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SECOND ANNUAL NORDIC CHAMPIONSHIPS
DECEMBER 16 - STOCKHOLM

Judge Tatjana Urek,Slovenia

Nordic Winner show 2007 – Second Annual Nordic Championships
© Katrine Grønfeldt Kryh 2008

In November 2007 the second Nordic Championship was held in Stockholm, Sweden. The judge was Tatjana Urek from Slovenia. All the handlers met the night before for dinner at the hotel, where all the competitors were booked in. Everyone from every country had the opportunity to meet and chat with juniors from all of the different Nordic countries. After dinner, there were information about the competition the next day, and was given out to all of us.

Sunday, the day of the competition.  The juniors were given their chosen breed (either 1st, 2nd or 3rd choice), and if one of the juniors had trouble with their chosen dog, they were able to change if, into a Tibetan Terrier.  The juniors were in 4 different groups, by random order. All of the juniors went  in the ring, and the judge Tatjana Urek, went through every junior handler very  thoroughly.  Each junior had to walk/run straight up and down , and also do the letter “T” or an ”L”.

After every group had been inspected by the judge, all of the handlers were gathered  in the ring, and the juniors were “switching” dogs, with another handler.

After the inspection of all the handlers, the judge had made up her mind, and the results were given later in the big ring.

In the big ring, the tree finalists had to walk/run straight up and down, change dogs and make the number “8”.

Nordic Junior Handling Champions 2007 *TEAM COMPETITION*

 

1st DENMARK

2nd ICELAND

3rd SWEDEN

Nordic Junior Handling Champions 2007 *INDIVIDUAL-COMPETITION*

1st Katrine Grønfeldt Kryh

2nd Mette Pålsson                   3rd

Guðrún Dögg Sveinbjörnsdóttir

Nordic Championships
© Louise Dufwa 2007

In 2005 the will for a creation of an international Junior Handling final for Nordic Junior Handlers began to root and thereby the NKU* Junior handling committee started to discuss guidelines for such a competition. The objective was to increase the cooperation between the dog interested youth within the Nordic countries and for these to share and learn more from each other about dogs, and the understanding for dogs. Finally, in November 2006 the first Nordic Championships ever was held in connection to the Nordic Winner show in Hamar, Norway and in December 2007 the second Nordic Junior Handling Championships will take place in Stockholm, Sweden.

The final is yearly arranged by the four Scandinavian countries; Norway; Sweden; Denmark; Finland. Whereas Iceland only is a participating country. Every country participates with a national team of four (4) members, the best within the country, led by a fifth team leader. The Junior Handler must be between 10 and 17 years old. Ranging from the year of his or her 10th birthday, to the year of his or her 17th birthday. None of the Junior Handlers is allowed to show his or her own dog; instead unknown dogs are allotted from the organising country. Each handler [may] wish, in order of preference, for three choice of breeds to participate with. The dogs have to be trained show dogs and it is the responsibility of the organising country to contribute with such dogs.

The judge is chosen by the organising country, based on suggestions of the NKU Junior Handling committee and shall not be of Nordic heritage. The judge shall have good knowledge of dog handling of various breeds and preferably have a past experience as a Junior Handler. The judge does not have to be an authorized exterior judge, but must principally show interest in and understanding for the Junior Handling sports.

The participants get to compete in both a team competition and an individual competition. The team competition is based on a written critique, where the judge has to range 5 aspects of the Junior Handler's performance, from 1-5, where 5 is the highest mark, followed by a comment. The sum of each Junior Handler's points is added to the other team members', and the teams are placed 1-3, where the winning team is the one having achieved the highest total score, and announced as Nordic Champions.

The Junior Handling Mark Scheme:

• General impression of equipage
• Movement within the group
• Setting up of dog
• Showing of teeth
• Movement Straight up and down
• Patterns (e.g. T or L)
• Ability to use the ring
• Ability to show the specific breed
• Contact/bearing/cooperation
• Judge's own point

Quote from "Regulations for Nordic Championship in Junior Handling" (2006)

"Junior handling is based on individual judgment of each junior handler’s knowledge. The judgment includes behaviour in the ring, the interaction between the handler and the dog, and the presentation of the dog.
    The attention of the junior handler should be judged with regard to the judge, the ring stewards and the other competitors.
    The judge should evaluate the junior handler’s outfit in relation to the dog."

In the individual competition the handlers are once again judged according to their handling skills. The judge places the Junior Handlers, independently upon the country these are representing, 1-3, where the winner is announced as Nordic Champion.

In the individual competition the handlers are once again judged according to their handling skills. The judge places the Junior Handlers, independently upon the country these are representing, 1-3, where the winner is announced as Nordic Champion.

Nordic Winner show 2006 - First Annual Nordic Championships

In November 2006 the first Nordic Championships ever was held in connection to the Nordic Winner show in Hamar, Norway. The judge was the professional handler Hugo Quevedo, from Peru. All handlers met the night before and ate dinner and made acquaintance with each other while watching the glamorous Norwegian Champion of Champions.

At the day of the show the Junior Handlers gathered and the judge was very thorough and took his time treating every handler with utmost respect. The
The day was until the finals begun in the main ring. All teams marched into the ring while the team leader led the way, carrying the country banner, for the handlers and their dogs. The judge picked out 3 handlers to be his finalists in the individual competition. These were Þorbjörg Ásta Leifsdóttir, Benedikte Nergaard and Louise Dufwa. These three were asked to do a half circle into the middle of the ring and there free-stack their dogs, and after this to complete a triangle backwards. Thereafter, the handlers were placed.
 

Click here for photos from the event in 2006

#1 Benedikte Nergaard  Kerry Blue Terrier Norway

#2 Louise Dufwa Wire Fox Terrier Sweden

#3 Þorbjörg Ásta Leifsdóttir  Shetland Sheepdog Iceland