General News

October 2023

Team GB will be travelling to Italy to compete in the  European Open Championships - we have a fabulous team and we wish them well. Go team GB

Heelwork to Music Team

Irene Holt with Oltomaine Jack (Jack)
Lucy Creek with JK’s Amazing Xante (Jingle) or Deltamadog Pobyddion Cae (Bakersfield)
Lucy Heath with Stillmoor Star Turn (Foxy)
Nicci Hindson with Comebyanaway Wildest Dream (Elsa)

Freestyle Team

Lorna Syrett with Nora of Beacon (Nora)
Lucy Creek with JK’s Amazing Xante (Jingle) or Deltamadog Pobyddion Cae (Bakersfield)*(See below)
Lucy Heath with Trip Hazard (Trip)
Nicci Hindson with Comebyanaway Wildest Dream (Elsa)

September 2023

Crufts 2024 Semi Final Qualifiers

The top two competitors in a premier competitions Advanced qualifiers HTM & Freestyle (not previously qualified) go forward to the Crufts Semi-final competition. Below is the complete list of all qualifying teams for the 2024 semi-finals which will be held in January at Forest Oak Farm in Gloucester.

May 2023

 Team GB are off to Denmark to compete in the European Championships. Best of luck to all Team GB members and their wonderful dogs; Nicci Hindson, Lucy Creek, Kristine Hodgson, Kim Lyddon and Team Manager Kath Hardman.

Vacancy for a HTM working party member - if interested please apply to the Kennel Club. 

February 2023

Crufts 2023 Judges

The highest honour for any HTM judge is to be asked to judge at Crufts - it is not only an honour but a responsibility and judges take that responsibility seriously - they must have an in-depth understanding of the rules and regulations of the sport and UK judges must be fully qualified to judge all classes and all divisions to the highest level.

Each year the Kennel club invites an international judge to judge alongside our UK judges - they too are fully qualified to judge in their own country and must also have full knowledge of UK judging criteria. They will be judging according to our rules some of which may differ to the rules set out in their own country.

This years judges - are Louise Ince, Sandra Hallam and Grietje Wagenaar 

 December 2022

The running order for Crufts 2023 has been Drawn

FREESTYLE THURSDAY
1^st    Helen Dennis
2^nd   Lesley Neville
3^rd   Kim Lyddon
4^th   Charlotte Ball
5^th   Lucy Heath
6^th Jenny Witt
7^th   Jill Davis
8^th   Lorna Syrett
9^th   Anne Shuker
10^th Nicci Hindson

HTM FRIDAY
1^st   Kath Hardman
2^nd  Lesley Neville
3^rd  Anne Shuker
4^th Rachel Cudworth
5^th Lucy Creek
6^th Gina Pink
7^th Irene Holt
8^th Lucy Heath
9^th   Carole Dodson
10^th  Nicci Hindson

INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY

1^st   Switzerland
2^nd   Germany
3^rd   Canada
4^th   Sweden
5^th   Japan
6^th   Denmark
7^th   The Czech Republic
8^th   Norway
9^th   Hungary
10^th  United Kingdom
11^th   Belgium
12^th  The Netherlands
13^th   Italy

October 2022

The show season is winding down - only a few more competitions left this year, which will then give handlers time to attend training shows and workshops and refresh and renew for 2023.

A new development oft 2023 will be the KC mentoring scheme for new judges. This will enable those who are just beginning their judging journey to gain from the experience and knowledge of those their mentors. more details will follow but the scheme is expected to begin in January 2023.

September 2022

The last Cruft qualifier for 2022 was hosted by the Scottish Border Collie club on the 24th and 25th of September - this competition rounded off the qualifies in style with a fantastic fun atmosphere. Two qualifiers were Kath Hardman and her Border collie Denby and Charlotte Ball - first time qualifier with her super crossbreed Monet. Those that have qualified for Crufts 2023 now have lots of time to prepare.

August 2022

The HTM working party hosted two zooms on the 23rd of August 2022 - the first for competitors interested in participating in any international team competitions. Kath Hardman explained the logistics of getting a team of handlers and dogs abroad and the costings and time requirements. This was a positive meeting and anyone interested will be invited to apply for the team when the next application process takes place.

The second Zoom meeting was set to allow the working party to go though the Summary of Recommendation from their last meeting in May and answer any questions or concerns. This was the first time this had been done and it worked very well and it was agreed to do this again.

Premier competitions

The competition season is well underway and it has been great to see people and their dogs again. Handlers winning either and advanced Freestyle or Heelwork to music class at a premier competition gain their golden ticket straight to Crufts 2023. Below are the names of those happy handlers and dogs so far.

May 2022

March 2022

UK Crufts Winner for Heelwork to Music and Freestyle was Nicci Hindson and her super collie Comebyanaway Wildest Dream.

The Crufts international Freestyle winner was Marianne Elise Methi and Very Vega, a Border Collie representing Norway

 28th January 2022

It is with great pleasure that we announce the Crufts Dog Activities HTM team for 2022

Team members come from all over the UK . They are working in all classes from  Starters to Advanced and have a wonderful wide selection of dogs breeds and types.

Team Manager - Ann Derizzio

Team Members are in alphabetical order:

Charlotte Ball

Helen Boyd

Daniella Chapman

Gill Crawford

Carole Dodson

Michelle Dodson

Naomi Evans

Janice Gibbons

Kath Hardman

Carole Harris

Kate Kayes

Emily High

Mira Hitikasch

Diane Jones

Mindy Kerr

Lisa Mappin

Lynsey McMinimee

Richard Moss

Ellis O’Grady

Jean Page

Angela Payne

Karen Robson

Andrea Rogers

Pamela Ruscoe

Kirsty Stuart

Alison Thompson

Hannah Thompson

27th January 2022

New member of the HTM working party

The Kennel Club Activities Committee has appointed a new Chair to the HTM working party after the retirement of Dave Ray. Dr Jacqueline Boyd chaired her first meeting in December 2021.

We asked Jackie for a brief introduction:

"Hello, I'm Jackie. I was hugely privileged to join the HTM WP in 2021 as Chair to assist the working party in all endeavours to promote and support Heelwork to Music. I am passionate about having fun with our dogs and keeping them fit, happy and healthy through training and activities.  I'll look forward to seeing many of you over the coming months"

 We welcome Jackie to the HTM community.

10th January 2022

Crufts

Crufts is our next big show - Those lucky enough to be going to Crufts will now be training hard. The sport will be represented there in several ways. In the main arena with the Freestyle, Heelwork to Music and International Freestyle competitions held over the first three days of Crufts. Check out Crufts pages shortly.

There will also be the Young Kennel club Crufts HTM and Freestyle Competitions.

Displays in the Kennel Club dog activities ring every day and demonstrations in the Good Citizen ring too.