Brodie, an Australian Shepherd from Ayrshire, owned and bred by Sarah Bothwell, has won the Junior Warrant Winner of the Year competition final at Crufts 2025 on Thursday 6 March.
Brodie (Ch Norcis Slippery Jack JW) has had a great start to his dog show career, winning the Junior Warrant, an award for pedigree dogs from the ages of 6 to 18 months which have won a series of first prizes at both open and championship dog shows, and has now followed this up with a major win at Crufts at the NEC, Birmingham.
Brodie and Sarah were up against nine other finalists for the coveted title but were named the winner after wowing judge Tim Ball in the exciting final.
Sarah said: “I’m just over the moon, he’s my first homebred champion from my first ever litter that I’ve bred and he’s just taken me on such a journey – he’s just the best. I think he was so well-behaved because he knows I’ve got meatballs.”
Helen Kerfoot, Crufts Show Manager, said: “Congratulations to Brodie and Sarah for this fantastic achievement and their impressive performance in the ring at Crufts. The Junior Warrant is one of the most prestigious competitions for young dogs and a great indicator of an exciting future for handlers and their dogs. We are sure to be seeing more of Brodie and Sarah in the future.
“Competing in the Junior Warrant Winner of the Year competition final is a great achievement for any young dog, so we want to say a huge well done to all the finalists who took part.”
The Junior Warrant Winner of the Year competition is held annually and is for dogs which have gained the title of Junior Warrant during the previous year.
The semi-finals of this year’s Junior Warrant competition took place at The Kennel Club Building, Stoneleigh, in October with 57 top young dogs competing for just ten places.
Runner-up in the Junior Warrant final was the Miniature Poodle, Dior (Ch Joleena’s In Excelsis With Navarre JW), owned by Elizabeth Holmes-Leak and bred by Natalie Priestley.
The ten dogs competing in the final were as follows:
- Australian Shepherd, Ch Norcis Slippery Jack JW, owned and bred by Sarah Bothwell
- Bearded Collie, Wre Write The Stars From Noonie Bears With Bridus JW (Imp Bel), owned by Sue and Emma Bird and bred by Inge Floryn.
- Boxer, Romanico Bacctu Clarricks JW, owned by Clare Lock and bred by Racheal Kuech.
- Irish Wolfhound, Killoughery Mission Two For Inkleyboys JW, owned by Kim Webb and Caroline Sheppard and bred by Karen Gregory.
- Miniature Schnauzer, Ch Violis Stormy Skies JW, owned and bred by Lisa Parker and Joe McDonald.
- Miniature Smooth Haired Dachshund, Siouxline Mary Rose JW, owned and bred by Sue Ergis.
- Newfoundland, Sandbears Fourty Four JW, owned and bred by Suzanne Blake.
- Poodle (Miniature), Ch Joleena’s In Excelsis With Navarre JW, owned by Elizabeth Holmes-Leak and bred by Natalie Priestley.
- Shetland Sheepdog, Lavika Sunset Rose JW, owned and bred by Katya Robinson.
- Tibetan Terrier, Ch Araki Wowie Zowie JW, owned by Judy Price and Tracey Leese and bred by Kevin Maguire.
To find out more about the Junior Warrant Winner of the Year competition, please visit thekennelclub.org.uk/juniorwarrant.
Crufts takes place from 6 - 9 March 2025 at the NEC, Birmingham. For more information and results from the show, visit crufts.org.uk.