and those of their dogs, whilst competing for a place in the finals, which will take place at Crufts 2017 at the NEC Birmingham.
The successful qualifiers for YKC Agility Dog of the Year were:
- Over 12 Small: Millie Sawyer (aged 14) with Mandy’s Bumble Bee and Madeline Forbes (aged 15) with Mongrubah Bramble Ruby
- Under 12 Medium: Isabella Baigent (aged 11) with Gaestencanna Cia at Emmroche and Hannah Chatfield (aged 11) with Ossie’s Mini Adventure
- Over 12 Medium: Shannon Springford (aged 17) with Shansdream a Gift of Love and Charlotte Carlisle-Martin (aged 16) with Whisanne Isle
- Over 12 Large: Shannon Springford (aged 17) with Castoyma First Love and Adam Stretton (aged 15) with Ginny De La Patonniere
The successful qualifiers for YKC Grooming competitions were:
- Under 12 Groom Through: Izabella King (aged 10) and Roxy Turner (aged 7)
- Over 12 Groom Through: Bobbi Shepherd (aged 15) and Hannah Pearson (aged 17)
- Over 18 Groom Through: Hayley Byrne-Ingle (18) and Olivia Verplancke (20)
- Over 18 Clip/Trim & Strip: Lucy Arathoon (aged 23) and Megan Blunn (aged 19)
More than 40 YKC members took part in the competitions over the weekend, demonstrating a high standard of skills in both agility and grooming. The qualifiers will now go on to the finals held at the world’s greatest dog show, Crufts in March 2017.
Young Kennel Club Chairman, Gerald King said: “Congratulations to all finalists who qualified for Crufts in their respective competitions. It’s an incredible achievement and it’s clear to see how hard they all worked. Competing in front of such a big crowd at Eukanuba Discover Dogs must have been incredibly daunting, which must have added to the pressure they faced.
“Well done to all our members who entered, it was a tough competition and everyone performed really well. We are very excited for the finals at Crufts next March and we wish all finalists the best of luck.”
Eukanuba Discover Dogs took place at ExCeL London on October 22nd and 23rd October.
The Young Kennel Club is open to all young people aged from 6 to 24 years. To find out more about the Young Kennel Club, or how to become a member visit the YKC website.