YKC Agility Team GB announced for European Open Junior Championships 2018

The Kennel Club has announced the names of the members of the agility teams who will represent Young Kennel Club (YKC) Agility Team GB at the European Open Junior Agility Championships in the Netherlands from 13th - 15th July 2018.

The successful handlers and dogs were chosen following this year’s squad selection process. Two selection days were held at Nottingham Trent University, both including agility and jumping courses, and the squad trained alongside the adult team. Handlers invited to both selection days competed on six courses in total, giving the handlers plenty of opportunity to impress. The top three handlers in each height qualified automatically for the first time, which filled the competition with extra excitement, ensuring some fantastic runs.

The selection days proved highly successful. The first day was judged by Steve Croxford and the second by guest judge Jirina Mackova from Czech Republic. Jirina is also the European Open Championship judge, and set a mixture of challenging courses for the competitors. The coaching team, made up of Mark Laker (team manager), Paul Moore (team coach), Ann Roberts (team assistant), Rachel Mowbray (team vet) and Neil Ellis (team coordinator) assessed the handlers on both days. Several aspects of the competitors were considered; not only their course performance, but the handler’s attitude, fault recovery, and dog’s health.

The Kennel Club congratulates all the handlers who have been selected to represent YKC Agility Team GB this year, which is supported by CSJ Specialist Canine Feeds and sponsored by the Kennel Club.

Agility Team GB Manager, Mark Laker said: “In the third year of taking a team to the European Open for juniors we’ve seen over 130 young handlers try out and a greater level of agility. The standard and depth of competition across all three heights has been extremely high. I believe we’ve selected a very strong team which I’m looking forward to working with as we prepare for the European Open for juniors in the Netherlands this July."

The teams selected are as follows:

Small:

  • Penelope Lowes with Totanium Penny Black               Final winner
  • Lucas Irwin-Burns with Lucas's Little Soppy Sam        Second in final
  • Rosie Sawyer with Happy Pappi of Many Tears           Third in final
  • Jack Ryan with Jachols Jump Jet
  • Eilidh Murray with Ellie's Dream Girl       
  • Summer Clark with Triggerwick's Ruby AW(S) 
  • Millie Sawyer with Mandys Bumble Bee

Medium:

  • Aemillia Nicholson with Little Miss Woo Woo                Final winner
  • Katie Lines with Under The Archies                              Second in final
  • Aemillia Nicholson with Roo My Little Gem                   Third in final
  • Camryn Macleod with Folkvang Purple Lucky  
  • Hannah Thorpe with Izzie Catch A Falling Star
  • Penelope Lowes with Trouble & Squeak           
  • William Sims-Bolboe with Twinyos Jumping Jack       

Large:

  • Sara Bacon with Tynevermoor Jay                                Final winner
  • Emilia Bowers with Foxtwist Repeat Request               Second in final
  • Belle Howlett with Millennium Falcon Princess             Third in final
  • Sara Bacon with Tynevermoor Secret Dreamer
  • Thomas Shaw with Laugh Out Loud      
  • Rory Tidmarsh with Delanor Creme De Menthe           
  • Jessica Cuthbertson with Jess And Skye Blue Shining AW(G)        
  • Ben Alderson with Goose Girl      
  • Millie Sawyer with Borderspirit Joyful     
  • Megan Hunt with A Moment in Thyme   

Non-travelling reserves:

  • Adam Stretton with Tottakai Voin Olla Valopilkku
  • Heidi Von Dinther with Miss Nell Be
  • Ben Alderson with Secret Mystery Mission Impossible
  • Emma Greenshields with Black Knight of Wessex      
  • Lucinda Lowes with Sobriety's Come On Eileen