The International Junior Handling Competition
The international junior handling competition takes place every year during the World's biggest and most prestigious dog show - Crufts. It brings together young handlers from across the world.
Each country has one representative who competes in the main arena, with the chance of winning the ultimate title. If you’re thinking of getting into dog showing, this competition is essential viewing.
Split into three exciting rounds, the contest requires the finalists to demonstrate their handling ability and rapport with unfamiliar dogs that they have met less than an hour before the final. The finalists have each selected a first and second choice breed but will not have met the individual dogs before.
They will then handle a second dog of another breed with only about five minutes of bonding time beforehand, before returning to the ring with their original choice of breed. The judge will make a secret shortlist, with all the finalists later returning to the arena for the final parade where the winner will be crowned. The Juniors can select their first choice of preferred breed from any breeds available at Crufts, with the exceptions of the Afghan Hound, Akita, Japanese Akita Inu, Lhasa Apso, Rottweiler, Saluki and Shih Tzu (as per present IJH Rules at Crufts).
The story of the Maltese Junior handler participation at Crufts started in 1987, when 2 Maltese members, namely Mr. Victor Mercieca, later to become President of The Malta Canine Society, and the late Mr. John Portelli were attending Crufts in 1987. They accidentally went in the ring where the International Junior Handling Competition was taking place. They took interest in what was going on and brought this idea to the attention of the two Clubs in Malta, who agreed to the idea and managed to get the Maltese representative to be accepted in this International Competition. The first Junior Handling competition in Malta started in the year 1988, with the Junior Handler gaining the largest number of points at local shows throughout the year to become the Junior Handler Of The Year. The first competition, in 1988 was won by Tonio Portelli from Hamrun, and subsequently, the first Maltese participation took place during Crufts 1989, with Tonio Portelli becoming the first Maltese Junior Handler to represent Malta at this prestigious competition.
Malta has always produced excellent Junior handlers. Two Maltese Junior Handlers has won the title of International Junior Handler of the Year, Adrian Hili in the year 2000 and David Mercieca in the year 2003. The Maltese Junior Handler for Crufts has been supported by Midland Counties Canine Society since 1999.
As from the year 2020, Mr. Charles Allen, Managing Director of Birdbrook Rosettes, has started presenting the Maltese Junior Handler representative at Crufts with a beautiful trophy. The trophy, in the form of a chain link, symbolizes the link of the present Dog World with the future of dog shows. This Trophy was presented to the Maltese Junior Handler of the Year for the first time during Crufts 2020.
Below is the list of the Maltese Juniors who represented Malta at this event. The year shown is the year in which they participated at Crufts, meaning that the participant won the Junior of the Year in Malta the previous year.
Scroll down for the Rules and Regulations pertaining to the Junior Handler Of The Year and the list and photos of all the Maltese representatives since 1989.
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JUNIOR PARTICIPANT
KEIRA O'LEARY MARIAH MANICARO MARIAH MANICARO CANCELLED DUE TO PANDEMIC CANCELLED DUE TO PANDEMIC PAULA CUSCHIERI RIONA MANICARO PAULA CUSCHIERI KIMBERLEY SCIBERRAS SCOTT KIMBERLEY SCIBERRAS SCOTT KIMBERLEY SCIBERRAS SCOTT EMAN SPAGNOL EMAN SPAGNOL FABIENNE CHETCUTI FABIENNE CHETCUTI CHRISTABELLE CHETCUTI STACEY VELLA STACEY VELLA STACEY VELLA STACEY VELLA SHAWN CAMILLERI SHAWN CAMILLERI DAVID MERCIECA ANGIE VELLA ANGIE VELLA ADRIAN HILI ADRIAN HILI DESIREE SALIBA RODERICK DEBATTISTA VANESSA TANTI VANESSA TANTI ALISON NAVARRO ALISON NAVARRO ROBERTO MICALLEF KARL MICALLEF JEFFREY MICALLEF TONIO PORTELLI |
The following are the Rules of the Junior Handling Competition which were established and agreed upon by the local Clubs in Malta, and which have been standing since the inception of this competition in Malta. These fundamental Rules can only be changed by agreement of all the Clubs hosting this competition, namely the MNCF and the MKC. Over the years there were some minimal changes to the Rules, always agreed by all the Clubs concerned, these were mainly on procedures of how the dogs should be exchanged between the Juniors, as in the beginning, the changing of the dogs used to be decided during a meeting 2 days before the show at the office of the club organizing the show, with representatives of both clubs and the parents of the junior handlers present. This was made by ballot, most of the time resulting in arguments and disagreements between the parents. Later, it was agreed between the two clubs that the changing of the dogs during the class will be the sole prerogative of the judge on the day. Another change was the start and ending of each yearly competition. Since up to the early nineties Crufts was held in January or February, to give our winner enough time to prepare for Crufts, our competition used to commence in November and ending the following October, and in case of parity of points, then the November show would be the decisive one apart from being the start of the following year's competition. Later, when Crufts was moved to March, we adopted the January to December system, and in case of parity, the first show in January or February being the decisive one. However, the points system and the way the Junior Handler of the Year would be decided has never changed. The following are the main points of the Rules of this competition:
The Junior Handler competing shall not be younger then 10 years or older than 18 years of age on the day of the show in which the local competition is being held. Once the Junior Handler reach the age of 18 years, he/she cannot continue to participate in Junior Handler classes but the points gained during that year before the 18th birthday will still count for the Junior Handler Of The Year competition for that year.
Dogs being handled in the Junior Handler class must be entered in their breed class in the same show and must be of good temperament. It is also very important that the Junior Handlers are entrusted to handle breeds that they are physically able to handle and restrain, and the show organizers will have the right to order a change of dog if they deem the handler is not capable of controlling the dog being handled. This is for the safety of the other handlers and dogs.
Points awarded to the Junior Handlers are: 5 points for the first placing; 3 Points for the second placing; 1 point for the third placing.
At the end of each year, all points obtained from shows organized by the Maltese National Canine Federation and its affiliated clubs and by the Malta Kennel Club are added together to determine the Junior Handler Of The Year to represent Malta at the International Junior Handler Competition which takes place at Crufts, England. In the case of parity in points between any of the contestants, then the winner shall be determined at the first show of the next year. If this will still be indecisive, then the Judge of the day must give additional patterns to the leading Juniors until a winner is declared.
The Junior Handler class shall be scheduled as the first class in each show. Only during the yearly or half yearly local school exams season that this is transferred to be scheduled as the 1st class on the Sunday.
The Junior Handler competing shall not be younger then 10 years or older than 18 years of age on the day of the show in which the local competition is being held. Once the Junior Handler reach the age of 18 years, he/she cannot continue to participate in Junior Handler classes but the points gained during that year before the 18th birthday will still count for the Junior Handler Of The Year competition for that year.
Dogs being handled in the Junior Handler class must be entered in their breed class in the same show and must be of good temperament. It is also very important that the Junior Handlers are entrusted to handle breeds that they are physically able to handle and restrain, and the show organizers will have the right to order a change of dog if they deem the handler is not capable of controlling the dog being handled. This is for the safety of the other handlers and dogs.
Points awarded to the Junior Handlers are: 5 points for the first placing; 3 Points for the second placing; 1 point for the third placing.
At the end of each year, all points obtained from shows organized by the Maltese National Canine Federation and its affiliated clubs and by the Malta Kennel Club are added together to determine the Junior Handler Of The Year to represent Malta at the International Junior Handler Competition which takes place at Crufts, England. In the case of parity in points between any of the contestants, then the winner shall be determined at the first show of the next year. If this will still be indecisive, then the Judge of the day must give additional patterns to the leading Juniors until a winner is declared.
The Junior Handler class shall be scheduled as the first class in each show. Only during the yearly or half yearly local school exams season that this is transferred to be scheduled as the 1st class on the Sunday.
