Junior Handlers
Junior Handler Competitions are a wonderful opportunity to spend time with your dog as well as with other young people of similar age.
There are Junior Handler Competitions at all shows in Victoria, except for those shows held on a school day, which means there is plenty of handlers competitions you can enter.
There is a manual which is a guide for those that wish to improve their knowledge on Junior Handling as well as explaining the rules and regulations that are required. A copy of the manual can be found here
Entering a Junior Handler competition can be extremely rewarding and challenging; it encourages great sportsmanship, friendships and welfare between young people and dogs.
Junior handling also involves the opportunity for youths and youngsters to learn more about different dog breeds, as well as their various types and characteristics. The sport encourages young dog lovers to gain knowledge of how to take care of dogs and how to maintain animal wellbeing. These values will help support further generations of consciousness and responsible dog ownership culture.
At the Junior Kennel Club of Victoria’s championship show held in July, junior handlers compete in the state final; each state final winner then competes in the national finals. The winner of the best junior handler at the national finals wins a trip to England to compete in the World Challenge held at Crufts each year.
If you are between 7 and under 19 years of age you can compete in junior handlers.
Crufts, UK - March 2019
Dogs Victoria would like to offer our congratulations to our junior member Destiny Hamilton who represented Australia and WON the 2019 International Junior Handling Competition at Crufts. Fantastic effort Dee!!!
Junior Kennel Club of Victoria - Championship Show - 7 July 2018
The Junior Kennel Club of Victoria hold their annual Junior Handler State Final in the month of July. This year, the judge was Miss Kari Harding from SA who did a great job of putting all the children through their paces.
The overall winner was Dee Hamilton who will go on to represent Victoria in the Junior Handler National held in Adelaide later on in the year.
Hollie Mann was awarded the title of runner-up state finalist. Both girls handled Australian Shepherds and did a fantastic job.
Dee won the national final in Adelaide and represented Australia at Crufts in 2019, with great success!
She also competed at the World Dog Show in Amsterdam where she represented Australia in the Junior Handler competition - read her story here
| 13-u19 years 1st - Dee Hamilton 2nd- Hollie Mann 3rd- Tia Koch |
10-u13 years 1st- Cassidy Lee-Hartford 2nd- Paige Trotter 3rd- Emily Perkins |
7-u10 years 1st- Annabell Hall 2nd-Riley Malseed 3rd- Charlotte Thomas |
2018 1ST PLACE & OVERALL WINNER 2018 RUNNER-UP STATE FINALIST
Dee Hamilton - 13 to under 19 yrs Hollie Mann - 13 to under 19 yrs
Junior Kennel Club of Victoria - Championship Show - 8 July 2017
2017 1ST PLACE & OVERALL WINNER 2017 1ST PLACE
Hollie Mann - 13 to under 19 years Emily Perkins - 7 to under 10 years
If you are interested in being a Junior Dog Handler then you are required to become a member of Dogs Victoria.